White Slime Bacteria?

[Jimbo]

Seems to be clearing up. I did so many things it's hard to say what it was that has made the difference. May just be coincidence but it really began to recede after I added a Polyfilter to my sump. Here's a pic taken today of the same overflow I posted earlier in the thread

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Glad to hear its improved!

Happy Reefing.

 

[whatchamacallit]

Interesting exact same thing in my tank. I also dosed mb7, wonder if that's the link.

 

[Jimbo]

Don't think so. My tank suddenly cleared up a week into the MB7 dosing.

 

[bgallagher]

http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/mystery-white-reef-slime-part-ii

 

[robert]

Interesting - it appears to be an older article - part of a three part series:

http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/mystery-white-reef-slime-part-i
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/mystery-white-reef-slime-part-ii
http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/mystery-white-reef-slime-part-iii

 

[Dwdrummer41]

Hello guys, I'm also experiencing this same issue. My tank has been up l a year and 2 months. I got the cloudy water around april of last year. Put a UV in the tank and cleared it up. Few months later my rock work and back glass are now covered in a white slimy stringy coating. I've brushed it off and it comes right back. This post seemed to have the best responses. Has anyone else tried the mb7 to fix the issue as this was recommended to me to try.

 

[PSXerholic]

Hello guys, I'm also experiencing this same issue. My tank has been up l a year and 2 months. I got the cloudy water around april of last year. Put a UV in the tank and cleared it up. Few months later my rock work and back glass are now covered in a white slimy stringy coating. I've brushed it off and it comes right back. This post seemed to have the best responses. Has anyone else tried the mb7 to fix the issue as this was recommended to me to try.

I will chime in later to this thread.
Battling this crap now since quite a while and did a lot of research and tried corrective actions.
More than happy to share my results, findings and additional theories in more detail then.

-Andre

 

[PSXerholic]

Ok, like to chime in now.
Long story short.
I'm battling a white stringy and furry growing "SOMETHING" in my tank now for quite a while. 210G DT, total 300G system (Filtersumps and Frag system)
Actually I start noticing this when I saw the "FUR" causing white line STN on Acros and bleaching on the underside of Montipora (since it grows pretty well there)!!!

I did carbon dose the tank with VSV and did a ton of research about it and it's potential source.
May be bacteria from my Water change system (in the laundry room), or from washing my filter socks, or alcohol from Vodka, or filler elements used in tablets, or or or or ..........
Anyways, I did quit carbon dosing, stopped water changes with this system, stopped and used new filter socks that I do not wash anymore etc.
Did a Hydrogen peroxide treatment.......
As well I did for weeks the Dr.Tim's Waste away and also the MB7 cure.
What should I say, at some point in the WA/MB7 treatment after 2-3 weeks it was almost gone then boom it all came back.
Vibrant Aquarium cleaner did not seem to help either.
I also noticed that MG drops quite significant as well that the "WHITE FUR" , maybe due to the MG consumption, limits the growth of any coraline algae!!!!
Oh, all SPS are basically limited in growth and colorization. After it became almost dead, and I thought it's over, the corals bloomed in awesome colors asap, which stopped right after the Fur boomed again. Maybe a helpful hint.
As well I had haze cloudy water which I had to encounter with a huge temporary UV.
In addition I installed a new heavy duty skimmer with more skimming power.
Also I started my Anti-Cyano cure in which I dose Biodigest every few days and stopped any form of Vitamins, Aminos, etc.
Carbon dosing with Vodka or Vinegar, seemed to make it worse.

So these are the symptons and effects I did notice.
Well, I took the advise given and this evening the FUR became a picture !!!! I did took a piece of coral and put it under the microscope.
I would appreciate if @Randy Holmes-Farley or any other experts can have a look at this "Furry Something".
@brandon429 , @twilliard , @saltyfilmfolks ,

Not sure if it is a bacteria, or an Algae based type of plant. To me it looks like an algae, which may be the reason for the competition to coraline ?!?
Anyways, I would appreciate the help to identify this Stringy/Furry/Slimy element that causes severe headache.
At this point I'm open for everything..................
Yeast, Beer, whatever......
I keep doing the biodigest for now and tried 2 days ago a small amount of biopellets in order to keep nutrients somewhat under control.
Installed fresh Activated Carbon and GFO to strip TOC's, Silicates etc................

