Clear Slime in my tank (looks like snot)

Onyx97 · 08/27/2009, 06:11 AM

First off my parameters are

PH 8.1
Alk 3.5 meq/l
Salinity 1.026
Temp 81
Ca 450
Mag 1250

I have a clear slime like substance that pops up in my tank a couple times during the month. It is stringy and attaches to all hard surfaces and blows all over the place. It clogs the GFO and Carbon in my reactor making them rise all the way up the reactor instead of resting on the bottom, it also clogs the sponge I run in my Aquaclear 70. When I rinse the sponge out I can feel the consistency of it and it feels like slime or snot. Does anyone know what this is and what could be causing it. My tank is a standard 55 with about 65-70 lbs. of live rock a 3-4 in. sandbed
I only have a pair of Onyx Clowns, 1 Purple Dottyback, and 9 assorted corals from a Frogsprawn to a Green Montipora. I do a weekly 5 gal. water change I use Kalk in my top off to maintain Cal and Alk (Brightwell Kalk+2). Tropic Marin Pro Reef is used to make my saltwater.

robs.mark · 08/27/2009, 06:34 AM

When you water change, do your corals break the surface of the water? If so corals can produce a slimy coating to protect themselves. Some times they can do it when disturbed. This is mainly sps though..

sedor · 08/27/2009, 06:36 AM

Definitely sounds like one of your corals is sliming pretty hard. Are any of them real close to each other? Do they appear normal?

Onyx97 · 08/27/2009, 06:40 AM

None of my corals are close to eachother they are spaced out allover the tank. During the water changes none of them break the surface of the water. All of my corals are doing well.

robs.mark · 08/27/2009, 06:45 AM

I have a couple of corals that are doing great, however they also slime on occasion. I just put it down to nature..

terryagi · 08/27/2009, 07:44 AM

I saw/heard on Fearless Planet (The Great Barrier Reef) that on really hot/bright days the coral will excrete the slime in order to produce "aritificial" cloud cover. Maybe a connection?

surge19us · 08/27/2009, 08:26 AM

It could be bacterial slime of some type but what is feeding it and causing it to grow would be difficult to pinpoint. Is there anything you add to the tank 24-48 hours before you notice the slime? Does it occur after a water change?

NaH2Ofreak · 08/27/2009, 08:47 AM

It is bacterial and it is caused by not rinsing out your top off container enough while using kalkwasser. The sediment on the bottom of the kalk container builds up and some how feeds this bacterial bloom. Rinse out your top off container regularly and you will have no more slime/snot. I had it in my old tank before I read about it's cause. I think I read about it in an article by Anthony Calfo. Worked like a charm.

Dennis

wrott · 08/27/2009, 09:41 AM

Could be dinoflagellates .

bonerfortuna · 08/27/2009, 09:44 AM

Are you dosing vodka, if so, I get same result whenever I get too aggressive and dose too much. Pull back on the booze and it will subside, its definately bacterial.

troynel · 08/27/2009, 11:33 AM

+1 on vodka

greggnyce · 08/27/2009, 12:16 PM

I do not dose vodka or use kalkwasser in my ato and I get the same thing he is talking about. It does not clog my reactors though. It only appears on the surface of the rock where there are no corals and on the side glass of the aquarium but never on the front or back, weird.

Onyx97 · 08/27/2009, 02:46 PM

I don't dose Vodka or anything like that but I do use Kalk in my top off. I recently cleaned my top off out and will begin to do it bi-weekly. I do think it is a bacteria of some kind but i am stumped as to what could be causing it. @ greggnyce, it dosen't appear on my front glass either but on all of the surfaces you referred to.

luther1200 · 08/27/2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NaH2Ofreak
It is bacterial and it is caused by not rinsing out your top off container enough while using kalkwasser. The sediment on the bottom of the kalk container builds up and some how feeds this bacterial bloom. Rinse out your top off container regularly and you will have no more slime/snot. I had it in my old tank before I read about it's cause. I think I read about it in an article by Anthony Calfo. Worked like a charm.

Dennis

Not to say this is un true. But I have only rinsed my kalk top off container once in 3 years and I don't have this problem.

My guess would be particles in the water causing the corals to slime. Do you guys have Gobies?

Onyx97 · 08/27/2009, 03:17 PM

No I don't have Gobies...

luther1200 · 08/27/2009, 03:20 PM

So much for my guess,lol.

greggnyce · 08/27/2009, 05:42 PM

It is not coral slime. I know what that looks like and this is everywhere except where the corals are.

NaH2Ofreak · 08/27/2009, 05:47 PM

I had this same issue in my old tank. The slime would occur in the sump. I had ABSOLUTELY NO idea what was causing it. I scoured the boards and references forever and came up with nothing. Then, I read that article and bam...it described the exact situation I was experiencing. Come to think of it, maybe it was something written by Chris Brightwell. Im not sure. Anyways, once I started cleaning out my top off container regularly, it went away. Granted, it came and went on it's own fairly regularly but, after keeping the top off container clean, it never returned.

Dennis

greggnyce · 08/28/2009, 06:29 AM

I cleaned my ATO container so I will see. Sorry for the hijack Onyx97 but I have the same exact problem.

Fishingpcola · 09/21/2010, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaH2Ofreak

I had this same issue in my old tank. The slime would occur in the sump. I had ABSOLUTELY NO idea what was causing it. I scoured the boards and references forever and came up with nothing. Then, I read that article and bam...it described the exact situation I was experiencing. Come to think of it, maybe it was something written by Chris Brightwell. Im not sure. Anyways, once I started cleaning out my top off container regularly, it went away. Granted, it came and went on it's own fairly regularly but, after keeping the top off container clean, it never returned.

