white gunk in skimmer

[McGee]

So the tank has been off not doing well, SPS lost color, no new changes to the tank. Then when cleaning the skimmer I find a film of white sludge in the skimmer lid somewhat thick, any thoughts?
Thanks
Mike

 

[DSC reef]

Sounds like bacterial mulm. Are you possibly carbon dosing?

 

[McGee]

Forgive my ignorance but what is a bacterial mulm?
No dosing, just the calcium reactor and a carbon reactor.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Forgive my ignorance but what is a bacterial mulm?

Bacteria.

By "carbon reactor", do you mean the black granular activated carbon, or a carbon denitrator?

 

[McGee]

yes just black granular activated carbon

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

yes just black granular activated carbon

That's not related then.

You add nothing that is a white solid to the tank? Not coral snow, etc?

What do you add to the tank?

If it is bacteria, I'm not sure why you have a lot of it in the skimmer, but it likely is not a problem.

 

[Clownfishy]

I also get this and it only grows in the skimmer. Unlike the original poster, I do dose bacteria and Redsea NO3-P04-X so assumed it was bacteria growing in an oxygen rich environment.

 

[McGee]

Nothing else is added to the tank, I believe in the KISS theory. so if it is bacteria what would cause a bloom like that? I did add two fish recently but they are small and and the tank is a 180 so I find it hard to believe that that made a difference.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Nothing else is added to the tank, I believe in the KISS theory. so if it is bacteria what would cause a bloom like that? I did add two fish recently but they are small and and the tank is a 180 so I find it hard to believe that that made a difference.

Bacterial blooms without carbon dosing just sometimes happens, especially in newer systems.

I'd probably just monitor it going forward.

 

[Clownfishy]

@McGee , I have to deep clean my skimmer every 4 weeks as I find it builds up real bad. Will be interested if you get to the bottom of this as, like you, I only get this in the skimmer, no where else.

 

[McGee]

If Randy Holmes-Farley say not to worry then I won't lose any sleep over it.
It must be a bloom but the tank is not new and I am not dosing so there was no logical reason for the bloom.
Thanks to all for your help.
Mike