slime/bubbles on water top

second post and new to reef tanks. I have a 55g tank with a red sea protein deluxe skimmer, two power heads, coralife deluxe luna series lighting (260 watts) and a rena XPI cannister filter. Soft corals, all inverts and fish doing good. How do I get all the slime and mico bubbles off the top of my aquarium? I siphon off every few days but it comes back the next day. Needs some guidance from the experts. Rick

 

Do you have an overflow with sump Rick? if not it, sounds like what I deal with sometimes. I don't have overflows, so nothing skims the top of the water. Stir it up into the water or skim it off, don't know. Can you post a picture?

 

no sump or over flow--no room to put a sump so I know I must clean the rena very week to insure my nitrates are kept low. Does slime hurt anything? Rick

 

Refugium

anyone have an opinion with my current set-up to add a small, 5 gal refugium with an over flow to my tank, that's all the space I have. that will lower my nitrates and reduce the top water slime. I would still keep my red sea protein skimmer and rena XP1 caster filter. Thanks for your help! Rick

 

In your situation with no sump or overflow, I think you need to get some more surface agitation.

Another PH just pointed at surface...

Or better yet, and good for other reasons, add an airstone.


Don't be shy.


Keep us posted.

Rgds

 

point the powerheads towards the surface to produce turbulence. an overflow skims off the top of the water to rid of the unwanted.

this could be the source of your problem

it can, if it covers it smothers

 

Hey what type setup do you have? I think I'm decent with primitive setup ideas! It's all I know so far. Tank, sand, rock, PHeads, dual bakpak skimmer, and MHalides. Simple as that!
Another thought, post some pictures, so we can see what you've got going on!

 

really appreciate the help! I have a 55g tank with a red sea protein deluxe skimmer, two power heads, coralife deluxe luna series lighting (260 watts) and a rena XPI cannister filter. 50 Lbs of live rock with many clams, 40 lbs live sand and 40 lbs of shells etc. Soft corals, leathers, inverts and fish (yellow and blue tangs, two clown fish, hawk fish, and two damsels) doing ok. Set up four months ago.

More I've been reading in last two days believe I should add to the above a 5 to 10g refugium and set it up just above my reef tank's water line--really can't put in a sump below my tank. Is this a good idea to lower nitrates and get rid of the top water slime?

 

Well it sounds like you are doing a good job to me, 4 months, awesome. I don't have experience with refugium, unfortunately, so I'm not to answer.

I'll agree with reef guru about a PH pointing at top of water, it's all I've ever used to deal with top water slime, and make sure your light bulbs are new(or in good health), and you're not overfeeding the inhabitants(will cause unwanted algae issues).

For nitrate issues, only thing I know to do is good water changes every couple days, until nitrate level goes down, it's always worked for me. I don't know about the canister either. I will say not necessary, because I don't use anything other than the sand, rock, and skimmer.

 

I know someone with the same problem, she used 2 of these on her canister filter, one at each end of the tank and it solved her problem. She did however say that it was a little noisy

Aquarium Surface Skimmer