clear/white mucus/slime in tank help

[StrangeDejavu]

Well this is interesting. Right when I thought i'd seen the last of this stuff, it just popped up in my TTM container. I'm treating a Tailspot Blenny right now for what I suspect to be ich through Tank Transfer Method. He's in a 5 gallon Sterlite (#5 PP plastic) container with brand new airline hose, a brand new airstone, brand new Eheim Jager heater and a PVC elbow. In only 24 hours, I have a single slimey bacterial strand almost 13 inches long, the exact same I used to deal with in my tank. This brings me back to the slime article, and what they say about plastics as a food source for Alcaligenes faecalis:

"Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity). They are primarily used to soften polyvinyl chloride."

I'm probably just rambling to myself at this point, but hopefully this helps in some way for those still struggling with this. When TTM is done, i'm going to take a 5 gallon glass aquarium and set it side-by-side with my Sterlite container, add fresh saltwater to both and observe. I'm expecting it to pop up in the plastic container but not in the glass aquarium. I'll post an update in a few weeks.

 

[Fishingpcola]

I also have been battling this slime over the years. I just last week switched my ATO reserve from a 22 gallon Brute (LDPE) to a 25 gallon vertical tank from Plasic-Mart (HDPE). I still use the 44 gallon Brute to makeup saltwater.

 

[Fishingpcola]

I believe I have beaten the beast! This may shock a lot of people on how I've done it. For all of this time I have been using a 20 gallon Brute that was labeled as LDPE recycle code 4 for my rodi topoff container. After reading articles on LDPE versus HDPE code 2, I decided to spend the money and buy a 25 gallon vertical HDPE water tank from Plasti-Mart. Within 3 weeks of placing the new water storage tank and siphoning the slime on a daily bases I am practically slime free! The water clarity is amazing as well. Before the change, my water in the tank had a slight haze to it. Even a UV sterilizer could not clear it up. Actual it would make matters worse. Slime was worse. All I can say is the tank is looking amazing.

 

[bertoni]

So in the end, it might have been the Brute container? That's interesting, because many people have thought they were safe for a very long time, including me.

 

[Fishingpcola]

Oh I still use a 44 gallon Brute for mixing saltwater up in but from reading about LDPE recycle code 4 it is only intended for short duration of storage. The 20 gallon was a NSF grade for food storage. I can only talk about the results from switching.

 

[bertoni]

I'll have to keep this in mind. Maybe it's time to start recommending only food-grade plastic.

 

[Fishingpcola]

Well I was mistaken, it was not a Brute can after all. It looks just like a Brute but it says Carlisle. I purchased from HD years back and it was with the Brute cans. The lid is a Brute lid for a 20g. The aquarium is still looking great and the slime is less and less each day and the water is very clear.

 

[bertoni]

Okay, I guess that's good news for those of us who have been recommending Brute. I'm sorry you had such trouble, though.

 

[T-Rex]

Thank you Fishingpcola!

I was using a 44 Gal. Brute container for my ATO, then switched to a storage tote I bought at HD a few months back...and have been battling the slime for guess how long - the last few months. I never put this together until I read your post. So I just decided to pop the lid off and see how it felt.

SLIMY!

Man, I hope this is it. I'm gonna yank the tote out today and replace it with something that has food grade plastic.

I will make sure to update my results in this thread.

 

[bertoni]

I'll be very interested in your results.

 

[Aquamechanic]

Hopefully this long post may help some of you apply my experience to your situation, even if not identical.

I was going through this problem for a few years with a clients tank. I have several posts on a few threads on the topic trying to find a solution with other dumbstruck enthusiasts.

So I gave up on the doomed setup and moved the fish and corals to other locations and drained it. Threw out the substrate and live rock, cleaned everything thoroughly and dried and left for a couple months. Started setup using distilled water and before tank sat for a few days or had salt added it started developing the signs. Cotton fuzz balls and slimy glass!

Here's the thing. The client had their office air tested with some prompting, and they found higher then normal air born particulate. I thought, well maybe this is just snake-oil salesmanship since the company now wants to sell him a $3000 air purifier but the guy says, 'have you had a flood?'. Client did have a flood. Six months preceding 'White Slime From Hell' inception aka. WSFH. Most drywall was only replaced but only 4' up the wall since they thought they were getting all the damage. Maybe not. Mold in walls was the final diagnosis.

So the air filter was installed, the office workers all expressed they are 'feeling better' and I was told to try again. The tank has been filled now for 2 weeks. The water has some gobs but they are likely leftovers from the last attempt that failed. The barrel downstairs which scummed up in days of filling a few months ago now has perfectly good DI water stored. No slime on bucket lid. Before it was a rag full of mucus.

I will try to remember to follow up soon and inform if the fix is in or if the WSFH is simply on hiatus.

 

[bertoni]

I will be interested to hear how the tank shapes up. I wouldn't have thought of mold as a possible issue.

 

[T-Rex]

It's been over 5 days now, and I still have slime after removing the suspected culprit (tote reservoir for ATO). After a couple days it appeared less prevalent, but I've also kicked up maintenance with daily filter sock and glass cleaning, so it might be the same. Parameters are all spot on (Sal., Alk, Ca., Mag.) including Phos. and Nitrate at 0. Only thing I haven't checked recently is ammonia. Skimmer is working very efficiently. Fish and corals looks great...

