Bacteria? Fungus?

[jratuszn]

I've got my tank up and running again, and I have globs of white goo sprouting on my rock background. I don't know what to make of it. I try to suck it out when I siphon, and when I pull it out by hand, it's like a wad of snot in my fingers. eew. Salt/High temp seems to make it subside a bit, but as soon as I bring the temp down, and get rid of the salt, it's back. It doesn't seem to be affecting the platties I have in there to finish off the cycle, (Now well cycled) But I want to get discus, and I can't until I figure out what this garbage is.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[TankGirl]

Are there any snails? It sounds exactly like the goo you get with DIY CO2 injection, but you don't mention having that, so I don't know. Food that is rotting will get fungused and appear like that, but I'm stretching! Can you post a pic?

 

[jratuszn]

Nope, no snails, only livebearers in the tank. No DIY CO2. The Tank is bare bottom, but all of the gunk grows off of the DIY cement/foam background I made. There isn't any rotting food, so I dunno. One other thing that might be of interest, the blobs always tend to show up in the same areas, but that's prolly just because I can never really get all of the spores off when I suck up the blobs, and they just regenrate.

I'm totally lost here

Thanks,

J

 

[TankGirl]

Okay - I suspect the cement/foam background is the culprit here, and may require removal and sealing up with some kind of aquarium safe epoxy. I think there are things leaching out and causing this problem.

 

[Menagerie]

I agree with TG. Does the goo resemble what went into the background?

 

[jratuszn]

I don't think it's chemical. It's definitely some kind of organism. I could understand it being due to the cement if it was all over it, but it's inly in some areas, and regenerates in those same areas. Also, it never came up while I was curing the cement, only once I got things living in there. I'd put it under a scope, but I don't have any satins, or anything to compare it to- I'm not much of a microbiologist.

-J

 

[Menagerie]

I think with the water pressure, you are getting this goo to come out--not all over, but in weak areas of the background.
If you have access to a scope, look at it. Using the light source on the microscope, you will be able to see cell membranes. That will tell you if it is living. You can compare it to your own cheek cells-rub a toothpick on the inside of your cheek and wipe the toothpick on a slide. Use that to practice looking for cells. Also, the tiniest amount of food coloring can be added as a stain if needed.

 

[TankGirl]

That is great info, Menagerie - I'll definitely keep that in mind

I think a substance is leaching out, one of the components of the foam or something that changed structurally with curing. Conversely, there could be a component of the foam or cement or whatever that is an excellent media for fungal growth. Either way, I think the background is the culprit, and the solution would be the same.