Habitat - Indoor :: quick question

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Is sludge buildup normal when a tank is going through "new tank syndrome"? I ask,because i noticed some of (as in very little of it) is building up inside my filter and in the corners of the enclosure.Thanks

[grey goose]

New tank syndrome is basically a buildup of ammonia caused by the lack of beneficial bacteria in the filter. New filters (new media) takes some time to "cycle" or establish bacteria colonies in the sponges and bio-rings or stars. The water will have a whitish, cloudy look to it, and the ammonia levels can climb to enormous levels, unless 25-50% water changes are done at least weekly, maybe more often. Adding Biozyme to the water speeds up the process.
I'm not sure what you mean by sludge, do you mean turtle waste or uneaten food breaking down? Algae?

[xsavingsaturdayx]

New tank syndrome is basically a buildup of ammonia caused by the lack of beneficial bacteria in the filter. New filters (new media) takes some time to "cycle" or establish bacteria colonies in the sponges and bio-rings or stars. The water will have a whitish, cloudy look to it, and the ammonia levels can climb to enormous levels, unless 25-50% water changes are done at least weekly, maybe more often. Adding Biozyme to the water speeds up the process.
I'm not sure what you mean by sludge, do you mean turtle waste or uneaten food breaking down? Algae?

Its not algae and i doubt its un-eaten food because i feed them in a seperate container.The "sludge" is kind of oily and its pretty clear but theyre is not alot of it.Im testing for ammonia daily and so far these past 5 days the ammonia has been at 0 ppm.

[grey goose]

Is there an oil slick on the surface? The only thing I can think of is a small amount of lubricant from the seals or impeller in the new filter got out and into the water.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

No not on the surface,just on the sides of the enclosure and a little bit on the filter.It doesnt seem to be bothering my turtles,so i dont know.Maybe its normal?

[Kallistos]

I'm going through this also. It smells a lot more than the smaller tank. It's not like a fecal smell or spoiled food smell, it's kind of hard to explain it, somewhat chemical or medicinal like....The smell has gotten better over the past few days, I think it's because like grey goose said, the bacteria is yet to grow on the SeaChem....


Well, back to the question, if you're doing testing and everything is normal, then I wouldn't worry. Just make sure all the harmful substances, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, chloromine...etc are low. Maybe you could take a Q-Tip and see if it smells. Other than that, it's kind of hard to picture what exactly it is.....

[grey goose]

I wouldnt worry about it. Next big water change, just wipe it off....

[steve]

If there is a lot of moisture from the filter, it can be mildew or even mold.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

If there is a lot of moisture from the filter, it can be mildew or even mold.

I dont think theyre is alot of moisture coming from the filter,but if that is the case.Is it toxic to turtles? And if so,how can i get rid of it?

[grey goose]

I've never faced that dilemma before. I guess if it is mold or mildew you could break everything down and clean with 10% bleach solution. (Ugh).
Make sure to rinse well (with conditioned water to break down the clorine). Does it have an odd smell? I'm assuming we're talking about an in tank filter. I'm at a loss.....

[steve]

My Aquaclear 110 has a front lid to prevent water splashing and that causes a lot of moisture in the air. With the mildew, I just used a paper towel to wipe it off. For the mold, it was on some plastic wrap in the tank (the moisture caused areas of the top tank frame to rust so it's covered in plastic for now but I'm working on getting a stainless steel one made). I just replaced the plastic, but did a 100% change.

What kind of filter do you have?