So here the pictures. Videos are not better therefore I left them out.

This is the chip I broke off, on the right side you can see the short furry appearance, in some area of the tank its longer and stringy.


Here the first picture with the Microscope from my son ;-)


Some more and a closer picture at last, showing the structure of the subject pretty good ;-)






-Andre

 

[PSXerholic]

BTW, I also did the Fluconazole treatment by the way since I was believing I had to battle Faecalis bacteria !!!
-Andre

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ok, like to chime in now.
Long story short.
I'm battling a white stringy and furry growing "SOMETHING" in my tank now for quite a while. 210G DT, total 300G system (Filtersumps and Frag system)
Actually I start noticing this when I saw the "FUR" causing white line STN on Acros and bleaching on the underside of Montipora (since it grows pretty well there)!!!

I did carbon dose the tank with VSV and did a ton of research about it and it's potential source.
May be bacteria from my Water change system (in the laundry room), or from washing my filter socks, or alcohol from Vodka, or filler elements used in tablets, or or or or ..........
Anyways, I did quit carbon dosing, stopped water changes with this system, stopped and used new filter socks that I do not wash anymore etc.
Did a Hydrogen peroxide treatment.......
As well I did for weeks the Dr.Tim's Waste away and also the MB7 cure.
What should I say, at some point in the WA/MB7 treatment after 2-3 weeks it was almost gone then boom it all came back.
Vibrant Aquarium cleaner did not seem to help either.
I also noticed that MG drops quite significant as well that the "WHITE FUR" , maybe due to the MG consumption, limits the growth of any coraline algae!!!!
Oh, all SPS are basically limited in growth and colorization. After it became almost dead, and I thought it's over, the corals bloomed in awesome colors asap, which stopped right after the Fur boomed again. Maybe a helpful hint.
As well I had haze cloudy water which I had to encounter with a huge temporary UV.
In addition I installed a new heavy duty skimmer with more skimming power.
Also I started my Anti-Cyano cure in which I dose Biodigest every few days and stopped any form of Vitamins, Aminos, etc.
Carbon dosing with Vodka or Vinegar, seemed to make it worse.

So these are the symptons and effects I did notice.
Well, I took the advise given and this evening the FUR became a picture !!!! I did took a piece of coral and put it under the microscope.
I would appreciate if @Randy Holmes-Farley or any other experts can have a look at this "Furry Something".
@brandon429 , @twilliard , @saltyfilmfolks ,

Not sure if it is a bacteria, or an Algae based type of plant. To me it looks like an algae, which may be the reason for the competition to coraline ?!?
Anyways, I would appreciate the help to identify this Stringy/Furry/Slimy element that causes severe headache.
At this point I'm open for everything..................
Yeast, Beer, whatever......
I keep doing the biodigest for now and tried 2 days ago a small amount of biopellets in order to keep nutrients somewhat under control.
Installed fresh Activated Carbon and GFO to strip TOC's, Silicates etc................

So here the pictures. Videos are not better therefore I left them out.

This is the chip I broke off, on the right side you can see the short furry appearance, in some area of the tank its longer and stringy.


Here the first picture with the Microscope from my son ;-)


Some more and a closer picture at last, showing the structure of the subject pretty good ;-)






-Andre

Can you post a pic of the stuff in the tank too, Please?

 

[PSXerholic]

Can you post a pic of the stuff in the tank too, Please?

Yes, will do. It's white furry, in some areas more stringy.
It covers larger areas like a carpet.
On the right side of the first picture you can see it within the water drop.

-Andre

 

[PSXerholic]

Can you post a pic of the stuff in the tank too, Please?

There you go, here are the pictures in addition to the microscope shots.









