Recurring Grayish Brown Crud on LR

[stan]

Hey Nano-Reefers

 

I've searched and searched, but no info. So i'd like your input.

 

I have this weird grayish-brown crud on my LR. It doesnt look like algae, i can only describe it as looking like wet blobs of dust accumulating in the cracks and crevices of the LR. I wanted to include a pic, but none of the pictures i took really came out.

 

I figured it was just old dead stuff left over when my tank cycled (the tank is one month old). Went to do a water change the other day and decided i'd siphon off the LR a little to clean it up. The crud came right off like dust.. no problem right?

 

Well the next morning, all the crud is back. What could it possibly be? None of the rocks i see in the LFS or here on the forum has anything that looks like it.

 

I have a Eclipse 12. 3 Astreas and 3 Red Legged Hermits 6 Nassarius as cleaning crew. No fish, no coral. Amm, Nitrite=0, nitrate=5-10ppm

 

Circulation: 150 Gal/Hr PowerHead and the stock HOB filter with no filter media.

 

Could anyone point me in the right direction?

[tinyreef]

it's crap. really.

 

'Boring' worms in your LR tunnel little holes throughout the rock. the piles of dust are their nightly evacuations. no big deal imo, i just consider it more food for the various bacteria that forms the bottom of the food pyramid.

 

some worms will poop out a long rod/log, usually those are stripes of white and brown (kinda resembles a core boring). oh look, kernels of corn! :x

[Aiptasia]

Yep, tinyreef is correct. It's detritus left from another animal's work.

 

You can look at the turds and say, "Wow.. When did my spaghetti worms eat corn? ;)"

[stan]

Wow, thats a lotta crap. haha

 

Seeing as there seems to be a lot of life within the LR, is it uncommon for me to have never seen any of these worms?

 

I find it kind of unsightly, i guess siphoning is the only way to remove this stuff? None of my cleanup crew touch the stuff.

[NanoAmyDee]

You can also blow off your rocks with a turkey baster (try keeping dirty thoughts to a minimum when I say that) It will keep them from getting a build up. also, try directing your flow so that there is more current. We have used 2 PH in one tank, or even ocillating PHs to keep the flow variable.