Coat of slime???

[tonkadawg]

Just went down and did a once over on my tank. In the sump, there is a layer of slime like stuff on the surface of the water. My carbon bag is covered in it. It's pretty nasty!!!! I after I was finished pumping my reactor, I felt like Peter Venkman from Gohstbusters

I stirred it all up, hoping my skimmer will pull this gunk from the water. Any ideas what this is or what else I should do? I don't think this is a good thing...

[OUinLA]

maybe try to siphon it out?

[tonkadawg]

yeah I will check later today and if the skimmer hasn't removed it, and it is back, I will siphon it off. I just pulled the bag of carbon, threw it out and put a new one in...

Any ideas what it is or what is causing it?

[SeanCallan]

I'm not going to ask what you've been doing in your tank Matt, that's just wrong ok.

Anyways, when are you going to start growing coral man? I need to know you're going to have enough to stock my tank here in a few months :P

[tonkadawg]

Sean, it figures you automatically assume that I am supplementing my basic zeo 4...

I am right at week 2 of dosing. I am going to go another 2 weeks before I add some coral. Probably some monti's of some sort - just for their known heartiness. If all goes good from that, I will slowly build up the stock.

Well the slime is still there, I will have to siphon it off. I really do wonder what is causing this. It looks like someone has blown their nose in my sump...

[SeanCallan]

Blown their nose, blown their...loading dock's are kind of neat, ever been to one? I wonder if ZEO has one.

[Orion76]

You're a dirty little man Matt... shame on you!

[wasp]

Rather strange! You didn't say what color it is, could it be a bacterial bloom of some kind?
If it's floating on top you could possibly absorb it with some paper towels.
Also perhaps you need a little agitation of the surface water in your sump to stop this type of thing forming.

[Aged Salt]

Matt, of course, this could be a result of bioload die-off[hitchhiking sponge, etc.] or Bak/Food7 excess. Bob

[tonkadawg]

hmmm...

well it is clear in color, but like I said, has the consistency of snot.

Bob has some good ideas and I am leaning towards the excess bak/food. Reasons being: All of the coral that died off when the heaters went have been removed a long time ago. There is nothing in the tank but 2 clams and 3 turbo snails - nothing there to die off.

So by process of elimination, food/bak over dose seems possible. For the past week and a half, I have been dosing .3ml start 2 twice daily, 3 drops of food and 3 drops of bak every other day. I will hold of dosing the bak and food for a couple of days and then cut back to 2 drops of each twice a week - unless someone (Bob) recommends otherwise.

[gqjeff]

cumofsomeyoungguy........

[Aged Salt]

Hi Matt, are you dosing AAHC, & if so what has been your dosage? BTW, what your net vol? Thnx. Bob

[tonkadawg]

Bob, I have not been dosing AAHC - just the basic 4. Net volume is approximately 75-80gallons.

[Aged Salt]

Matt, are your nutrient levels OK? Are the LR the same ones in your reef from the diseaster? If so you are possibly observing leaching back into the weaters for a time, especially if N's/P's are elevated over your norm. Bob

[tonkadawg]

Bob, there is no LR in this system. When I tested my water about a week ago, nitrates and phosphates both measured 0. Of course I didn't have a slime problem then - let me retest this afternoon and see what they come out at.