help plz.. newbie here & i think i have to start ovr...

no i didnt us ro/di water... it was tap water... i did use 1 treatment of API tap water conditoner.... i also mixed salt in tank... i think it is calcification build up really... water temp was cranked to about 85 degrees to help dissole the salt.... i bought a new tankl!!! screw it!!! thanks for all the input

 

Clipped from Reefkeeping.com

" Calcification becomes more difficult as the pH is lowered, and it also becomes more difficult as the calcium level is lowered. It would not be desirable to push all of the extremes of pH, alkalinity, and calcium at the same time. So if the pH is on the low side and cannot be easily changed (such as in an aquarium with a CaCO3/CO2 reactor), at least make sure that the calcium level is acceptable (~400-450 ppm). Likewise, one of the problems at higher pH (above 8.2, but getting progressively more problematic with each incremental rise) is the abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate, resulting in a drop in calcium and alkalinity, and the clogging of heaters and pump impellers. If the aquarium pH is 8.4 or higher (as often happens in a tank using limewater), then it is especially important that both the calcium and alkalinity levels are suitably maintained (that is, neither too low, inhibiting biological calcification, nor too high, causing excessive abiotic precipitation on equipment). "

Setting Temp between 76-79 and then adjust your pH to about 8.2. Once that is done check your kH and Calcium levels. You may need to lower the kH /alkalinity once its all stable the water should re absorb the calcium

 

Is this glass or acrylic?

That was a New Tank?

 

If you use tap water and you're in an area that has high silica in your water, then it could be mag silicate. The high mag content of the salt mix combined with the increased temperature (like other hardness salts, mag silicate has an inverse solubility) would cause it to come out of solution.

Mag silicate is a tough scale to remove.

I would recommend investing in a good ro/di before getting another tank.

 

Only idea I have to what happened is that perhaps(I could be wrong) do you have hard water at your house? Like does calcium deposits build up on your faucets pretty quickly? I ask because if you have high calcium and the salt had a good ammount of calcium... MAYBE, the calcium was suspended for a while but started to settle out of the solution and deposited on the glass. As time passed I guess it hardened. If you do go about setting up the other tank maybe try distilled water or ro/di this time around.

Sorry I couldn't come up with a better answer that is just the only thing I can think of is that some weird perfect chemical reaction or some kind of situation happened.

 

you guys helped a bunch & i setup a new tank with filtered water....will post pics as soon as possible... thanks again guys for the help...

 

You hit the nail on the head with this 1!!!! Thats what it was!! I started over with a new t & did it different this time!! Thanks to all for your help & wisdom... post pics soon...

 

^^+1 to his questions.
Can you scrape a smallarea of it with a razor blade and maybe get the flakes out to look at it closer.

I would remove the sand and vinigar bath the whole thing.. in 24 hrs see if it comes off.. right now your only out a little salt so not to big of a deal. What type of sand and where did u get it from also?