A question

[Aquaman108]

Hello, I have a 90-gallon reef. It is approximately 2 years old. Problems I have had up to this point have been minor and I have been able to overcome on my own. But lately I have been dealing with a slimy substance that is coating most of the surfaces in the aquarium. Mostly on the glass and circulation pumps, etc. I understand that it must be a living thing but I don't know what is causing it or how I can make it stop. It is whitish, clear. Sometimes a little stringy, but not too bad. Nothing in the aquarium seems to be adversely affected by it. I have done lots of water changes over the last 9 wks trying to get rid of it. What the heck is going on? What have I done wrong? I did add some new zooanthids at around the time this started. I have a refugium with the wiry algae (forgot what it's called). Has anyone dealt with this? Thank you.

 

[neoalchemist74]

A picture would help but it sounds like you have a dinoflagelate problem, which is highly toxic. Do a little research, but generally the most reliable treatment advise is a lights out period of up to three days.

 

[Aquaman108]

Does iodine dipping have any effect of them?

 

[mike810]

I don't think it's dino since the OP says it is white. Are you carbon dosing? (vodka vinegar sugar or biopellets) It could be a baterial bloom, did you add any dead rock to the tank recently? Posting a pic will help along with your water parameters

 

[Aquaman108]

Bacterial bloom is what I originally suspected but have really done nothing to create or feed the bloom. No carbon dosing. Have ceased all additives since Ive been doing so many water exchanges. Water changes are small, about 10-15 gallons out of 90 + 10 gallons in the sump. If it's bacterial, should I hit it with some erythromycin?

 

[mike810]

If it is bacterial, I would slow down on the feeding. Add a air stone for more oxygen as the bacteria will use up a lot of oxygen. What were u dosing before? I had a similar problem some months earlier. I added dead rock w/o curing it and there was a ton of white stringy stuff coming from the rock.

Try adding a sock to catch all the white stringy stuff but be prepared to change it daily as it will get clogged fast. It took a couple weeks for my tank to go back to normal.

 

[Aquaman108]

Feeding might be some of the fuel for the bacteria; I do feed my fish regularly. Mostly Hikari frozen foods. I know better than to overfeed, but cutting back and doing a better job targeting my animals is always a good idea. My total alkalinity is a bit weak, was about to begin boosting the magnesium and carbonate when this started so I put that on hold. Other than that, I dose calcium, strontium and iodide. All at about 1/2 of the recommended dosages.

 

[mike810]

what corals are you keeping? Do you test for strontium and iodine? I don't see a reason why you should stop dosing alk and mag if your levels are not up to par.

 

[Aquaman108]

Mostly soft corals, leathers, star polyps, zooanthid colonies, mushrooms. One Stony coral (trumpet coral).

Water quality is:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate Nitrogen - trace <10
pH - 8.0
Total Alkalinity - 3.2 dKH
Magnesium - 1000 ppm

 

[mike810]

up your alk and mag. I don't think you need to dose strontium or iodine. Your water changes should take care of that. Maybe someone else can chime in to confirm or disagree with that. GL