What is this crap?

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

I guess I have a little free time today because I finally got around to asking this one. Been wondering about this stuff for ages now.

I use coarse ARM reactor media and it usually have this stuff in it. I have always been a little concerned about the purity of what gets dissolved in my reactor. This stuff just seems odd. Anyone know what the dark stuff is. On the right is the normal looking white stuff

 

[Reefing Madness]

:bump2:

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Ha ha Thanks for the bump. Nobody knows huh?

 

[NanaReefer]

Looks like sponge to me. Is it soft and easy to remove?

 

[Mike J.]

I don't know exactly. Caribsea claims it's extra course media is highest in magnesium and strontium. My best guess is it's a conglomerate reef rock. I'd ask Caribsea specifically since it isn't addressed any where.

 

[ridgelon]

It might be coming from your tank, not dissolving into your tank. I get stuff like that on my wood air stones, it's a mold like substance that's growing from the extra nutrients. Got a better protein skimmer and it went away. Some of it looks like a dark algae I've had on my live rock in new tanks too.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

It might be coming from your tank, not dissolving into your tank. I get stuff like that on my wood air stones, it's a mold like substance that's growing from the extra nutrients. Got a better protein skimmer and it went away. Some of it looks like a dark algae I've had on my live rock in new tanks too.

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[tuna_bullet]

you will get random rocks from the crushed coral, most lfs have dead dried skeletons laying around if you break those up it is way healthier and dissolves easier.....my .02

 

[Bigmatt]

Looks like some sort of iron infused limestone impurities