Gunk on airlines

[Fishfaced]

Hi,

I used the airlines that came with my pump, feels like silicone but not sure.
Been getting this gunk on the tubing. Yellow/light brown. Parts that are submerged flake off and are creating tons of tiny particles.
Is this a type of algea of because of cheap tubing?
I'm considering buying the black silicone type instead, will this help or is it just something that happens in new tanks?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Is it inside or outside?

Most likely calcium deposit. Happens when water splatters on the tube and then dries.

 

[Fishfaced]

It's inside but creeping up and out of the water. I've got no fish in yet

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Interesting. I would just take it out and clean it out.

 

[Fishfaced]

Sorry you meant inside the tube? Thought you meant the tank.
It's on the outside of the tubing.
I've cleaned it off once. Comes back within a week.
Confused..

 

[ClownLurch]

Calcium and Magnesium deposits from hard water caused by 70% of the worlds chalk streams being in the SE of England. Am I close?

 

[Fishfaced]

I'm in the north east, water isn't so hard up here.
If it is just to do with the water is it just something I'll have to deal with?
Would a better quality tubing (silicone) help do you think?

 

[Fishfaced]

I honestly thought this would be a common thing.
Can't find anything about it.
It's on the outer tubing, flakes off like skin and floats around the tank but is also slimy to the touch outside of water. See attached pic.
Has no one else had this when cycling a tank

 

[eatyourpeas]

I get it as well. I think it is just protein gunk from the surface that accumulates on the line. I just wipe it when I do the water change once a week. Curiously enough, it does not happen with the tank that has the vinyl airline tubing, only the silicone ones.

 

[Essjay]

When I had a sponge filter powered by an air pump in a betta's tank, I had off white goo on the airline tubing under the water. I just scraped it off every so often when there was a build up. I have no idea what the tubing was made of.

 

[Fishfaced]

That's interesting...
Am I right in thinking the vinyl lines perish a lot quicker than silicone?

 

[Fishfaced]

When I had a sponge filter powered by an air pump in a betta's tank, I had off white goo on the airline tubing under the water. I just scraped it off every so often when there was a build up. I have no idea what the tubing was made of.

I can live with it until cleaning just didn't want to remove something that was possibly beneficial.

 

[Fishfaced]

I get it as well. I think it is just protein gunk from the surface that accumulates on the line. I just wipe it when I do the water change once a week. Curiously enough, it does not happen with the tank that has the vinyl airline tubing, only the silicone ones.

That's interesting...
Am I right in thinking the vinyl lines perish a lot quicker than silicone?

 

[eatyourpeas]

It is possible. I have been keeping tanks for about one year, so may not have enough experience to have an educated opinion.

 

[Fishfaced]

It is possible. I have been keeping tanks for about one year, so may not have enough experience to have an educated opinion.

I'm sure I saw that somewhere..
Thanks for your input, any experience I can learn from is good.