White Patches on Sand

[Ztkirkpatric]

Have a fairly new 150g tank... It's been up for close to two months now... In the last several days these white patches have started forming on the sand... Almost looks like mold... Anyone know what they might be?

 

[mr_X]

those appear to be fungal mats forming over the diatom skeletons. i would vacuum them out with water changes.
i love the caulerpa mexicana in the background! most people are afraid of the caulerpa species, but i don't sweat them...just prune that stuff every once in a while.

 

[Gti_Leo]

i heard caluerpa grows like weeds thats mainly the reason i wouldnt use it, but i think alot of people don't because it is omni sexual and can release all the polutants it collected

 

[mr_X]

i kept a refugium for years with mainly bubble caulerpa in it and never had a problem. the key is harvesting.

 

[Gti_Leo]

what do you mean by harvesting? you mean regular pruning? that would work also.

what do you think is a better micro algae for filtration, chaeto or caulerpa?

 

[mr_X]

yes. pruning. i am not sure. by the growth rate, i would say caulerpa, but i heard someone say once that chaeto was the best for nutrient export, but didn't hear why and what data they had to back that up. it may have just been because it's safer to keep.

 

[Gti_Leo]

probably.

now back on topic sorry OP