Help! White "stuff" growing on my heater

[notsabrina]

Hello!

For my 5 gallon tank, I have a Top Fin submersible heater made for 1-5 gallons. It's the flat kind, not the cylinder, and keeps the temperature at 80 degrees or higher.

The tank has been running for over a month now, and everything is fine. However, there's some white "stuff" growing on the heater. I've tried to research what it could be, but I haven't found anything similarly close. The white stuff stays on the heater and it hasn't spread or shown up on anything else (decor or filter). You can also see on the suction cup some brown "stuff" growing around the edges.

Does anyone know what this could be?? I've tried to scrub it off but stopped myself in case it may be beneficial bacteria. Thanks everyone! Any input would help tons!

[babystarz]

Yes that gunk has beneficial bacteria in it :) Snails will help take care of any algae (which could possibly be the brown stuff), and/or you can periodically unplug the heater and scrub it in a bucket filled with old tank water if it's getting really grungy.

[DragonFish]

In the picture, it doesn't look fuzzy(is it).....so my guess would be a calcium buildup. I see it a lot on the suction cups and softer/rubbery ends of the heaters in my larger, cycled tanks. Its not a big deal and not harmful, you can scrub it off if you like. ;) The majority of your beneficial bacteria is in your filter sponges/cartage with a little in your gravel.....and I'm pretty sure the stuff is invisible. It shouldn't hurt your cycle or anything to scrub that stuff off your heater when you do your next water change or something.

[notsabrina]

Originally Posted by babystarz

Yes that gunk has beneficial bacteria in it :) Snails will help take care of any algae (which could possibly be the brown stuff), and/or you can periodically unplug the heater and scrub it in a bucket filled with old tank water if it's getting really grungy.

Thanks for responding! I want to get Marimo moss balls for each of my tanks next weekend so I think that will clear up the brown algae!

Originally Posted by DragonFish

In the picture, it doesn't look fuzzy(is it).....so my guess would be a calcium buildup. I see it a lot on the suction cups and softer/rubbery ends of the heaters in my larger, cycled tanks. Its not a big deal and not harmful, you can scrub it off if you like. ;) The majority of your beneficial bacteria is in your filter sponges/cartage with a little in your gravel.....and I'm pretty sure the stuff is invisible. It shouldn't hurt your cycle or anything to scrub that stuff off your heater when you do your next water change or something.

Nope, the white stuff isn't fuzzy at all. Good to know that I can scrub it off when it gets gross haha. Thanks for replying!