White film/algae on heater.

[Frosty]

While I have been cycling my 10 gallon the heater has been building up some clear white film on the bottom cap of my heater I scraped it off but it reappeared in 24 hrs. What is this and is it bad?

Edited January 1, 2020 by Blazepelt

[Crabby]

Photo? 

[Frosty]

 

[sdlTBfanUK]

It may be a kind of fungus and I wouldn't worry about that as it should clear itself in the cycle/settling period. It's fairly common that fungus appears when cycling but usually clears even if just left alone and it won't harm anything, just doesn't look very nice. 

Simon

[Spongy]

On 1/1/2020 at 4:10 AM, Blazepelt said:

While I have been cycling my 10 gallon the heater has been building up some clear white film on the bottom cap of my heater I scraped it off but it reappeared in 24 hrs. What is this and is it bad?

Do you have a female amano shrimp? x

 

[Crabby]

No he doesn’t. And we don’t have those in Australia. Why did you ask?

[Frosty]

 Yeah none in my tank.

[Crabby]

Funnily enough I am having the same problem in my tank that is cycling atm! It's the exact same, and on the exact same heater!!! Interested to see if it goes away after cycling or is a continuing problem with this heater.

[sdlTBfanUK]

It is VERY common to get fungus in a newly set up tank, I think almost everyone has had that and it will clear up in time if left alone.

Simon

[Crabby]

Cool, good to know. 

Also just noticed that that you hit 1000 posts - Nice!

[Frosty]

Would the fungus affect fish?

[sdlTBfanUK]

I don't think it affects fish either, it just looks not very nice, though what you have is very mild and unintrusive anyway! It is more an indicator that the tank isn't quite settled/cycled/ready yet! Fish are less delicate than shrimps anyway so you don't need to wait for it to clear, just ignore it and it will eventually vanish!

Simon

[Frosty]

yeah no shrimp for a while just guppies.

[sdlTBfanUK]

I took another look at the photo above! If that cap is rubber rather than plastic, it may always look like that when in water and may not actually be fungus anyway? Looking very closely I suspect it is rubber so you may have to get used to that look! If the look bothers you, you can put a plant in front of it as it is at the bottom of the heater anyway.

Simon

[Crabby]

It is rubber. But we are able to rub off the white substance, so it seems to be growing or accumulating on the rubber.

I do think it’s fungal though.

Edited January 5, 2020 by Crabby

[Frosty]

Yeah it’s like a gelatinous gooey substance that is easily removed but just floats around. My guppy isn’t eating it so it’s not algae it’s probably as Simon said fungal.

[Frosty]

the white stuff is melting down and has almost dissapeared overnight! 

☺️