Tank Slime Compromising Filters

[karin]

Help how do I get rid of this slime.

I think I'm having a bacterial bloom, slightly milky water and slime. This started when one of the two filters on the tank failed for 24 hours on Sunday. I then had a nitrite spike Sunday to Monday that killed my shrimp but I saved my fish doing water changes and a complete filter cleaning of the Eheim 2215 which was running superbly for 24 hours and then started slowing down again. Today running 50% of what it was running 24 hours ago. Today the aquaclear 70 almost ceased working because the filter floss turned into slim and I bet was effectively water impermeable. The water stats have been good since Monday aside from a mysterious Ph drop from 8.0 steady for 7 months and now 7.6 for the last week. Fish respond well to water changes but between seem to be suffering from oxygen depletion gasping and fast abnormal breathing rate and hanging at the top.. HOW DO I GET RID OF THE SLIME? It is clear and on everything. Is there a product to use? Any other advise other than watching stats and water changes.

Stats: Before 50% water change this evening:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.6 which is a drop from my usual 8.0... 80% water changes are still leaving the Ph at 7.6 now.
Temp 26 C

It is a planted tank
60 gallons cycled and running fine for 7.5 months
7 congo tetras, 1 bn, 2 apistos, 4 cories, 2 medium sized angels, 2 bolivian rams,2 mystery snails
Eheim 2215, Aquaclear 70 and since this happened added an aquaclear 20 on Monday.
Added a bubble bar yesterday.

Any thoughts at all welcome!!!

 

[Athena]

Hi Karin

Well, I've never come across clear slime in a tank before but have been doing some online searches trying to find info for you but it appears it's quite rare. There are some suggestions that the slime is being produced by the fish due to them being exposed to chemical imbalances/toxins.

If your tank is going through the cycling stage again due to the over zealous cleaning destroying filter media then this is what could be causing this.

I think you probably went from old tank syndrome to suddenly new tank syndrome (hence the bacterial bloom). That's just my guess, anyway.

Have a read of this interesting article about old tank syndrome as it contains some really eye-opening info and it goes to show that as far as water changes and cleaning are concerned, it has to be a regular thing but not excessive.

http/www.bestfish.com/oldtank.html

Wish I could help you more - if I happen to stumble across anything else to do with this I will let you know.

Regards, Athena

 

[karin]

Thank you Athena. You have been very helpful. Obviously I thought I had it under control but no. The article was interesting but didn't give me much to go on. I've been doing my weekly water changes for the 7-8 months the tank has been set up. And yes, cleaned the filters a bit vigorously in old tank water, but they are performing their ammonia and nitrite job well now after I got past the 24 hour nitrite spike.

The bubbler is helping for certain so I'm really coming to think that the slime is robbing water of O2. And there is also the dropping Ph piece of this puzzle

 

[karin]

Here is a new theory, could the initial filter failure have increased nitrates and cause the normally good biofilm bacteria to grow like crazy to where it is a harmful thing? Clogging filters and using up O2?

Just tested water this AM: Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrates 0 (I know these tests are not great but can't remember the last time I got Nitrates 0) and Ph is back to 8.0. What the heck?

P.S. It is an API liquid test.