Hope it helps.
Sometimes it's hard to capture on the cam.
.

 

[PSXerholic]

I do have received a professional experts opinion, but I keep that for now.

-Andre

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I do have received a professional experts opinion, but I keep that for now.

-Andre

That makes no sense. SO you still want me to help do some research for you and guess, try to find a plan to get rid of it even thought you know the answer.

I have an answer and i keep it for now.

 

[PSXerholic]

That makes no sense. SO you still want me to help do some research for you and guess, try to find a plan to get rid of it even thought you know the answer.

I have an answer and i keep it for now.

As mentioned, I got an opinion, not an answer. And when investigating something that is not common it is recommended to have the opinions from the considered experts been held to the last to avoid influencing the others. Simple logic actually.

As well I have no clear plan, but a few ideas what I can do after some more research I need to do first.

Also I would like to pick your guys brain hoping you may have seen something like that before.
I was not asking for do the job for me, sorry if it came over like that !!!!

Andre

 

[PSXerholic]

Ok, no one else seems to have seen it or know what it is, from pictures of the microscope.

From all the experts I have contacted throughout the world, I have received 2 responses (at least something considering these guys have likely more important things to do !!!) saying basically the same.

The opinion is that this object is a Septate fungus in Hyphae phase.
Reason for that is, White, fluffy, irregular filaments, septate, no sign of any chloroplasts and have likely seen them in his own cultures. The spores are typically air born and adapt/grow then later in the marine environment if no natural competitor will take over their position or harvest it.

That would explain why this object grows in low shaded low flow area generally. Not seen it in bright spots on rocks.

Another Marine biologist explained me that in the Gulf of Mexico a lot of problems with Seafans were related back to dust born fungus coming from Africa and he sort of agreed to the first opinion.
His first thought of a starving algae type that became sexual, therefore white, seem to be less likely according to him.

Well, if it is a fungus it likes N & P !!!
This actually ties back into the time when this stuff was almost gone.
At this point in time, I had low nitrates and low phosphates.
But since I was considering this time a bacteria, I raised No3 and Po4 again to support the good bacteria to compete out the bad bacteria........ not knowing honestly what I was dealing with.

Also it explains that strong UV does not have an effect on it. Only if it spores in the water, which I believe it does, but don't know, the UV cleans the water asap from white haze, but that's does not mean it's from this potential fungus.

What next ???? I will receive a variety of anti fungicides today and will test and trial if it does have an effect on it. I will receive Kordon Rid Fungus & Pimafix, as well true methylene blue.
First 2 products are supposed to be for a tank treatment. However I will cut pieces out of the tank and will treat them in these fungicides to see immediate effect. Some fungicides do only stop/disturb the lifecycle and do not instantly kill the fungus.

Also I need to see that I get my nutrients low again to see how quick this stuff dies off, that would already help. I don't like the idea to treat the entire tank.
Then later, there is the question.......where does it come from and causing this outbreak!?


STILL.....any opinions or related experiences are appreciated.

-Andre

 

[PSXerholic]

Wow.......digging now deeper in the World of Marine fungus, I feel I did open Pandoras box....ugh................

-Andre

 

[bios]

In 100 different tank all around the world, if you shut off power head and skimmer and oxigenation and turn off the light
You will find the same stuff too as they are a part of every reef tank
Problem is when in a tank they try to grow that mean a bad water condition ,take in mind that it should be a big issue for the fishes
Yes is a fungus and my suggestion is to increase movement of the water and filter with active carbon

 

[PSXerholic]

In 100 different tank all around the world, if you shut off power head and skimmer and oxigenation and turn off the light
You will find the same stuff too as they are a part of every reef tank
Problem is when in a tank they try to grow that mean a bad water condition ,take in mind that it should be a big issue for the fishes
Yes is a fungus and my suggestion is to increase movement of the water and filter with active carbon

Thank you for the feedback.
By default due to a damaged flow pump, I did increase overall tank flow, installed GFO and fresh carbon and will watch the progress.

-Andre