This third segment brings to a conclusion our two to three months of work, research, treatment and results with the “mysterious white slime effect.”

Before we start, first I would like to offer a correction for a caption printed in regards to the photo of the brown slime depicted on a blue cleaning sponge in my second segment.  One of our readers,   Mr. Guy M., of Sonoma, California, submitted it.  Erroneously, it was identified as a photo from a marine tank in Boca Raton.  Therefore, I would like to give Guy the credit and my thanks, for the use of his photo. I offer my apologies to him for the misprint.  He has a stake in this subject, having been battling this slime in his reef aquarium as well for quite some time now.  I hope that my experiences have been helpful to him too.

Therefore- at this writing, I am very happy to say that at least in one instance, we have been successful in eradicating the slime completely, or seemingly so.  Our client’s reef aquarium in Pompano Beach has now been free of the slime for the last two weeks.  Happily, we can report that many of the corals, which had suffered tremendously from the slime almost to near death, were actually now stable and some have actually regenerated new tissue and color.  (See photos). In addition, the recruitment of coralline algae (which had all but disappeared) has accelerated, and has started to return to the rock and other surfaces rapidly.  

Of course, we began the process by removing all of the obvious sources of phthalates (See definitions, Seg. #2).  Additionally, we have also worked on minimizing the VOCs (See definitions Seg. #2) in both locations.  Initially, it appeared as though the slime production was slowly reducing.  The treatment protocol began with Dr. Hovanec’s recommendation of the use of one of his products, which he has named Re-Fresh at a dose of 5-ml per 10-gallons every other day for 7-10 days.  Along with the Re-Fresh, he suggested adding 35% hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 2-3 mls per 10-gallons in conjunction with the Re-Fresh would be very beneficial, adding a tremendous amount of oxygen to the mix.  However, our initial experiences indicated that some corals (mostly soft, but some stony) and certain species of fish (large angels in particular) reacted adversely to the concentrated H2O2.  As such, what we ended up doing was diluting two mls of 35% H2O2 per 10 gallons of aquarium volume to a gallon of RO water, and then setting it up on a slow drip (@1 drop per 8-10 seconds). Do be careful with the 35% stuff- not only did it stress corals and fish as previously mentioned, it can “burn” your skin on contact.  Always wear protective gear, such as gloves and eye protection when handling 35% hydrogen peroxide.   

By the end of the first ten days adding the Re-Fresh, the slime was almost completely broken down, and we switched to adding the Waste-Away.  Also on an every other day basis, the Waste-Away was used at a 5-ml per 10-gallon dose for two treatments, then raised to 10-ml per 5-gallons after that.  It is now day 25, and the slime has now been completely eradicated.  We will now begin the protocol of using Waste-Away as a routine maintenance product, adding 10-ml per 5-gallons once weekly.  Over time, it will continue to break down the organic detritus and other celluloid waste, which builds up in the gravel and on the live rock in our aquariums.  Ultimately, this in turn shall make our aquarium inhabitants happier and healthier, while also making our jobs just a little bit easier.  So there you are.  We are very relieved here in our lives to have had such good results with quite an uncommon situation.  We also hope that by bringing this to the forefront of the information-seeking public, we may have helped other
service companies and hobbyists.

One last comment: Do stay on your toes.  We encounter many diverse and unusual conditions in this hobby and this latest experience is proof that the causative factors could come from any nearly unimaginable sources.  So don’t hesitate to reach out and share your concerns and successes.  You just might be the catalyst to solve yet another challenge in the reef aquarium hobby.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, have fun with your aquarium.  

Next Blog: Lance’s 25,000 gallon aquarium renovation begins in South America.

Since our last post (which was actually our first post), we’ve made excellent progress in solving the possible and probable causes of the somewhat rare and perplexing condition, becoming well-known as the Mysterious White Slime Metabolism.  This metabolism has recently occurred in an aquarium of one of our clients. (See original blog)

Out of the blue I received a call from a service tech who services the Boca Raton area.  He has been challenged by an identical situation in one of his clients’ office and was at a loss and the problem seemed to be spreading to other aquariums in the building.  (This client has many aquariums in their offices which of course includes an ocean theme).  Although the slime and the results of the slime appear to be almost identical, it looks as though the conditions leading up to the appearance looks to be slightly different. However, there are some similar factors in both cases.

Previously we spoke of the bacteria, Alcaligenes faecalis as a possible cause of the slime.  This bacterium is an aerobic heterotroph considered to be ubiquitous,  which creates the slime as a metabolic by-product.  Under the proper conditions of elevated phthalates and VOCs, these bacteria bloom and begin to dominate the fauna associated with our aquariums.   Soon, everything becomes coated with the thick slime, which can begin to smother corals and eventually rob oxygen to the point of fish dying from anoxia.  Although true identification requires culturing the bacteria, costs are prohibitive, and probably unnecessary.  It is also secondary to finding the solution of eradicating the slime.  This slime begins as an opaque or semi transparent white color, but soon becomes brown to dark brown as it thickens and collects organic waste and debris.

Fortunately, we were able to isolate a common denominator in both cases.  This link was the presence and increasing use of plug-in room deodorizers.  After careful observation and client interviews, it was determined that there were many of these units at both locations, in use for different reasons.  In the case of my client (a residential location), the owners have a couple of dogs and a few cats, and the room deodorizers have been used to neutralize undesirable odors from the air in the home.  In use for a long time, there has not been a problem until the carpets in their home were “dry-cleaned”.  Two days later, the slime appeared, quickly becoming an obvious problem overnight.  Likewise, although plug –in deodorizers have been intermittently used at the dental office for a very long time, the slime only appeared after one of their air conditioners caught fire, which resulted in a great deal of smoke pumping into the office.  Contained in the smoke was a large amount of the two compounds, since they are used in the manufacturing of plastics and wire coatings.  Because of the fire, the office required evacuation, and remedial smoke damage was initiated.  Of course, our conclusion is that the phthalates and VOCs generated In both cases caused the system nutrient levels to reach the critical threshold.  As a result of the carpet cleaning and the fire, the first appearance of the slime began immediately after an event had occurred, which I call the catastrophic initiation event.

