Want to stop the white bacteria slime!

splix · May 28, 2018

I have this white slime that is growing all over everything in the sump. The display is clean, but I just had to clean out my skimmer and it was filled with this white slime stuff. Pumps, everything.
I am dosing No3Po4X, 3ml/day in my 70g. I'm pretty sure that is where it's coming from, it seems like some bacteria slime. I'd like to ramp dosing down to 0 so I can get rid of this white slime but I want to make sure I'm not going to cause any issues with the die off from the slime, or if it will even go away.
If I ramp down say 1 ml/week for 3 weeks, is that going to cause any huge bacteria blooms, do you think?

RamsReef · May 28, 2018

Sounds like bacteria. You can cut back the nopox slowly. Id also try dr tims waste away, it worked on my white looking hair algea / bacteria.

ReefSlice · May 28, 2018

How long have you been dosing? I got the slime for a few weeks and then it went away completely.
I just went through the process of weaning my tank off of nopox, your plan sounds good, and if nutrients start to rise than just hold the dose there.

THX1138CY · May 28, 2018

This slime is a good thing. It will help process ammonia and nitrates. This sump is not your display, especially the refugium, let the things go forth and multiply there.

Randy Holmes-Farley · May 29, 2018

When you organic carbon dose, the bacteria have to grow somewhere. Unfortunately, some folks see unattractive slimes form.

Switching to a different chemical might change the species that grow the most, and dosing in a location where you want them to grow can help (I dosed upstream of rock filled refugia).

David Gaskins · Mar 1, 2019

Any downside to the accumulation of this slime in sump?

I have a similar slime in sump, in 1st section (return from overflow). I had been fighting high NO3 for the last few months (25-50 ppm) and was slowly affecting some drop with weekly water changes (160 gal Red Sea Reefer/40 gal sump). Pretty heavily stocked (12 fish fish, mixed reef). Good clean up crew with 5 tangs, pair of pin cushion urchins. I could not seem to keep Cheato growing in sump (100w LED grow light, and was fighting some GHA in sump, on frag racks. I had tried using the recommended dose of NOPO4X but I wasn't seeing much downward movement of NO3 and had issues with Cyano as well.

A week ago I started a recommended dose of FritzZyme 460 (supposed to use every 2 weeks recommended repeat use) which has brought N03 down to 12 ppm @ Salifert as of last night. ( P04 at .08 for reference @Hanna). I have noticed an increase in the white/yellow slime in sump, which I am assuming is consuming the excess nutrients, possibly with added strains of bacteria. Skimmer production is up as well (very smelly). Should I continue this course while carefully watching nutrient levels for changes)? Should I add some rock to sump, try to reintroduce Cheato and reduce/stop carbon?

Would appreciate any input.

Sincerely,

David

Graffiti Spot · Mar 2, 2019

It’s a good thing but it can form in piping too so be careful of that. The best thing is to do what randy and I do and dose it in or just before a refuge filed with rock. I kept a 40 breeder with very low flow full to the top with rock and sponge and dosed in this tank. The Slime would form at the area the vodka and vinegar dropped into and I would just remove it with a net when it got large enough. I would keep dosing and if it gets worse just cut back. Slime is no reason to stop dosing unless it’s getting into your display causing problems. I would get it in the display sometimes and it would catch on spa colonies but I just blasted it off when I saw it.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 2, 2019

I wouldn't worry about the slime if it is not causing clogging problems as mention in previous post, or is not in display tank causing aesthetic issues.

David Gaskins · Mar 6, 2019

Thanks for response guys. Trying to get catch up from some slack husbandry from owner (me). Nitrates coming down last test under 12.

Here’s a piece that had been a small brown blob that would recede but never die. Starting to get some color finally but unknown st this point as it’s been years since I had picked it up.

Sincerely,

David