Dust Gathering On Leaves

[akudewan]

In my 6gal, I noticed a lot of "dust" gathering on the leaves of all the plants. It looks a lot like the laterite that I had mixed with the substrate. Here are a few pics:

Is this normal? Any ideas? In my 23gal, I haven't used laterite...and there is no such "dust" (the substrate is the same) and both the tanks have sponge filters.

 

[littleimp]

In my 6gal, I noticed a lot of "dust" gathering on the leaves of all the plants. It looks a lot like the laterite that I had mixed with the substrate. Here are a few pics:

Is this normal? Any ideas? In my 23gal, I haven't used laterite...and there is no such "dust" (the substrate is the same) and both the tanks have sponge filters.

Did you mix the laterite in the first layer of sand only??

You can get stuff off leaves easily using a turkey baster, good bit of kit to have in your bits-box!

 

[Jen]

The laterite isn't supposed to be exposed to the water. It is supposed to be on the bottom of the substrate, with more sand/gravel on the top. I would presume then that that is the reason.

 

[AndyTaylor]

I got the same in mine, my substrate is under 2 inches of cover in most parts of my tank. I think it's the fish waste that you don't normally see because most atnks don't have enough leaves for it to land on?

Annoying though!

 

[akudewan]

I had put the laterite in a middle layer of the sand, but I guess some of it made its way to the top.

I'll just use a turkey baster to get rid of it. Thanks for all the replies.