Nopox - white film on glass/pink slime in sump

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just wondering everyone’s experience with Red Sea Nopox. I have 75 gallon currently fish only with high nitrates, so I wanted to try Nopox been using now for 4 weeks with slowly lowering nitrates. I noticed white film on glass within first week and just noticed pink slime in sump only a small amount. I started with half the recommended dose and slowly working up to full dose. I have performed 2 water changes 30 gallons each since starting. Just wondering when this white film/slime will go away?? Any advice?? Hoping to get nitrates/phosphate within normal levels to eventually add beginner low light corals.
 
OP
OP
V

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Running skimmer 24/7 eshopps 120 collecting a lot of dark skimmate. Currently changing filter sock every 3 days. I have good flow in tank.
 
Upvote 0

Jekyl

GSP is the devil and clowns are bad pets
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
11,271
Reaction score
15,490
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got the same cyano using it. It can show up when there is a change in parameters.
 
Upvote 0

Sarah24!

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 6, 2017
Messages
3,280
Reaction score
11,884
Location
Idaho
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello,

In my 240 I use nopox 30ml daily, with filter socks etc. the nopox isn’t the slim etx. What’s happening is the socks are catching all the nasties, and basically it’s like cyano. You need to wash them weekly.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
V

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes I started at half the recommended dose which is 6ml and each week when up one ml; currently at 10ml and nitrates are slowly dropping but still not at acceptable level.
 
Upvote 0

theMeat

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
3,036
Reaction score
2,487
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just as with any carbon dosing you’ll get clear/whitish growth on glass instead of the normal green. You’ll get the same color fuzz on rocks and power heads. That is an indication it’s starting to work.. Keep an eye on nutrients because they now start going down quick. If it gets long/stringy cut back dosage
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
V

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just as with any carbon dosing you’ll get clear/whitish growth on glass instead of the normal green. You’ll get the same color fuzz on rocks and power heads. That is an indication it’s starting to work.. Keep an eye on nutrients because they now start going down quick. If get gets long/stringy cut back dosage
Just as with any carbon dosing you’ll get clear/whitish growth on glass instead of the normal green. You’ll get the same color fuzz on rocks and power heads. That is an indication it’s starting to work.. Keep an eye on nutrients because they now start going down quick. If it gets long/stringy cut back dosage
I have noticed a small amount of clear stringy slime attached to rock work. Should I just keep the doseage the same and give it time to lower nitrates. Like I mentioned I am currently at 10ml and 12ml is what is recommended. I have 75 gallon display tank with 20 gallon sump.

Thanks
 
Upvote 0

SPR1968

No, it wasn’t expensive dear....
View Badges
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
20,028
Reaction score
124,588
Location
Nottinghamshire England
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The white film is caused by the carbon dosing and the white slim is bacterial blooms. If you get to much just back off on the dosage a ml or so

If you increase flow to the affected areas it should keep it clear. I sometimes get it in the sump on top of the water, but if you ‘ripple’ the water with a hose/power head etc it will keep it clear

And just wipe the glass a little more often. I do it every 2 days
 
Upvote 0

theMeat

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
3,036
Reaction score
2,487
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have noticed a small amount of clear stringy slime attached to rock work. Should I just keep the doseage the same and give it time to lower nitrates. Like I mentioned I am currently at 10ml and 12ml is what is recommended. I have 75 gallon display tank with 20 gallon sump.

Thanks
You could keep the dosage the same, you could go up to 12ml. You could safely go a bit higher than what’s recommended. The important thing is cutting back or stopping BEFORE nutrients zero out.
Have you noticed a drop in nitrates and phosphates yet?
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
V

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You could keep the dosage the same, you could go up to 12ml. You could safely go a bit higher than what’s recommended. The important thing is cutting back or stopping BEFORE nutrients zero out.
Have you noticed a drop in nitrates and phosphates yet?
Yes the nitrates and phosphate levels are slowly dropping but still high; neither are near zero. That was my plan as they get lower to monitor closely by testing which I am currently performing x2 weekly.

Thanks
 
Upvote 0

theMeat

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
3,036
Reaction score
2,487
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes the nitrates and phosphate levels are slowly dropping but still high; neither are near zero. That was my plan as they get lower to monitor closely by testing which I am currently performing x2 weekly.

Thanks
Most times you (ppl) dose and dose and see no drop in nutrients. It takes time. Then nutrients start to drop, then they start to drop faster and faster.
 
Upvote 0

IslandLifeReef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,417
Reaction score
6,051
Location
Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes the nitrates and phosphate levels are slowly dropping but still high; neither are near zero. That was my plan as they get lower to monitor closely by testing which I am currently performing x2 weekly.

Thanks


I use to use NoPoX and what you are experiencing is a small bacteria bloom. I wouldn't increase the dosage any more, I might even try reducing it slowly. Just keep an eye on your tank, a full on bacteria bloom could cause the oxygen levels in the water to drop and harm/kill your fish.

What are your NO3 and PO4 levels? NO3 less than 20ppm and PO4 less than 0.2ppm would be more than fine in a fish only tank as long as you don't have any algae issues.

I stopped using NoPoX when my dosing was so small that my tank seemed to take care of things on its own.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
V

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I use to use NoPoX and what you are experiencing is a small bacteria bloom. I wouldn't increase the dosage any more, I might even try reducing it slowly. Just keep an eye on your tank, a full on bacteria bloom could cause the oxygen levels in the water to drop and harm/kill your fish.

What are your NO3 and PO4 levels? NO3 less than 20ppm and PO4 less than 0.2ppm would be more than fine in a fish only tank as long as you don't have any algae issues.

I stopped using NoPoX when my dosing was so small that my tank seemed to take care of things on its own.
ok thanks, What are the signs of a full on bacteria bloom ?
Nitrates- 80 ppm API test
Phosphates - .25 - .50 ppm API

4 weeks ago nitrates where off the chart very high at least 160 ppm -API test; phosphates where around 2.0 ppm


I'm going to get an Red Sea test kit; Most reviews rate them as a good test.
 
Upvote 0

IslandLifeReef

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 25, 2017
Messages
2,417
Reaction score
6,051
Location
Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
ok thanks, What are the signs of a full on bacteria bloom ?
Nitrates- 80 ppm API test
Phosphates - .25 - .50 ppm API

4 weeks ago nitrates where off the chart very high at least 160 ppm -API test; phosphates where around 2.0 ppm


I'm going to get an Red Sea test kit; Most reviews rate them as a good test.

Cloudy water would be the sign of a bad bacterial bloom.

It sounds like your parameters are moving nicely in the right direction. As others have stated, the decrease in NO3 and PO4 tends to accelerate the longer you use the NoPoX. I might try reducing your dosage the next time by 25-50% and see how that effects your NO3/PO4 reduction. You definitely don't want to overshoot to 0ppm.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
V

vareefer1979

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 24, 2021
Messages
38
Reaction score
8
Location
southwest va
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cloudy water would be the sign of a bad bacterial bloom.

It sounds like your parameters are moving nicely in the right direction. As others have stated, the decrease in NO3 and PO4 tends to accelerate the longer you use the NoPoX. I might try reducing your dosage the next time by 25-50% and see how that effects your NO3/PO4 reduction. You definitely don't want to overshoot to 0ppm.
My water is still crystal clear, so that is great! I will reduce NoPox dose slightly and monitor levels with continued water testing.. Thanks for the advise..
 
Upvote 0

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 43 48.9%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 47 53.4%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 20 22.7%
  • None.

    Votes: 22 25.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 10.2%
Back
Top