Emily6

Hey folks- I've never seen this before- maybe someone can help. I recently had to redo my fish tank after moving. I followed DW's advice and went with the Miracle Grow Organic Potting soil under gravel. A month and a half later, I now have this thin line of white fungus-like fuzz growing between the two layers. Of course, it's only visible around the walls of the tank and it doesn't seem to be on the surface of anything.

What is this stuff? Should I be worried?

bradac56

It shouldn't be a problem unless you disturb your gravel cap and let it into the water column, if that happens expect one heck of a algae bloom. I've had some experience with that and I wouldn't recommend Miracle Gro unless you really know what your doing (aka DW).

Miracle Gro is terrestrial plant fertilizer and is not made for aquariums so it's not going to work the same way as MTS ( Mineralized Top Soil ) which I would recommend for any DIY type of person whether it's a NPT or not.

Overall Miracle Gro can give you good results but always be careful with it whether it's the top soil or the Plant Food Spikes you really need to keep them out of the water column.

- Brad

bradac56

Sorry I forgot to add: an easy way to keep from seeing the white stuff is to put a half inch of your gravel cap down around all four edges and then add your filler substrate and then your gravel cap so that it gives a uniform look all the way to the bottom when viewed from the outside.

- Brad

davemonkey

It'll go away on its own eventually. I had that on some driftwood long ago and after about 2 weeks it just vanished.

Emily6

Ok, thanks- it's too late for the end-cap trick but I'll remember that next time. This substrate leaked gobs of tannins into the water- I'm still dealing with that. But it's getting better.

dwalstad

I wouldn't worry about the fungus. It will go away. I assume that you're doing water changes to hasten its demise.

The startup period always includes something interesting.