White threads and not transparent water

[S_Y_N_E_K]

Hello,
I've a problem with my friend tank. In aquarium is only a dead rock. From the begining are problems. First, he had green water because of phytoplancton, then we add live rock. Water became more clear but appear something new from photos.

Live rock after about month covered something black like mold and when I moved it odor was awful.

The question is: how to remove these white threads?

Tank set up:
tank - 130 x 86 x 66 cm
lighting - 14 x 54W
skimmer - bubble king deluxe 250
pumps - 2 x tunze 6095
-deltec e-flow 12
GHL ProfiLux 3.1N eX
Balling method

We add prodibio biodigest and red sea no3o4

Parameters from yesterday:
Ca 470 (Salifert)
Mg 1290 (salifert)
KH 11,8 (salifert)
PO4 0,02 (Hanna Ins)
Redox 160-180 mV - GHL probe
pH ~7,8
Temp ~26 C

Tank pictures:

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

up

 

[mpcart]

Sorry, can't really help you out. However, I really like your tank. The aquascaping looks great.

-Mike

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

Any ideas?

 

[Carpentersreef]

How long has the tank been set up for?
It looks like it might be algae.
If it bothers corals remove it using suction and a hose.
What do you have for circulation? (as in, how much are you running the pumps)

 

[Carpentersreef]

Also, if you direct water flow directly on the problem areas, does the stringy material blow off?

 

[heritage]

Looks to be bacterial.
If the rock was not cycled properly things like bacterial biomass or bacterial mats can form until the rock is purged of it's nutrients.

 

[Carpentersreef]

I wondered about bacterial as well, that's why I was wondering about the flow.

 

[scottsdale454ss]

I was told by one fish store owner that a UV sterilizer is great for reef tanks. Might want to try that to kill off some of that bacteria

 

[Maxxumless]

Any ideas?

Do you dose vinegar? It can promote the growth of clumps of biomass that look similar to this. Could also be a mucus web. If it's biomasses, they can grow very rapidly in freshwater, but I have no clue about in salt. Siphon it out, change out your mechanical & chemical media and see what happens. If it's mucus, observe your tank in the dark with a red lens flashlight to see what's happening in your tank.

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

Do you dose vinegar? It can promote the growth of clumps of biomass that look similar to this. Could also be a mucus web. If it's biomasses, they can grow very rapidly in freshwater, but I have no clue about in salt. Siphon it out, change out your mechanical & chemical media and see what happens. If it's mucus, observe your tank in the dark with a red lens flashlight to see what's happening in your tank.

No I don't. It like a mucus. Filter socks after 6 hours are like sponge because are covered this bacterial film. Threads are removed mechanical every day.

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

I was told by one fish store owner that a UV sterilizer is great for reef tanks. Might want to try that to kill off some of that bacteria

UV sterilizer is using all the time.

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

How long has the tank been set up for?
It looks like it might be algae.
If it bothers corals remove it using suction and a hose.
What do you have for circulation? (as in, how much are you running the pumps)

The tank started 4 months ago.
For circulation are two tunze 6095.

 

[JB63]

Where are those threads coming from .. a single spot or from all over the rock? At first they looked like mucus from 'unhappy' corals. Though your fish seem 'happy'. What I would do is try the 'obvious first.

1. check chemistry
2. Siphon it out
3. water change
4. Make sure UV lamp is 'new/working'
5. Protein skimmer should get some of that stuff out
6. Replace carbon media

If possible, you could also take one of the rocks and place it in a separate tank and see if it still continues to create such threads. Good Luck.

 

[heritage]

Here's the problem. Your adding bacteria and a carbon source in a very young tank.

We add prodibio biodigest and red sea no3o4

 

[sh0ck]

4 months old and started from dead rock only....
you did not mentioned NO3 value.
I would get rid of tangs, cycle it properly and than continue.
Also timing seems like no QT, so there is high possibility of Ich outbreak when u will be going trough all the water parameters spikes in the near future.

how u cured that live rock, or do u know if it was cured, or arrived half dead leaching PO4 all around ?

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

Where are those threads coming from .. a single spot or from all over the rock? At first they looked like mucus from 'unhappy' corals. Though your fish seem 'happy'. What I would do is try the 'obvious first.

1. check chemistry
2. Siphon it out
3. water change
4. Make sure UV lamp is 'new/working'
5. Protein skimmer should get some of that stuff out
6. Replace carbon media

If possible, you could also take one of the rocks and place it in a separate tank and see if it still continues to create such threads. Good Luck.

Thread coming from rock, I think than from single spots.
I don't use carbon media because after few hours is covered by mucus. Other things I tested or done.

I can't separate one of rocks because everything is glued.

 

[S_Y_N_E_K]

4 months old and started from dead rock only....
you did not mentioned NO3 value.
I would get rid of tangs, cycle it properly and than continue.

how u cured that live rock, or do u know if it was cured, or arrived half dead leaching PO4 all around ?

NO3- 0 (Salifert)

I don't understand last sentence but if you think about PO4, is still about 0,01-0,03.

 

[sh0ck]

UV can be benefical for tanks.

But I would not use it for initial tank start.
It can keep also benefical bacteria in check allowing pest stuff like yours without competition for PO4 leaching from rocks.
I am not an expert, but I would stop UV, add 1 more dose of some bacteria and start adding vodka (with like 0.1ml on 100l dose per day from start) to not dose more than your actual bacterial population can use.

On the other hand UV can be reason why Ich parasites density is still in fish tolerancy levels. If u stop it, there is possibility that Ich will manifest itself.

That question about cured rock was simple - did you "cook" it or some1? Or it just arrived from import ? ("cook" does not mean high temperature here)

Another question - what watts have your UV and what flow is in it?

 

[Spyderturbo007]

Looks bacterial to me too. I had an issue similar to this, but not as bad, after dosing the tank with PraziPro. It caused a bacterial bloom that is almost gone now. I added a good bit of GFO, started wet skimming pretty hard and did water changes more than normal. It's almost gone now except for a few spots.