What causes slime in a tank?

[Fishies86]

Hi,
I've got slime coating every surface in my aquarium. I was just wondering what could be causing it.
My tank is a 48 litre planted tank with 7 fish in it, very nearly cycled. It has a 15 watt bulb lighting it. Don't know if that makes any difference?
Thanks for your help!
(hope I've posted this in the right forum! I'm using the iPhone app, and it doesn't show the full titles of the forums sorry if it's wrong!!)

 

[summit]

are you sure its not algae? types of algae certainly can feel slimy, it could also be fungus introduced from driftwood, what color is it? Does it grow on anything? Do you keep the light on all the time?

 

[BigJim]

What color is this slime?

 

[Fishies86]

A clear greyish colour.

 

[Fishies86]

are you sure its not algae? types of algae certainly can feel slimy, it could also be fungus introduced from driftwood, what color is it? Does it grow on anything? Do you keep the light on all the time?

I haven't got any driftwood in the tank.

It grows on the filter, heater, glass, rubbery ornament (but not the resin one oddly enough). It doesn't seem to grow on the gravel though.

The light is on for about 12 hours a day.

It could be algae, but I'm not sure which. I've got brown algae in the tank at the moment, and it doesn't look anything like that.

The slime is a kind of clear greyish green colour.

 

[BigJim]

My best guess is it's a bacteria bloom.

Blue-green algae (actually cyanobacteria) will grow in slimy mats when there's a lack of nitrates, but I've never seen gray BGA.

If it's more brown and it brushes off surfaces easily, it's diatoms. They're very common in new tanks and will burn out eventually.

Try vacuuming up the slime and hope it's a byproduct of your cycle.

 

[Toxicfish]

Does it look like the white "halo slime" found on this rock? (no credit for the pic, I got it off the net as I am unable to take a photo at present).

If this is what you are experiencing, i have it too.. Seems like a lot of new tanks suffer this, and I can find no definitive answer, however my LFS did advice that my phosphates are so high that this could be the cause..

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[Fishies86]

Yeah, it's like that. Not as bad though, because I keep scrubbing it off with a toothbrush. Thanks

 

[Toxicfish]

I have this over the heater, air stone tubing, glass and driftwoods.

I'm trying to lower my phosphates, reduce feeding a bit and lower lighted time to the aquarium... Apart from that, i have no idea..

Surely someone on here has dealt with it or knows what it is tho?? ;-(

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[Fishies86]

How do you reduce phosphates? I know that plants should take up phosphates, and I've got 5 clumps of plants, so I would have thought that should keep it down. Other than that, is it just water changes?
I don't want to reduce lighting because of the plants, and because I've got brown algae, which I've heard thrives in dimmer light. :/

 

[Toxicfish]

Cant advise on the brown algae, but to keep phosphates down (algae food) you can perform water changes if you have measured the tap water and not it to contain minimal phosphates.

I have a lot of plants, but floating or dead/decaying plant matter will increase your phosphates, so pick the plants carefully,

One method to lower phosphates is to use a product like seachem phosguard, it will remove your phosphates and not leech them back into the tank when the media is exhausted (about 3-4 days). I am using this now, but after speaking with seachem the support, they advised I will need to use 500ml of the product (white beads you put in a bag) to reduce the phosphate to a level I am trying to achieve, the LFS said 250mls would do it, so I will find out who's right in a couple more days, but I am betting the LFS is wrong... Sigh...

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[Fishies86]

Well, I think the slime must be some sort of algae, because I have since added 3 guppies and an oto and they seem to be munching away at it quite happily

 

[RabiedRooster]

You will always get at least some buildup like this in any aquatic environment on all surfaces, its called a biofilm, made from bacteria, diatoms, algae and other microorganisms