Tank Of Death - A Strange White Residue

[daizeUK]

As an epilogue, I kept the 35L tank running for another week with no livestock, no cleaning and no water changes to see what would happen.  By the time I broke it down there was a thick layer of something like white dust on the plant leaves:
 

 
I can't understand how the tank could have been so badly contaminated to produce this much residue?!
 
Happily, the rescued fish and snails are loving their new 120L home and are looking extremely active and healthy.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Wow, that does look kind of nasty.
 
Glad you no longer have any livestock in that tank to be honest.
 
Would be really interesting to knwo what it is exactly and how it occurs, though sadly I fear we will never really know.
 
Sorry could not help more.
 
Are you going to throw this tank out now or any other plans?

 

[daizeUK]

Yes the 35L tank has been dumped at the back of the garage together with its filter, wood and everything else that I remember having been used in it at any time.  It'll get taken to the tip the next time we go.  The plants and sand are in the bin already.
 
I'd love to have a chemical analysis of that white stuff!  It's so strange.