Please help diagnose my problem.

[the_robo_fighter]

Here are the basics:

3 month averages.

Alk:  8.2 to 11. PH: 8.1.  NO3: 0. PO4: 0. Temp: 77 tp 79. RODI: homemade with a 3 stage system. Filters replaced 9 months ago. Maybe 300 gallons made since. Test 0 on TDS meter.

Dose: BRS Cal, Alk, Mag with a RKL and BRS pumps.

I can’t get this slime under control. What is it? Algae?

Any input is appreciated.

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Thanks!

 

[the_robo_fighter]

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[danh]

How old is this system? I would think first, pineapple sponge. Second, I was cleaning my water jugs with a little bit of vinegar and doing large water changes in my 5g system at work. I believe I was getting something similar as a bacteria bloom from the vinegar I was inadvertently dosing.

 

[the_robo_fighter]

The system is a little over a year old. It might be bacterial, slimy and doesn’t really stick to anything. Light gray in color....

 

[bcavalli]

Heres a short read on white Cyano.  Tough to tell in the pictures with all of the blues.



https://animals.mom.me/white-slime-saltwater-aquarium-8930.html

 

[wildernets]

What is the flow in the tank?

 

[the_robo_fighter]

Flow in the tank is moderate. 500 gal/hr return pump, mp10 on high and a power head. It is a 60gal frag tank.

 

[snowmansnow]

I can't tell what that stuff is. can you do a pic with whites on?

 

[the_robo_fighter]

I just got home. I will try to post a new pic. Thanks everyone.

 

[camellia]

+1 on whites and bacterial.

Diatoms, did your tank cycle initially when it was set up? You don’t have any live rock, do you have a sump with rock, bio balls, or filter type (consistent) surface for life of good bacteria?

Have you vacuumed it out? If so, how long does it take for it to return? Can you vacuum vacuum some out, put it on paper towel and take a picture of it out of the tank?

I’d suggest you stop dosing until the slime is under control.

Running carbon couldn’t hurt.

 

[bcavalli]

A few suggestions for you, which may or may not be related to your issue.  I have three tanks setup on the same system with all of them suiting a different purpose (DT, Refugium and a Frag Tank).  Ive found each one maintains its own biological system even though they all share the same water source.  I can grow certain species in one tank and not another and visa versa.  I can also experience blooms or algae growth in one and not another.  I did have greater success in my frag tank when I added live rock and nitrate bricks.  It seems to help maintain a stable biological load in that tank.

One question, which I didnt pickup on until Debbie chimed in.  Since your dosing is there a reason you not able to maintain a steady Alk (Calium and magnesium would fluctuate as well)?  If it is fluctuating that much you must be manually dosing and I would suggest that you increase the days of your dosing each week or go with a dosing pump.  It will really help stabilize your setup.

 

[the_robo_fighter]

Thanks everyone for the input.

After a week on the road there has been some progress. I left my teenage son in charge. (dangerous i know.....) He did a 20% water change and removed the activated carbon I was using. He did the water change with Red Sea Coral Pro salt and used Seachem PhosoBan in place of the carbon. He also sucked up as much "stuff" as he could. The good news is the tank looks great, the "stuff" is gone. Corals are open and eating nicely.

My concern is I have zero idea what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future. I will try to answer everyone's questions.

1) Diatoms, did your tank cycle initially when it was set up? You don’t have any live rock, do you have a sump with rock, bio balls, or filter type (consistent) surface for life of good bacteria?

- I cycled the tank with just live rock. No animals or corals for 6 weeks. Then added snails and hermits and 1 coral at a time. Never wanted any fish, only added the clowns 8 months later because of my daughter wanted them.....  I have a sump with live rubble, MarinePure biospheres, and cheto. Skimmer and media reactor are down there as well.

2) Have you vacuumed it out? If so, how long does it take for it to return? Can you vacuum vacuum some out, put it on paper towel and take a picture of it out of the tank?

- It vacuumed out easy. But would return in a few days(2 to 3). Next time I get some I will photo it on a paper towel.

3)Since your dosing is there a reason you not able to maintain a steady Alk (Calium and magnesium would fluctuate as well)? If it is fluctuating that much you must be manually dosing and I would suggest that you increase the days of your dosing each week or go with a dosing pump.

- I am dosing BRS: Alk, Cal, Mag to keep up with coral uptake. I use the Hanna testers for Alk, Cal, Phoso. I also use the BRS pumps to dose with a Reefkeeper lite controlling them.

Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate your input.