Bacterial Bloom 6 months in the making

nebraska dreamin · Sep 18, 2015

So I was having some struggles with some nuisance algae and some cyano, and I started dosing dr tims waste away to increase my bacteria culture. Dosed half of recommended dose as I do with anything Im putting in my tank for the first time. got rid of the nuisance algae and cyano but I started to get this powdery brownish clearish film starting to grow on everything i thought it was just brown cyano so started carbon dosing nopox. now the brown film is worse than ever.

Right now I run a skimmer and macros with a little bit of purigen in the sump. no3 po4 is 0

Has anyone experienced this?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 18, 2015

I've not heard of people getting problem bacteria specifically from Dr. Tim's, but the bacteria do have to grow somewhere.

Most of the time our bacteria grow out of sight on rocks, sand, GAC, etc., but sometimes it grows in a visible and unpleasing way.

I'd stop the organic carbon and the Dr. Tim's bacteria until it declines considerably.

nebraska dreamin · Sep 19, 2015

Ok that was my first thought and ive completely stopped the bacteria about a week ago and stopped the nopox yesterday. today i woke up and it looks even worse! Im at my wits in with this danged thing. Is it time to add a reactor w biopelets or algae scrubber to export nutrients?
or should i just do bigger water changes I feel like im stuck in a no3 po4/ bacteria paradox right now.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Sep 19, 2015

Those sorts of bacteria need organic molecules to thrive. In the absence of adding more, they should not continue to expand much, although there will be some internal generation of organics by the various creatures in the tank and any fish foods you are feeding.

If you can manually remove the bacteria, that might speed the process.