killifish_guy662 Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 (edited) I bought the black air line tubing and it works. My concern is this "white" build up that seems to only affect the tubing. I don't see it anywhere else inside my tank. It comes off easily when I'm cleaning but, builds back up quickly. I'm thinking mineral/calcium deposits like you find on the rim of the tank after a while? I do get that kind of build up on the rubber gray connectors on on my canister intake/output hoses. Insights always appreciated. Edited March 23, 2021 by Killie_fish_guy_662 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Can you turn the air off and upload another photo? Kind of hard to see... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 2 minutes ago, Fish Folk said: Can you turn the air off and upload another photo? Kind of hard to see... How’s this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Could also be a biofilm, which is just another word for colonies of bacteria. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Folk Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 Yes, much clearer. Agreed ^^^ biofilm would be my first guess. Is the tank a pretty recent setup? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynameisnobody Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 @Killie_fish_guy_662 Down here in Florida, I get this all over all my tubing. I believe it to either be hard water stains or biofilm buildup. Either way, it’s harmless. Good luck! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 4 minutes ago, Fish Folk said: Yes, much clearer. Agreed ^^^ biofilm would be my first guess. Is the tank a pretty recent setup? 8 minutes ago, Daniel said: Could also be a biofilm, which is just another word for colonies of bacteria. If that’s the case, then I’ll take it, thank you both! Also yes, it’s about 2 months old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tekjunkie28 Posted March 23, 2021 Share Posted March 23, 2021 This only happens go the aquarium coop tubing and I love it.. I have some and it's growing stuff like this and some algae and the color looks really good and natural. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 3 minutes ago, Manny said: @Killie_fish_guy_662 Down here in Florida, I get this all over all my tubing. I believe it to either be hard water stains or biofilm buildup. Either way, it’s harmless. Good luck! I was thinking hard water too bc my house does have hard water. I have a big piece of driftwood that I thought softened the water while it’s releasing tannins. Oh well, piece of mind knowing it’s safe. Thank you! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 23, 2021 Author Share Posted March 23, 2021 2 minutes ago, tekjunkie28 said: This only happens go the aquarium coop tubing and I love it.. I have some and it's growing stuff like this and some algae and the color looks really good and natural. Good to know! Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prochaska Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 My guess would be hard water, unless you also smoke inside your house 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 29 minutes ago, Prochaska said: My guess would be hard water, unless you also smoke inside your house Nope, non-smoker. I’m chalking it up to hard water and/or bio film 🤷🏻♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 I'm pretty confident I have biofilm on mine in my tank at school...I'll see if I can grab a picture tomorrow! Mine looks like a thin jelly to me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 24, 2021 Author Share Posted March 24, 2021 Just now, Betsy said: I'm pretty confident I have biofilm on mine in my tank at school...I'll see if I can grab a picture tomorrow! Mine looks like a thin jelly to me! That would be awesome and good to know it’s not just me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 It is definitely not just you!! Haha! Here's what my black airline tubing looks like in the school tank...mine might even be an algae + biofilm combo! 😅 That weird looking worm thing is a dog hair trapped under my background...one of these days I'll redo it! And, this picture makes me realize how dirty my tank is! Oh gosh...So much algae! So much muck!! 😂 It's not an appealing look. I haven't tried to clean the airline yet...I'm considering rubbing a wonder shell on it...I wonder if that would do anything in terms of biofilm prevention... 🤔🐚 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn T Posted March 24, 2021 Share Posted March 24, 2021 Biofilm. GOOD stuff! 🙂 For the record, I've only gotten hard water deposits on tubing and such above the water line, not that far underwater. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 3 hours ago, Betsy said: It is definitely not just you!! Haha! Here's what my black airline tubing looks like in the school tank...mine might even be an algae + biofilm combo! 😅 That weird looking worm thing is a dog hair trapped under my background...one of these days I'll redo it! And, this picture makes me realize how dirty my tank is! Oh gosh...So much algae! So much muck!! 😂 It's not an appealing look. I haven't tried to clean the airline yet...I'm considering rubbing a wonder shell on it...I wonder if that would do anything in terms of biofilm prevention... 🤔🐚 Wow! Your tubing looks like mine, but in more advanced stages. I’ve been cleaning mine weekly. I think I may just let it go and see what happens. Beautiful snail btw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 3 hours ago, Dawn T said: Biofilm. GOOD stuff! 🙂 For the record, I've only gotten hard water deposits on tubing and such above the water line, not that far underwater. Good point! 🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT_ Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 This happens to me too on air line and on suction cups. I think there's some bacteria that like it for some reason. My otos eat it and haven't died so I assume it's okay 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 1 minute ago, CT_ said: This happens to me too on air line and on suction cups. I think there's some bacteria that like it for some reason. My otos eat it and haven't died so I assume it's okay Haha! The first time I cleaned it, the particles went all over the tank. My fish began to eat it (looks like flakes) and I was like, I’m so sorry if I’m about to kill you all. Nope, they were all good! Phew 😅 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 8 hours ago, Killie_fish_guy_662 said: Wow! Your tubing looks like mine, but in more advanced stages. I’ve been cleaning mine weekly. I think I may just let it go and see what happens. Beautiful snail btw! Why, thank you!! 🤗 Her name is Figgy and she's a total wild card - she'll climb on anything! In fact, she's climbed the tubing before...but she didn't make much of an impact on the biofilm. Weekly cleaning seems to manage yours well! I haven't been able to convince myself to touch that tubing yet! 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
killifish_guy662 Posted March 25, 2021 Author Share Posted March 25, 2021 4 hours ago, Betsy said: Why, thank you!! 🤗 Her name is Figgy and she's a total wild card - she'll climb on anything! In fact, she's climbed the tubing before...but she didn't make much of an impact on the biofilm. Weekly cleaning seems to manage yours well! I haven't been able to convince myself to touch that tubing yet! 🤣 I don’t blame ya, does look a little gnarly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dwayne Brown Posted March 25, 2021 Share Posted March 25, 2021 I have noticed the same type of white film on my airline tubing. I believe its some kind of bacteria colony. I just leave it on the tubing, its harmless and my pleco and goby will eat it so free food 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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