Help!Clear thick slime covering everything!
- Thread starter Jillyfish
- Start date
Crustman
New member
See if it is a marine cyanobacteria like Nostoc. I am speculating that it is a cyanobacteria. Some of these produce mucopolysacharides that appears like slime. If you could bottle it, my kid will play with it because he likes the slime that comes with some toys like Hotwheels slime Volcano
Just for gross out factor. This is from my overflows, so all kinds of fun crud stuck in it. It measures 1 quart just from the overflows.
Gee, aren't I lucky to get such a rare plague noone has heard of in these proportions.
Really though, thanks for all the replies and sympathy, it is much appreciated.
I only have two true percullas, two cleaner gobies, a tiny hippo tang, and a firefish. About 5-7 snails, one blue legged hermit, one harliaquin star (he was small, and I think he is dead because I have not seen any sign of him.
I had cyano bacteria, but it was pretty much gone a month or two before this happened.
Saturn, I'll call now if it's not oo late. I don't have a fan, but I do, or did have a few zoo colonies. They crashed. Just frags really. My paly colony crashed first, then a small pretty green one. I still have three colonies left I hope.
smorrow5773
New member
Many years ago I had something like this although not nearly as bad. Back then there wasnt a lot of info on the net, so I tried a few things. What cleared it up for me was Maracyn I for freshwater. It is a anti-bacterial used to treat fish diseases. I have also used it in the past for treating cyano with no ill effects on any reef creatures. Personally I would give it a shot, if it is a bacterial slime, it should start to clear up after 2-3 days of treatment. Your skimmer will go crazy though and wont work for a week or two, you will have to do a few large water changes during and after. If you do try this...make sure it is MaracynI for freshwater, use half dose, and keep the water very well aerated during treatment as oxygen levels will drop.
boxfishpooalot
Active member
Hi there, back in the day, when I overdosed the sugar(white granulated stuff) I did experience this. I was dosing 1 heaping tablespoon of sugar per day in about 45 gallons of water.
The result was excessive slime that formed as the hair algae and other stuff died off. Oh and 32dkh reading of alkalinity too.
This product is bacterial mass due to vitamin c dosing.
Stop dosing vitamin c. And do a 100% water change to get paramaters back in check.
The result was excessive slime that formed as the hair algae and other stuff died off. Oh and 32dkh reading of alkalinity too.
This product is bacterial mass due to vitamin c dosing.
Stop dosing vitamin c. And do a 100% water change to get paramaters back in check.
This is a tough problem that we've run across a few times, but I've not seen any perfect ID or treatment.
I'd have to think it is related to growth of some sort of microorganism, but how and why is unclear. Maybe just really bad luck to get enough of some organism in the first place for it to take off.
On the chance it is a type of organism that is susceptible to erythromycin, you might try treating with one of the antibiotics used to treat cyano, like Ultralife Red Slime Remover.
I'd have to think it is related to growth of some sort of microorganism, but how and why is unclear. Maybe just really bad luck to get enough of some organism in the first place for it to take off.
On the chance it is a type of organism that is susceptible to erythromycin, you might try treating with one of the antibiotics used to treat cyano, like Ultralife Red Slime Remover.
Thanks smorrow and boxfish. 100% water change? Really? How do you do that, take all 100 gallons out at once and put 100 gallons back in. I'm not trying to be a smart alec, is this what you really mean. I'd have to fill a couple bathtubs to make all that saltwater, but I'll do it if that is the only way.
I probably do have 100 gallons or so with my 50 gallon sump. You don't think 20% changes for a few days would do the trick? Did you try also to manually remove the slime from all the rock?
Jill
I probably do have 100 gallons or so with my 50 gallon sump. You don't think 20% changes for a few days would do the trick? Did you try also to manually remove the slime from all the rock?
Jill
boxfishpooalot
Active member
sorry jillyfish, do 3x 30% water changes or more, but 1x 100% will be stressful to many organisms. Salt crystals are irritating and a lot of chemical parameters will change suddenly and this is not good. You want a slow change in things.
How much vitamin C did you dose?
How much vitamin C did you dose?
I had only been doing vitamin c dosing for about a week. Well, I did a small amount a few weeks ago, but I was up to a little less than 25 ppm twice a day. That is four teaspoons a day, or 17,792mg. Sodium ascorbate powder. This I believe is half the maximum dose suggested in a thread in the zooanthid forum.
I had some bryopsis (hair algea) before, but not much.
I had some bryopsis (hair algea) before, but not much.
boxfishpooalot
Active member
I don't know if thats a lot carbon wise for bacteria but 4 tsp of anything seems like , im assuiming in your 100gallon, a lot.
Perhaps Randy can say what thats equivellent to in terms of sugar or vodka for bacteria to munch on. That may give us an idea.
Perhaps Randy can say what thats equivellent to in terms of sugar or vodka for bacteria to munch on. That may give us an idea.
J. Montgomery
Mouth Pipetting
I occasionally get a jelly like slime on the top of my refugium. Its not a viscous as yours, and more clear in color. Increased flow always gets rid of it, especially flow near the top of the water.
If you decide to treat with Maracyn (i.e. erythromycin), I've done it a few times. I'd recommend using half the recommended amount and treat at night with the skimmer turned off. The next morning do a water change (as big as you can) and turn the skimmer back on. Repeat again that night for 3-4 days.
Many people advise against treating the tank with anitibiotics, but I've done it a few times as a last resort when all other options haven't helped.
If you decide to treat with Maracyn (i.e. erythromycin), I've done it a few times. I'd recommend using half the recommended amount and treat at night with the skimmer turned off. The next morning do a water change (as big as you can) and turn the skimmer back on. Repeat again that night for 3-4 days.
Many people advise against treating the tank with anitibiotics, but I've done it a few times as a last resort when all other options haven't helped.
Adding an antibiotic to a display tank is a very bad idea folks. It may kill those slime bacteria but in doing so it will also kill the beneficial bacteria that keep ammonia in check. You don't want to have an ammonia spike that can't be controlled.
My tank is almost clear today!! I guess all the manual removal from the sump and overflows and getting the skimmer cleaned out and working again helped.
I did a 15% water change one day and 5% two days. I stopped dosing vitamin c three days ago.
Also based on a phone conversation with Saturnkk last night I repointed the water circulation pumps away from the surface. Based on his experience with this slime.
Josh, my slime really was clear. It just was colored when it had other gunk from my tank in it.
I am going to continue to manually remove today. Maybe even from a few rocks. Also I am going to buy some erythromycin. I'll use it if I need to.
Many of my corals are looking a bit better. My anthelia is open and my brain coral is less shrunken. Some are still closed up like my corky seafinger. My organ pipe is looking better too. My fish are all good, but they never looked that upset.
It is just so strange that this slime happened so fast. I was not looking for it though, and it may have been building up for a while. My water parameters never changed.
I did a 15% water change one day and 5% two days. I stopped dosing vitamin c three days ago.
Also based on a phone conversation with Saturnkk last night I repointed the water circulation pumps away from the surface. Based on his experience with this slime.
Josh, my slime really was clear. It just was colored when it had other gunk from my tank in it.
I am going to continue to manually remove today. Maybe even from a few rocks. Also I am going to buy some erythromycin. I'll use it if I need to.
Many of my corals are looking a bit better. My anthelia is open and my brain coral is less shrunken. Some are still closed up like my corky seafinger. My organ pipe is looking better too. My fish are all good, but they never looked that upset.
It is just so strange that this slime happened so fast. I was not looking for it though, and it may have been building up for a while. My water parameters never changed.
