Mucus like film in sump.

[JFK3rd]

Hello all. Long time lurker here, but just joined tonight because I need your help. I've been searching for MONTHS for a solution to my problem with no luck. I am running an 36g reef with a 20g sump, curve 5 skimmer, 200 micron filter sock that's changed at least once a week, but more like twice. Tank has a very low bio load. 1 clown & carpet anemone pair, a coral banded shrimp, 4 frags, an urchin, and a CUC. All my parameters are within range, the most common being 0 amm, 0 nitrite, <.25 nitrate, pH 8, & 1.026 sal.
All that being said I have an issue with some kind of clear, bubbly, mucus like film covering the water in my sump. I have a Trigger systems sapphire 26 sump and all 3 main chambers seem to have it, but not as bad in the middle, refugium section. It's by far the worst in the skimmer section, but if left unchecked in the return section it get bad too. The skimmer section only takes about 3 days and is so thick it almost clogs my turkey baster when trying to suck it out.
I don't dose vodka, or anything for that matter, and the other common thing I see people say could be a cause is air fresheners which we don't use, nor candles either. Not at least anywhere near the tank.
Now I do have small GHA problem at the moment, but I just added chaeto to the sump and it's growing like crazy, but other than that no issues with the setup other than the mucus. Water is crystal clear. I keep being told it just bacteria and will clear, but this is going on months now and I'm getting annoyed. Can anyone suggest something I might be missing? I'm really wanting to kick this without adding more equipment. It's been recommended far more than once to "just add a pump for surface adgitation." Well I don't want to do that being I'd have to add 2 pumps, one for each section. I'd much rather just figure out the problem and correct it.
Can anyone recommend something I could try or any other advise that might help? Thanks in advance for your help, and sorry for the novel. lol

John

 

[spiraling]

I'm fairly sure it is bacterial, and I used to have it on one of my tanks. I'm not really sure how I got rid of it, but I did skim it off the top and clean the sides a few times a week, and that seemed to help. Sometimes dosing a good bacteria can help starve out the unwanted one, but you need to be careful not to dose too much to the tank.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

What's your ph at? With the swing if you know.

 

[JFK3rd]

A picture is worth a thousand words.

What's your ph at? With the swing if you know.

I'll get you some tonight, as for pH according to my Apex I'm only dropping to lowest of 7.85 at night. I do run a fug led from about 9pm til 6am tho.

 

[JFK3rd]

Sorry for the chitty pic. I cleaned it out 2 or 3 days ago and this is the amount already.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Sorry for the chitty pic. I cleaned it out 2 or 3 days ago and this is the amount already.

Can I see the whole sump?
Are you running GAC?

 

[cil311]

I occasionally have the same thing in the fuge section (middle) of my sump. I stir it up and it goes away. My guess on the cause is a lack of surface agitation.

 

[JFK3rd]

Can I see the whole sump?
Are you running GAC?

I'll take one when I get home. And no, no carbon.

I occasionally have the same thing in the fuge section (middle) of my sump. I stir it up and it goes away. My guess on the cause is a lack of surface agitation.

I'd say your correct, but the way my sump is designed the only way to do that is pumps in all 3 chambers.

 

[JFK3rd]

For reference this is the sump I'm running.

 

[Portallands]

Sorry for the chitty pic. I cleaned it out 2 or 3 days ago and this is the amount already.

Hi did you figure out a solution?

 

[Portallands]

Here’s a picture of mine

 

[Portallands]

Hi I have the same thing. The best answer I got was that it is bacterial and it usually happens with Bio bal/reactor pellets. I have a decent amount of bio balls so I ignore it and it’s never seemed to cause problems. But I also would like a better answer.