White crystal type build up

Questions about designing a terrarium.
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StarJohn
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White crystal type build up

Post by StarJohn »

Firstly my apologies for asking so many questions on this forum in the last few weeks! All of a sudden I just seem to keep facing things with my crabs that I don't know the answer to. Secondly if I haven't put this in the right section - I wasn't really sure where it should go. I have a UTH mounted to one side of the back wall of my aquarium half above substrate and half below. I have a small wall of rocks that I have put in under the substrate where the heater is. I got the rocks from a garden centre. They are those small round white rocks that sometimes go in the middle of the driveway. About to 2. - 3cm in diameter. About a week and a half after I put them in my noticed a white crusty residue appearing along the glass above the substrate where the heater and the rocks are. It's kind of Crystalised. Could this be salts seeping out from the rocks due to the heat combined with the moisture of the substrate? Is this something I should be concerned about? I keep removing it but it's back the next day. It definitely doesn't look like any kind or mould or anything. It comes off in flat sheets where it has been and crushes down easily into a salty like substance (although I cannot say for sure that it is salt as I haven't tasted it !). I am also concerned that this is seeping into the substrate! Is there a better sort of rock that I should be using?? Has anyone else seen this? Any thoughts would be great
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appps
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Re: White crystal type build up

Post by appps »

No idea what it could be. Did you boil the rocks before putting them in? If not would it be difficult to pull out and do that now and see if it stops it?
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
StarJohn
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Re: White crystal type build up

Post by StarJohn »

Yep appps boiled the rocks for a good 15 mins before I put them in. Have since put a tiny bit on my tongue to check if it's salty and it definitely is! There doesn't seem to be any of this crystallised buildup on the rocks under the substrate just on the glass directly above it. Thinking I should probably do a substrate change as well as get different rocks ??
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appps
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Re: White crystal type build up

Post by appps »

How strange. I'm not sure what to do. They do live on beaches where high salt on drained pools would be common but this could be from anything, could even be from a. Riverbed with excess fertiliser run off causing salt build up. It's probably safer to remove.

What a pain!
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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emmac350
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Re: White crystal type build up

Post by emmac350 »

Is your substrate moistened with salt water? If so, it's probably just the end result of that evaporating in front of your heater. You might not wet the rocks deliberately but they'll get wet from your substrate, then the heat from your heater will evaporate the water, leaving crystals behind. I get that more on the walls of my tank, but it doesn't sound like something to really worry about. If you're concerned you can re-boil the rocks in fresh water and if it happens again, you likely know why (and it will happen regardless of rock type).
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StarJohn
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Re: White crystal type build up

Post by StarJohn »

Thanks Emmac350. I thought that might have been a possibility I just wasn't sure. I did initially use salt water when moistening the Coco fibre brick but that was back in January so I guess the salt is coming from the rocks. I have included a bad iPhone pic of it here. The white thing in the foreground is just a rock but the stuff you see on the glass is what I am talking about.
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appps
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Re: White crystal type build up

Post by appps »

Good thought Emma re what the substrate was moistened with. Wouldn't matter when it was moistened as the salt won't diminish.

It may just be because the rocks are holding the heater warmth better there so more of that areas substrate is drying out and causing crystals.

Does look a bit freaky though!
Annette
Carer of 5 Australian Land Hermit Crabs
Fili & Voldemort since 12/07/2011
Turbo since 29/09/2011
Frederickson & Kai 12/02/2012
and our new addition Stripey Ninja 25/10/2014

Our Crab tank setup & Journal -http://crabbycreatures.wordpress.com
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