Eww. SNot like substance in my sump!

[Cartman89]

There has been this snot like milky substance in my sump lately and I have no clue what is causing this to form. It's only in the section where the return pump is at. There is alot of junk at the bottom of the return pump section so could that cause it? Here are the water testing:
Nitrate - .5ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Ammonia - 0ppm
pH - 8.3
Salt. - 1.024

 

[Woodstock]

Sounds like cyano... is it dark, slimy, and peels off easily in sheets? It feeds off of po4, low oxygen, and red spectrum lighting (Old PC bulbs). I'm guessing the rotting ditritus in the corner is fueling it with lots of po4... Try keeping the sump cleaner and toss in a bag of phosban

 

[Cartman89]

It can't be cyno. Cyno is red. This is a stringy snot like thing.

 

[lcstorc]

Can you clean it out regardless? I would anyway. Doesn't sound like anything good. Course I am new so ...
Peace
Lynn

 

[Cartman89]

Yeah I took out most of it. The rest is on the heater. I can't get it off.

 

[Woodstock]

Try removing the heater (after unplugging it ) and cleaning it with a wire brush and vinegar.

 

[Cartman89]

The whole sump is infested with q-tip sponges so maybe that's what's causing the slime?

 

[cheeks69]

The whole sump is infested with q-tip sponges so maybe that's what's causing the slime?

Q tip sponges are filter feeders and do not cause slime. What you may have is a builup of organics in your sump. What are you using for a skimmer ? How close is it to the drain in our sump ?

 

[Cartman89]

The skimmer is a aquamedic skimmer rated for a 250gal and cost me alot of $$. The skimmer is actully hanging off the back of the main tank. It couldn't fit into the sump. What I have in the sump is a refugium, carbon, filter pad, heater, and the return pump. I do see some detritus in the sump where the return pump. I will take some pics today.

 

[Cartman89]

ok here are the sump pics.

This pic is where the slime is at

This is just the fuge

 

[Boomer]

Snot

Is usually not cyano by dinoflagellates . Does this snot have allot of trapped bubbles ?

 

[Cartman89]

No bubbles at all.

 

[Boomer]

Then that snot is allot of excess organics coupled with bacteria floating to the top as they are lighter than water. That sump looks realy sick/ bad and needs some serious cleaning.

 

[Cartman89]

How do you reccomend I clean it?

 

[blue_eyes53813]

I know in my last tank... I was tearing it down to move and behind the rock in a low flow there ( must of been a dead spot) the water was thick and slimey... it to was like snot. I stirred it and put a net in the water and it ran out of the net like snot... How much flow did you have going through the sump and could it have been low flow or kinda like stagnet water?

 

[Cartman89]

Well I would think that the return pump would make enough flow. WHen I look in the sump water doesn't even move so yeah maybe I need flow?

 

[Boomer]

That sump to me, as you just said, looks pretty stagnant. To clean that sump I would shut it down, tear it apart and start over

 

[Cartman89]

??? Why tear it down? This is my first sump. I never had one before. I made it in March, was very confusing to me to make. Anyways the snot is gone now I siphon it up last night and there is no more.

 

[lcstorc]

I think they meant take everything out and give the whole thing a good cleaning and put it back. Most people here love sumps in general so I doubt they meant to get rid of it. Just get rid of all they yuk.
When you put it back together make sure they are no low flow spots so you can try to prevent the prob from re-occurring.
Interresting that this happened so quickly though. March to June is not a lot of time for gunk to build up.

 

[Cartman89]

I know who the junk got there. When I first start putting the rocks and macro algae in the fuge part of the sump some of the debris from the rocks and algae got over to the return pump section. I didn't have the sponge in the sump yet. Anyways everything looks better now.