General Care Discussion :: Tank Slime?

[butterfly]

I just noticed today that certain things inside of my tank, like the temp probe, basking dock legs, etc have this moving smokey type of thing floating from them as the water moves. Is this slime? Its white and almost invisible. Just looks like smoke really, in the water.

I dont know if this mean that the tank has to be cleaned completely. Ive only had it for a week, going to be two weeks this coming tuesday and I have been draining weekly 25 percent and refilling it. Im just wondering if this harmful or if its suppose to be there. Anyone else have this in their tank?

[cam722]

Do you have any sort of wood in your tank? The only time I noticed what you're describing is when I had some grape wood in my tank. It use to get this slimey floating gel like substance on it.

[jenaero]

Do you use Turtle Clean for the water? It's supposed to break down waste and add beneficial bacteria. I tried it once and it produced a white slime that covered everything. I never used it again and haven't had a problem so I know that's what it was.

[marisa]

A film will form on wood that's not resistant to water/humidity. I tried grape vine once and this happened (and I noticed by turts eating some of it quite contentedly once before I took it out). Was everything cleaned well before you put it in the tank when you set it up? Is the filter circulating the water well in the tank? Stagnant/unmoving water can contribute to a film on objects as well.

[butterfly]

Im using a blue bottle called ReptiSafe to treat the water that I put in there. I began using it when I began using tap water for the tank. I dont have any wood in the tank and everything was clean before I put it in there. The turtle doesnt even notice this but I do when I sit at an angle to the tank. The water is circulating and moving. In fact the movement of the water is whats showing it. If the water wasnt moving, I probably wouldnt even notice this is there. Could be because of the new set up? The ReptiSafe says that it helps produce beneficial slime...(if thats possible) so Im wondering if maybe thats what this is.

[sonyj]

I had something in my tank that looked like that when I first set it up, but after the first complete cleaning it went away and hasn't came back. I'm not sure what it was because I haven't done anything different since then except to buy a Pleco for algae control. I don't know if he's kept the filmy substance away or not. Sorry I can't shed more light for you.

[jenaero]

I don't think it's the reptisafe. I use that also.

[TinySlider2]

Do you use those turtle shaped water conditioners? Or would that have anything to do with it?

[steve]

Are you doing alot of feeding in that tank? That would be my guess.

[marisa]

I like Reptisafe. I used to use it.

Some foods, and in particular Reptomin, can leave a kind of oily film on the water if feed in the tank. If the top of the water is agitated (what I meant by circulating), though, a film shouldn't really be apparent.

[butterfly]

I dont feed in her the tank, I always take her out but I did have veggies in her tank for a while. I would take them out everyday but put new ones in. I dont know if it can be related to that. I havent ever used those turtle shaped thingys since I read the posts on them not being very good.

I did a whole tank cleaning today just to be on the safe side. The filmy smokey stuff was slime after all because it felt greasy when touched. I dont know what could have caused it though. Strange.

Im going to just keep an eye out on it and see if it does it again in two weeks. If it does, Im going to have to clean her every two weeks instead of every month like planned. I dont mind though.

[marisa]

If you have a 20-gallon tank, I think two weeks is better than a month for cleaning, even with the Aquaclear. I'm using a 20-gallon tank with one painted turtle and do a cleaning every two weeks (or as close to that as possible) with a partial water change in between.

[SabrinaF]

Ok soI know this post hasn't been touched in a few years but I was wondering if anyone ever found out what the slime is? I have it in my tank. i don't feed Mikey in a different tank. We don't have anything that I can set up for that. He eats it all anyway, plus there is the fluval 305 and only a 20g tank. I just noticed this stuff recently. I'm worried