Dennis

When you say top off are you refering to the kalk reactor or the container of stored RO water?
Thanks

08/27/2009, 06:11 AM	#1
Onyx97 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 134	Clear Slime in my tank (looks like snot) First off my parameters are PH 8.1 Alk 3.5 meq/l Salinity 1.026 Temp 81 Ca 450 Mag 1250 I have a clear slime like substance that pops up in my tank a couple times during the month. It is stringy and attaches to all hard surfaces and blows all over the place. It clogs the GFO and Carbon in my reactor making them rise all the way up the reactor instead of resting on the bottom, it also clogs the sponge I run in my Aquaclear 70. When I rinse the sponge out I can feel the consistency of it and it feels like slime or snot. Does anyone know what this is and what could be causing it. My tank is a standard 55 with about 65-70 lbs. of live rock a 3-4 in. sandbed I only have a pair of Onyx Clowns, 1 Purple Dottyback, and 9 assorted corals from a Frogsprawn to a Green Montipora. I do a weekly 5 gal. water change I use Kalk in my top off to maintain Cal and Alk (Brightwell Kalk+2). Tropic Marin Pro Reef is used to make my saltwater.

08/27/2009, 06:34 AM	#2
robs.mark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,461	When you water change, do your corals break the surface of the water? If so corals can produce a slimy coating to protect themselves. Some times they can do it when disturbed. This is mainly sps though.. __________________ knowledge is power! Current Tank Info: Lagoon

08/27/2009, 06:36 AM	#3
sedor Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 4,689	Definitely sounds like one of your corals is sliming pretty hard. Are any of them real close to each other? Do they appear normal? __________________ Ryan

08/27/2009, 06:45 AM	#5
robs.mark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 1,461	I have a couple of corals that are doing great, however they also slime on occasion. I just put it down to nature.. __________________ knowledge is power! Current Tank Info: Lagoon

08/27/2009, 08:26 AM	#7
surge19us Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Willard, Oh Posts: 656	It could be bacterial slime of some type but what is feeding it and causing it to grow would be difficult to pinpoint. Is there anything you add to the tank 24-48 hours before you notice the slime? Does it occur after a water change? __________________ Sean Current Tank Info: 120 gal 30 gal sump/fuge, ATB Econo 840 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40w, AC Jr., 2-250watt MH 20K Radiums, Lumen Max 2 reflectors, 2 tek T5 retro actinic, Prime chiller, ATO/kalk reactor, drews dosers on two part.

08/27/2009, 06:40 AM	#4
Onyx97 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 134	None of my corals are close to eachother they are spaced out allover the tank. During the water changes none of them break the surface of the water. All of my corals are doing well.

08/27/2009, 07:44 AM	#6
terryagi Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Louisiana Posts: 143	I saw/heard on Fearless Planet (The Great Barrier Reef) that on really hot/bright days the coral will excrete the slime in order to produce "aritificial" cloud cover. Maybe a connection?

08/27/2009, 08:47 AM	#8
NaH2Ofreak Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,468	It is bacterial and it is caused by not rinsing out your top off container enough while using kalkwasser. The sediment on the bottom of the kalk container builds up and some how feeds this bacterial bloom. Rinse out your top off container regularly and you will have no more slime/snot. I had it in my old tank before I read about it's cause. I think I read about it in an article by Anthony Calfo. Worked like a charm. Dennis

08/27/2009, 09:41 AM	#9
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	Could be dinoflagellates . __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

08/27/2009, 09:44 AM	#10
bonerfortuna Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Staten Island NY Posts: 333	Are you dosing vodka, if so, I get same result whenever I get too aggressive and dose too much. Pull back on the booze and it will subside, its definately bacterial. __________________ Peter Current Tank Info: 70 Semi-Circle reef with a 50 Sump

08/27/2009, 11:33 AM	#11
troynel Troynel Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Moorpark, Ca Posts: 546	+1 on vodka

08/27/2009, 12:16 PM	#12
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	I do not dose vodka or use kalkwasser in my ato and I get the same thing he is talking about. It does not clog my reactors though. It only appears on the surface of the rock where there are no corals and on the side glass of the aquarium but never on the front or back, weird. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

08/27/2009, 02:46 PM	#13
Onyx97 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 134	I don't dose Vodka or anything like that but I do use Kalk in my top off. I recently cleaned my top off out and will begin to do it bi-weekly. I do think it is a bacteria of some kind but i am stumped as to what could be causing it. @ greggnyce, it dosen't appear on my front glass either but on all of the surfaces you referred to.

08/27/2009, 03:17 PM	#15
Onyx97 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 134	No I don't have Gobies...

08/27/2009, 03:20 PM	#16
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	So much for my guess,lol. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

08/27/2009, 05:42 PM	#17
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	It is not coral slime. I know what that looks like and this is everywhere except where the corals are. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

08/27/2009, 05:47 PM	#18
NaH2Ofreak Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 1,468	I had this same issue in my old tank. The slime would occur in the sump. I had ABSOLUTELY NO idea what was causing it. I scoured the boards and references forever and came up with nothing. Then, I read that article and bam...it described the exact situation I was experiencing. Come to think of it, maybe it was something written by Chris Brightwell. Im not sure. Anyways, once I started cleaning out my top off container regularly, it went away. Granted, it came and went on it's own fairly regularly but, after keeping the top off container clean, it never returned. Dennis

08/28/2009, 06:29 AM	#19
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	I cleaned my ATO container so I will see. Sorry for the hijack Onyx97 but I have the same exact problem. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.