New tank - Thin white film on glass?

[pianosdr]

Hello,

New reefer here. Have been watching videos and reading these R2R forums for literally years and finally took the plunge.

I have a new Red Sea Reefer 350 (gen2) 91g tank that’s been up and running now for about 8 weeks.
* I currently only have CaribSea live rock, live sand, and 7 soft corals in the tank (no fish)
* Salinity, Mg, Ca, Alk, Ph are all testing within the parameters recommended to me by Red Sea (1.024, 1350, 450, ~11.2, ~8.24).
* Tank is still going through the initial cycling. I haven’t tested ammonia, nitrates, nitrites at all, as I’m not putting fish in for quite a while and so haven’t been concerned with it right now.
* I’m not performing any water changes and have not been disturbing sand.

Please see attached photos. I keep seeing this thin white film show up near the bottom of my tank each day. I can scrape it off with my Flipper, and it comes off in small bits that then go floating visibly through the water. Each new day I see at least some of this film return at various points around the tank.

is this a normal part of the cycling process? Should I expect this to recede at some point? Or is there something I should be doing or measuring in order to stop this?

thank you!

 

[Tiki_Reef]

First question why are you cycling a tank with coral in it, I would be testing Ammonia, Nitrates and Nitrites while cycling over testing Alk Mag and Calcium at this point. Post a ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test so we can see where your at in your cycle.

 

[pianosdr]

First question why are you cycling a tank with coral in it, I would be testing Ammonia, Nitrates and Nitrites while cycling over testing Alk Mag and Calcium at this point.

Thank you for the response. However, my question is about the film on the glass and what might be causing that. I’m not asking for tips on cycling atm or how to grow coral.

I don’t mean that in a rude way. Just trying to keep the thread on topic. I’d be happy to discuss whether coral require full cycling first or not in a sep thread (they do not).

 

[Tiki_Reef]

Thank you for the response. However, my question is about the film on the glass and what might be causing that. I’m not asking for tips on cycling atm or how to grow coral.

I don’t mean that in a rude way. Just trying to keep the thread on topic. I’d be happy to discuss whether coral require full cycling first or not in a sep thread (they do not).

Kind of hard to get an idea what that is without knowing numbers. Also Google the effects of ammonia on corals, you are not testing Ammonia so how do you know your ammonia level? I can guarantee other people in here would like to know all parameters to help diagnose your concerns.

 

[Tiki_Reef]

White film

Getting back into the hobby setting up a RedSea Reefer 250. I have live sand (Carib sea) and live dry rock (Caribsea life rock). Develops a white coating EVERYWHERE. Sump, inside glass of tank, power heads, skimmer went full nuts so white spray inside sump compartment. Has a powdery look but...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Jeffcb]

Some thing will always be growing on the glass. Just part of the early cycle ugly stage. Bacteria of some sort most likely.

My tank is almost 2 yrs old., I have to clean the glass every 2-3 days. I quit bothering with the side glass and its now completely cover in Coraline. Gotta flip the flipper