Need advise on film algae/bacteria

[Xephic]

you can see in the below pic that I have a clear film of either algae or bacteria clinging to my rocks. I am not sure of the cause or how to combat the growth.

Tank up since March 10th 2017
20gal
Penguin 100 bio wheel HOB
Life rock 2.0
Caribsea live sand - reef
Current USA IC Orbit - 36" on top of tank

3x Aestrea Snails
1x Nassarius Snail
3x Cierth Snails
1x Emerald grab (now large and in charge)
1x Scarlet hermit crab

1x Four Black stripe Damsel
1x Yellow tail Damsel
2x Clown
1x Orange spot Goby
1x Tiger pistol shrimp
1x Purple Pseudochromis

1x Red bush (small, Emerald keeps picking at it)

Small handful of various coral.

Test scores
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

 

[Xephic]

Now I look at that test pic, looks like a small Ammonia spike...

 

[Isaac Alves]

I had that same issue. It's a bacterial colony. Seems somewhat common in maturing tanks.... Within the first year.

I had to change some habits and start adding some stuff to push it back into non existence. There's a big chance it burns itself out. Or, in my case, it did not.

What worked for me was the following:

· started wearing gloves, i was probably introducing alcohol and other VOCs from my hand lotion.

· No candles, or scented plugins near tank. I usually have a window cracked. Things can introduce aerosolized VOCs. These are carbons that the standard reef bacteria tend not to use.

· start dosing Dr. Tim 's Refresh Product. This irradicated any cyano in my sump. And slowed the spread of the white slime.

· i followed this up with moving to Dr. Tims Wasteaway product to introduce more reef freindly bacteria to out compete the white slime.

· with patience and consistency the slime finally receded and disapeared from my display tank.

· since then i dose NOPOX to keep my good bacteria thriving, and add Dr. Tim's Eco-balance once a week to maintain balance, and Zeovit Coral Snow once a week.

· good skimming

· don't change too much water, a weekly 10% only so as not to shock my system.

It can come back after a while when things get out of balance, it did for me, but it has never been in the display again, and never was an unbreakable problem like the first time. There are a ton of articles on R2R.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'm 99% sure it's harmless. Either a sponge type or possible algae. Maybe a bacteria. I've had it before it just went away.
Very common

Google this.
white fuzz on rocks reef2reef

 

[Xephic]

Took my Emerald crab to the LFS today to find it a new home, got so big she started eating fish... sad day.
While I was there I had them test my water and learned that I was testing Nitrates wrong.

Test score:
80ppm

Did a 20% water change.

Test score:
80ppm
7.8 pH

Started using Kent Supperbuffer-dkH

 

[GGuy]

Had the same issue on a newer tank. I went away on its own after 3-4 months. It definitely was not caused by excess nutrients

 

[jsker]

I am going with mulm link as other have stated, it comes and then goes with newer systems. I also had mulm in my tank in the beginning, and I also use NoPox to get rid of the mulm. I have a bit in my sump now, and it is not hurting anything.

 

[Jason mack]

I see Your nitrate reads 0 .. i would try and raise this a little too .. i thought at first you had a fowlr tank but i read you have a handfull of corals in there .. what is Your po4 at Im guessing also 0

 

[Xephic]

Nitrate is actually 80ppm cause I was testing wrong... rooky mistake, cost me all but coral, spotted goby/tiger pistol shrimp.

Goby has been moved out of the DT until this is fixed. He's not looking well...

40% WC and still 80 nitrate

 

[Reef2zach]

Tank may still be establishing bacteria. I'd let it run fallow a for a bit longer. Are you using ro di water? If not there may be nitrates in your tap water

 

[Xephic]

Using Catalina Saltwater and RO/DI for top offs.

Figured out that the penguin 100 bio wheel is the cause for the nitrate levels. The bio wheel part to be specific. It has been removed.

Added;
Skimmer bubble-Magnus QQ1
And Chem Blue to the filter.

All living in the tank now;
Snails
Hermit
Pistol shrimp
Corals are fine
Red bush is fine

 

[Xephic]

Took a water sample to the LFS to have them test it to make sure I wasn't making any further mistakes.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 60
pH 7.8
ALK 10
Cal 450
Mag 1420
PO 5
Salinity 1.026

Added
PhosGuard
Grape caulerpa (Small fist)
Dragon's Breath (large fist)

All clear slime bacteria has disappeared.