Bad Smell, High Nitrate, Slime,

[mikebig]

Hey all, i come at you with a problem today. Woke up and my bedroom stank. Looked in my tank and there was weird clear slime with little white blobs in it all over the glass. I removed this and did my water tests, everything was fine execpt Nitrate which was around the 80mg/l range. What could this slime be? Could this be something to do with a lack of oxygen in the tank, as i recently reduced the current on the top to quieten the tank down. Though the whole surface still ripples. Hope this makes sence to someone on here.

 

[smmetz]

80 is really quite high for nitrates, I suggest a couple water changes in the next day or two - perhaps a 1/3 water change per day. Vacum out your gravel while removing the water too, to removed waste which breaks down into nitrates.

Nitrates are fertilizer for plants - it could be that the slime is some sort of algae or something. Hopefully cleaning it off the glass and doing a couple water changes will get it under control.

I never had that clear slime though, so hopefully someone who really knows what it is can give more than my general advice.

I can't tell if you have a lack of oxygen, but I think that if "the whole surface still ripples" you probably have enough surface agitation. However, it would help if you tell us what size tank, and what fish you have. Then, someone can look at how much surface area you water has (you have to give us length, and width of your tank for this), and compare that to how many fish you have. Tall, overstocked tanks are prone to oxygen shortages. I don't know if that would make your tank slimey and stinky though.

 

[mikebig]

80 is really quite high for nitrates, I suggest a couple water changes in the next day or two - perhaps a 1/3 water change per day. Vacum out your gravel while removing the water too, to removed waste which breaks down into nitrates.

Nitrates are fertilizer for plants - it could be that the slime is some sort of algae or something. Hopefully cleaning it off the glass and doing a couple water changes will get it under control.

I never had that clear slime though, so hopefully someone who really knows what it is can give more than my general advice.

I can't tell if you have a lack of oxygen, but I think that if "the whole surface still ripples" you probably have enough surface agitation. However, it would help if you tell us what size tank, and what fish you have. Then, someone can look at how much surface area you water has (you have to give us length, and width of your tank for this), and compare that to how many fish you have. Tall, overstocked tanks are prone to oxygen shortages. I don't know if that would make your tank slimey and stinky though.

Ok tank is 40"X16" surface and 14" water depth. I have 6 glass/ghost catfish. 3 female platys, (all the men died!) 1 male betta and 1 Polka-dot Catfish (syno angelicus).

Cheers

 

[smmetz]

Ok tank is 40"X16" surface and 14" water depth. I have 6 glass/ghost catfish. 3 female platys, (all the men died!) 1 male betta and 1 Polka-dot Catfish (syno angelicus).

... i recently reduced the current on the top to quieten the tank down. Though the whole surface still ripples...

Based on that information, I think you should have enough oxygen in your tank.