What is THIS nasty "algae"?

[anizato]

Hi everyone!

 

I have this stupid algae in my tank that no one I have asked knows what it is. I have GFO/Carbon running in a BRS Reactor. Large Skimmer. Socks changed every other day. Green turf algae growing with Caulerpa in the Sump (very slowly)

 

Parameters are:

 

pH 8.3

CA 420

Mag 1480

Alk 7.5

1.025

 

Since the Reactor was added in January, there has been some significant receding from this nasty stuff. But it still keeps coral from growing and as you can see, my frag rack is infested with this stuff... it is the worst part of the tank, but 80% of the rock surfaces are covered in this sh8!!

 

I made a 5 second video that captures this stuff.

 

Thanks for any help.

[FlowerMama]

Weird, and it's just clear/white like that?? What if you tried some peroxide on your frag rack to see if it kills it off? minus frags of course.

[Mariaface]

Maybe a fungal or bacterial infection or something? You should take a few weeks of daily bacterial dosing (microbakter, Stability, etc) to see if beneficial bacteria will outcompete this stuff for nutrients.

[metrokat]

White reef slime. Caused by bacterial imbalance - which is usually the result of aerosol or airborne house cleaning agents or air sprays.

If you google white reef slime some articles using Dr Tims products will come up - the method works. You can also search on this forum for the same problem that someone recently was able to overcome using Dr Tims. Good luck.

[spinycheek]

yuck

[Astinus]

I Just Googled that and came across this link to this Forum.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/282459-white-slime-snot-explosion/

 

Hope it helps.

[anizato]

Weird, and it's just clear/white like that?? What if you tried some peroxide on your frag rack to see if it kills it off? minus frags of course.

I am going to try the Peroxide thing. Someone else suggested a mix of 75% tank water 25% peroxide. Does this sound about right?

 

Maybe a fungal or bacterial infection or something? You should take a few weeks of daily bacterial dosing (microbakter, Stability, etc) to see if beneficial bacteria will outcompete this stuff for nutrients.

White reef slime. Caused by bacterial imbalance - which is usually the result of aerosol or airborne house cleaning agents or air sprays.

If you google white reef slime some articles using Dr Tims products will come up - the method works. You can also search on this forum for the same problem that someone recently was able to overcome using Dr Tims. Good luck.

I bought this Dr. Tim's Re-Fresh. Started dosing every other day on Wednesday, so today Friday was the second dose of this stuff.

I have also noticed that my tank's water has an odor if you are a few feet away from it, not foul, just smells like a pungent sea.

 

I Just Googled that and came across this link to this Forum.

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/282459-white-slime-snot-explosion/

 

Hope it helps.

 

 

Maybe this is the same stuff in its early stage. At least from what I can tell in the pictures of the article. If it is the same stuff, the one growing in my tank is goldish-brown and not as white as his. From what I can gather, assuming its the same, it gets golden to brown as it matures and debris from the water gets stuck to it. Nasty stuff!

 

---0---

 

In another article I found this stuff is known as Alcacigenes Faecalis and is a bacteria, not an algae. Usually something in the atmosphere such as alcohol or high amounts of volatile organic compounds and phthalates are what feed this bacteria. It thrives on alcohol in the atmosphere.

 

Knowing this I will remove all open containers of alcohol from the nearby area of the tank.

 

Also, it made me think that it is possible that, since I wash my filter pad socks in the washing machine, it may be the root of the problem.

I always rinse the washing machine with a small and extra hot cycle (i turn up the boiler temp for this - steam comes out of the water, it is near boiling), however it doesn't seem to be doing the trick of removing whatever chemicals are leftover.

I am trying to find an alternative to washing my filter socks. Do you guys think this may be it? What other method of cleaning filter socks is there? (by hand just takes too long and takes all the fun out of the hobby) If this were the case, wouldn't most everyone have the same problem, right?

What if I stopped using the filter socks altogether?

[Tamberav]

Kat beat me to it

 

I have no problems with my filter socks in the washer. Do you use any sort of spray near your mixing water? Like maybe someone uses the bathroom and sprays and you happen make water in there?

 

Do you dose any sort of carbon, vodka, vinigar, biopellets, ect?

[anizato]

no dosing, just GFO/Carbon reactor.

 

I do make water in the bathroom, and very seldom is there someone in there when the water is being made. It only takes 25 mins to fill the 10 gal container of RODI, so I usually do it when the house is empty.

 

my wife sprays the counters in the kitchen with this "solution" she makes. with vinegar, biodegradable dish-soap, baking soda, borax, washing soda and tap water. MAYBE this is it? I have asked her to stop spraying and just pour it directly on the counter, just to eliminate this possibility.

 

in the meantime ...Dr. Tim's Re-Fresh is what I am dosing every other day.

[Mariaface]

It only takes 25 mins to fill the 10 gal container of RODI, so I usually do it when the house is empty.

 

 

Have you used a handheld TDS meter to check this water out? What GPD level are you meant to get from your membrane(s)? If you're getting ten gallons in half an hour, that's nearly 500 gallons per day. Unless there's some crazy fancy stuff happening, I'd say something's gone terribly wrong.

[anizato]

 

Have you used a handheld TDS meter to check this water out? What GPD level are you meant to get from your membrane(s)? If you're getting ten gallons in half an hour, that's nearly 500 gallons per day. Unless there's some crazy fancy stuff happening, I'd say something's gone terribly wrong.

 

LOL... sorry about the exaggerated timeline. it takes about 1hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.

I have 2 membranes, just recently added a second one a few months ago, could this be the culprit?.

 

The TDS meter I have is the one that came with my BRS RODI system. I also bought a second membrane. So I should be totaling 125gpd.

[ndrobey]

no dosing, just GFO/Carbon reactor.

 

I do make water in the bathroom, and very seldom is there someone in there when the water is being made. It only takes 25 mins to fill the 10 gal container of RODI, so I usually do it when the house is empty.

 

my wife sprays the counters in the kitchen with this "solution" she makes. with vinegar, biodegradable dish-soap, baking soda, borax, washing soda and tap water. MAYBE this is it? I have asked her to stop spraying and just pour it directly on the counter, just to eliminate this possibility.

 

in the meantime ...Dr. Tim's Re-Fresh is what I am dosing every other day.

The biodegradable dish-soap is the likely culprit. You can't mix vinegar, baking soda, washing soda and use it on anything for the tank. Borax is also highly questionable.