Sump issue need ID please

kissman · 09/05/2012, 07:18 PM

I have this pink slimy snot looking stuff that collects in my sump only. Not in display just sump. Its in Skimmer chamber, fuge, and return. I clean it out every day. The only things I add to sump is Kalk in skimmer chamber at night and vinegar in return area during the day. Any ideas what it is and how to get rid of it? Its a PITA! You can see it in the pick below up against my glass baffle its just spinning. Please ID. Thanks in advance

cloak · 09/05/2012, 08:15 PM

If it looks like pink snot and comes off real easy, it's probably cynobacteria.

Reverend Reefer · 09/06/2012, 12:40 AM

woah that's crazy looking stuff! looks almost like fibreglass! weird. i'd love to know what that is! seems weird and light colored to be cyano but i assume there are varieties of it? does it grow in non lit chambers of the sump as well or is your sump pretty much all lit up?

Reverend Reefer · 09/06/2012, 12:46 AM

i just googled pink cyanobacteria! lol! it looks crazy. what you have does look the same as it. i've never seen cyano look like that since the ones i've seen are usually dark and full of bubbles but i guess there is a bright pink variety! google pink cyanobacteria in google images and what you have looks pretty much the same. anyways, maybe kick back a little on the vinegar dosing???

kissman · 09/06/2012, 01:45 PM

I will look it up. I don't think its Cyano its free floating its not growing on anything. I looks just like fiberglass or insulation but its not. I have no idea where its coming from its crazy. I am going to be home watching football all weekend so I am going to take all equipment out of sump this weekend and clean it. As far as vinegar goes as soon as my nitrates hit zero I am going to slowly start dosing less. They are close to zero now. I will pull more out tonight when I get home from work and take some more pics

kissman · 09/06/2012, 07:40 PM

can cyano be free floating? It does wrap around stuff but its not growing to anything.

kissman · 09/07/2012, 07:40 PM

I think the problem is to much bacteria? I see doing some research that white stringy things which I do have some of them too could be a result of to much bacteria. I have been adding Microbacter 7 10ml a day for 2 weeks like the bottle suggest to build back the bacteria population along with vinegar dosing. I just cut my vinegar dosing by 12mL I am going to stop MB7 and start cutting back on vinegar dosing a little at a time and see what happens. I will keep you posted

09/05/2012, 07:18 PM	#1
kissman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lynchburg, Va Posts: 2,963	Sump issue need ID please I have this pink slimy snot looking stuff that collects in my sump only. Not in display just sump. Its in Skimmer chamber, fuge, and return. I clean it out every day. The only things I add to sump is Kalk in skimmer chamber at night and vinegar in return area during the day. Any ideas what it is and how to get rid of it? Its a PITA! You can see it in the pick below up against my glass baffle its just spinning. Please ID. Thanks in advance

09/06/2012, 12:40 AM	#3
Reverend Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 883	woah that's crazy looking stuff! looks almost like fibreglass! weird. i'd love to know what that is! seems weird and light colored to be cyano but i assume there are varieties of it? does it grow in non lit chambers of the sump as well or is your sump pretty much all lit up? __________________ - Rev. Tank: 65G glass 48" long tank; Sump/Fuge: 30G. Lighting: LEDs+single T5 strip. Maintenance: ATO Kalkwasser + 10% weekly WC, daily feedings LPS+Softies dominated.

09/06/2012, 12:46 AM	#4
Reverend Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 883	i just googled pink cyanobacteria! lol! it looks crazy. what you have does look the same as it. i've never seen cyano look like that since the ones i've seen are usually dark and full of bubbles but i guess there is a bright pink variety! google pink cyanobacteria in google images and what you have looks pretty much the same. anyways, maybe kick back a little on the vinegar dosing??? __________________ - Rev. Tank: 65G glass 48" long tank; Sump/Fuge: 30G. Lighting: LEDs+single T5 strip. Maintenance: ATO Kalkwasser + 10% weekly WC, daily feedings LPS+Softies dominated.

09/05/2012, 08:15 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	If it looks like pink snot and comes off real easy, it's probably cynobacteria.

09/06/2012, 01:45 PM	#5
kissman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lynchburg, Va Posts: 2,963	I will look it up. I don't think its Cyano its free floating its not growing on anything. I looks just like fiberglass or insulation but its not. I have no idea where its coming from its crazy. I am going to be home watching football all weekend so I am going to take all equipment out of sump this weekend and clean it. As far as vinegar goes as soon as my nitrates hit zero I am going to slowly start dosing less. They are close to zero now. I will pull more out tonight when I get home from work and take some more pics

09/06/2012, 07:40 PM	#6
kissman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lynchburg, Va Posts: 2,963	can cyano be free floating? It does wrap around stuff but its not growing to anything.

09/07/2012, 07:40 PM	#7
kissman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lynchburg, Va Posts: 2,963	I think the problem is to much bacteria? I see doing some research that white stringy things which I do have some of them too could be a result of to much bacteria. I have been adding Microbacter 7 10ml a day for 2 weeks like the bottle suggest to build back the bacteria population along with vinegar dosing. I just cut my vinegar dosing by 12mL I am going to stop MB7 and start cutting back on vinegar dosing a little at a time and see what happens. I will keep you posted