So I removed the tote and have been manually adding RODI from the Brute 44 gal. to the affected tanks (Two large rimless/hoodless SPS dominant tanks in open loop system together). I have been using the Brute for another tank (Display Tank) that is only 12 feet away from SPS tanks...its in another room but doors are open so skeptical it's a mold issue when the display tank has no slime - that said, there is definitely a difference in humidity as soon as you enter the SPS tanks room, and of course high humidity is the perfect environment for mold.

So at this point I'm still waiting to see if there is improvement. I think I will give it another week before trying a different treatment. Looking at dehumidifiers and air purifiers. It's scary cause some people have reported to have this issue for years. Thankfully it does not affect fish/coral and appears not to transfer to other systems. I truly believe its something in the tank, or airborne in that particular room, that is feeding the slime monster. Additionally, I'm going to cover my bases and perform a mold test.

I'm actually starting to lean toward this being an airborne mold spore, which the bacteria is feeding on. It seems crazy, but it does appear the slime starts growing at the top of my tank glass. Very thankful my high end Acros are unaffected, but getting tired of cleaning glass and filter socks daily. Plus it ****es me off, as I work hard to keep perfect parameters.

I will continue to update, and anyone that can chime in on this issue please do not hesitate...to be continued.

 

[bertoni]

Well, I hope the tank improves. If the problem is mold spores, which seems strange, better skimming might help. They should be skimmable.

 

[T-Rex]

Thanks, funny you mention the skimmer. I noticed more slime then ever today in collection cup waste. I honestly never noticed the waste being very slimy before. Just typical skimmate. Hopefully a good sign it's being removed, and not getting worse *fingers crossed*

Also seemed less on glass - only a small amount on top water edge, but the same or more in filter sock. I noticed some on rock which freaked me out, but it's not attached, more like strands caught by die off and easily removed with a hand wave in the water close by - again being optimistic.


I did add a dehumidifier today as well and started a mold test. Not expecting much from mold test as it seems everyone has mold - it's the type and amount related to the environment that matters. Still might get it analyzed depending on color. Pretty sure I will add an air purifier soon.

Right now I'm feeling good about the lack of growth on glass and collection cup waste. Only other thing to mention is I stopped using very actinic but intense lighting to a medium spectrum. Just want to document everything so people have information just in case it can help someone later.

I will not stop until I figure this out, and will continue to update.

 

[dumpsta]

http://imgur.com/DqRd1qD

I am having the same issue. Tank cycled around last March. Had green algae problems, then this stuff started growing over it about last August. Now it covers everything. I noticed it only the rock sides that face the light have this slime. Same with the glass in my refugium.

I'm not carbon dosing, but I do add baking soda to my top off to help keep alkalinity up.

I use a cheap trash can that's not water potable. I use instant ocean salt.

I rent, and my landlord started using an exterminator service that comes around once a month and squirts this liquid around the apartment. Could that be the issue?

 

[T-Rex]

http://imgur.com/DqRd1qD

I am having the same issue. Tank cycled around last March. Had green algae problems, then this stuff started growing over it about last August. Now it covers everything. I noticed it only the rock sides that face the light have this slime. Same with the glass in my refugium.

I'm not carbon dosing, but I do add baking soda to my top off to help keep alkalinity up.

I use a cheap trash can that's not water potable. I use instant ocean salt.

I rent, and my landlord started using an exterminator service that comes around once a month and squirts this liquid around the apartment. Could that be the issue?

Man, that looks pretty bad. Not sure if its the same stuff.

Does the stuff come right off the rocks if you wave your hand in the water?

Also is the room your tank is in pretty humid, do you keep windows open much, and do you have a canopy?

 

[T-Rex]

Ok so my room definitely failed the mold test. Spores popped up all over the dish. I actually don't think I will get it analyzed for now. However, I'm going to scrub the walls with a VOC free mold cleaner. I'm still leaning to it being a mold issue right now, and the large surface area (two 4'X4" rimless tanks), along with humidity before getting the dehumidifier, contributed to the problem.

Still no problems in the display tank which has had coral and rock go from affected tanks and is not far away, but was not exposed to high humidity and has minimal water surface area. It's unbelievable how much water my dehumidifier it pulling out of the air. I will have to measure it some time, but I would estimate at least 3 gallons a day.

Finally, I opened up some of the house windows and doors today, and was surprised how much my PH came up - .1. House is definitely sealed good, cause before that I had about .02 swings on average.

 

[dumpsta]

Man, that looks pretty bad. Not sure if its the same stuff.

Does the stuff come right off the rocks if you wave your hand in the water?

Also is the room your tank is in pretty humid, do you keep windows open much, and do you have a canopy?

Maybe it's not the same. It's kinda humid in the room. It's in my living room so it's not enclosed. I don't use a canopy. That picture was actually after a brushing and with sand silt settling on it. Normally it looks like 1/8" thick of jelly with large air bubbles trapped.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

http://imgur.com/DqRd1qD

I rent, and my landlord started using an exterminator service that comes around once a month and squirts this liquid around the apartment. Could that be the issue?

Yes it could. Baking soda could also be contributing. What you need to do is use Dr. Tim's re fresh. 5mls per 10 gallons every other day for 14 days, possibly longer with it being that bad.