is this normal?.........(picture)

[Big Al]

this is on top of my salt tank. it's just been running salt water for 3 months, haven't added any rock yet, no funds. :( gettin ready to add some and need to figure out what's goin on. is it the bio wheel on the emp 280 causing it? thanx for any assistance.

http://photos.imageevent.com/alvolski73/atstuff/websize/IM001059.JPG


here's a whole tank shot so you can see the set up.

http://photos.imageevent.com/alvolski73/atstuff/websize/IM000614.JPG

[bmb527]

Not the bio-wheel. It's salt creep. Welcome to salt water tanks! Just something that happens, just clean it off when you see it starting. It is a never ending job. I wipe mine down every day or two so it isn't too noticeable.
Bill

[bmb527]

Not the bio-wheel. It's salt creep. Welcome to salt water tanks! Just something that happens, just clean it off when you see it starting. It is a never ending job. I wipe mine down every day or two so it isn't too noticeable.
Bill

[bmb527]

Not the bio-wheel. It's salt creep. Welcome to salt water tanks! Just something that happens, just clean it off when you see it starting. It is a never ending job. I wipe mine down every day or two so it isn't too noticeable.
Bill

[rememberme]

lol I think he got it the first time :) Just kiddin. Yeah that stuff is a pain in the ass! Just don't sweep it back into the tank :D

[erictck]

err.... i do occasionally sweep back the salt into the fish tank. What problem will this cause :?:

[bmb527]

Sorry about that! I have no idea how that happened. My ISP has been acting weird lately.
Bill

[adam2373]

welcome to the world of salt creep. :D

[H2OMike]

sweeping the salt back in creates pockets of high salinityas the salt chunks dissolve. Won't do much to the overall salinity of the tank (as long as you are keeping up with the evaporation by using RO/DI fesh water) but could stress the inhabitants.

Salt creep could lower the salinity over time, because of the freshwater topoff

[jonb]

I've read that you're supposed to put the salt creep back in the tank, due to the fact that it's not the same thing as the salt you put it. If you just discard the salt, then you're left with higher concentrations of other minerals and whatnot.

I suppose it depends on exactly how bad the problem is.

Concerning the bio-wheel - I believe the extra surface agitation that these things cause will cause more salt creep than a filter that returns the water below the surface.

[H2OMike]

you are correct about the biowheel causing more salt creep from higher surface agitation, as well as more evaporation (there's a relationship between the two - sort of like tornadoes and trailer parks)

[adam2373]

Hey Mike I just noticed your from WPB also where abouts? I'm in Greenacres.

[H2OMike]

I'm in Boynton Beach! very cool...