My research regarding the problem led me to personal discussions with Dr. Tim Hovanec, microbiologist, innovator and aquarist.  He just happens to own Dr. Tim’s Aquatics, a company engaged in the research, development and production of biological products, designed to work harmoniously in fresh water and marine aquariums by utilizing (among other things) naturally occurring bacteria and enzymes.  Although he had not experienced quite what we were going through, he generously shared with me his experiences regarding such slime in aquariums, and sent me some studies regarding the presence of organic compounds (known as phthalates and VOCs) as causative agents.  The plug-in deodorizers contain a fair amount of both compound groups, but apparently not enough to cause the bloom of the slime-producing bacteria.  Our data indicates that the catastrophic initiation event was then required to put the nutrient level over the threshold concentration point, which then allowed the slime-producing heterotrophic bacteria to bloom.

The deeper my research became, the more astonished I was at the revelations that I discovered.  Look for our results in the next post.  Thanks for reading – Lance

Wikipedia defines phthalates as:

“Phthalates, or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity). They are primarily used to soften polyvinyl chloride. Phthalates are being phased out of many products in the United States and European Union over health concerns”.

Wikipedia lists the uses of phthalates as follows:

“Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, from enteric coatings of pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements to viscosity control agents, gelling agents, film formers, stabilizers, dispersants, lubricants, binders, emulsifying agents, and suspending agents. End applications include adhesives and glues, agricultural adjuvants, building materials, personal care products, medical devices, detergents and surfactants, packaging, children’s toys, modelling clay, waxes, paints, printing inks and coatings, pharmaceuticals, food products, and textiles…”

Additionally, they go on to say:

“Phthalates are used in a variety of household applications such as shower curtains, vinyl upholstery, adhesives, floor tiles, food containers and wrappers, and cleaning materials. Personal care items containing phthalates include perfume, eye shadow, moisturizer, nail polish, liquid soap, and hair spray. They are also found in modern electronics and medical applications such as catheters and blood transfusion devices. The most widely-used phthalates are the di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), the diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP) and the diisononyl phthalate (DINP). DEHP is the dominant plasticizer used in PVC due to its low cost. Benzylbutylphthalate (BBP) is used in the manufacture of foamed PVC, which is mostly used as a flooring material. Phthalates with small R and R’ groups are used as solvents in perfumes and pesticides.

Also defined by Wikipedia, a VOC is:

“Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) refers to organic chemical compounds which have significant vapor pressures and which can affect the environment and human health. VOCs are numerous, varied, and ubiquitous. Although VOCs include both man-made and naturally occurring chemical compounds, it is the anthropogenic VOCs that are regulated, especially for indoors where concentrations can be highest. VOCs are typically not acutely toxic but have chronic effects. Because the concentrations are usually low and the symptoms slow to develop, analysis of VOCs and their effects is a demanding area”…

“… A major sources of man-made VOC’s are solvents, especially paints and protective coatings. Solvents are required to spread the protective or decorative film. Approximately 12 billion liters of paints are produced annually. Typical solvents are aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethyl acetate, glycol ethers, and acetone. Motivated by cost, environmental concerns, and regulation, the paint and coating industries are increasingly shifting toward aqueous solvents.”

It would appear as though the levels of VOCs and phthalates reached the critical concentration as a result of the carpet cleaning and the air conditioning fire, since the VOCs and phthalates are found in both cleaning products (the carpet cleaning solutions), as well as plastics (wires, parts found in air conditioners).  In fact, Wikipedia says that the majority of VOCs occur naturally, arising from plants in nature.

Also of concern:

“… Chlorofluorocarbons, which are banned or highly regulated, were widely used cleaning products and refrigerants. Tetrachloroethene is used widely in dry cleaning and by industry. Industrial use of fossil fuels produces VOCs either directly as products (e.g. gasoline) or indirectly as byproducts (e.g. automobile exhaust).”

Finally, Wikipedia lists:

“… Many building materials such as paints, adhesives, wallboards, and ceiling tiles slowly emit formaldehyde, which irritates the mucous membranes and can make a person irritated and uncomfortable. Formaldehyde emissions from wood are in the range of 0.02 – 0.04 ppm. Relative humidity within an indoor environment can also affect the emissions of formaldehyde. High relative humidity and high temperatures allow more vaporization of formaldehyde from wood-materials. There are also many sources of VOCs in office buildings, which include new furnishings, wall coverings, and office equipment such as photocopy machines which can off-gas VOCs into the air.”

As we have removed the sources of phthalates and are working to minimize VOCs in both locations, the slime production appears to be slowly reducing.  The controlling factors, however, are the heterotrophic bacteria that we are now introducing, which will actually break down the slime and out-compete the slime-producing bacteria for food.  In this fashion, we will be able to control the slime-producing heterotrophs and keep them in check.  Dr. Hovanec has recommended the use of Re-Fresh initially at a dose of 5-ml per 10-gallons every other day for 7-10 days.  He goes on to say that adding 35% hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of 2-3 mls per 10-gallons in conjunction with the Re-Fresh would be very beneficial;  however, our experiences indicate that some corals (mostly soft, but some stony) and certain species of fish (large angels in particular) can react adversely to the concentrated H2O2, so be careful with the 35% stuff.  At that point, the slime should have been broken down, and we would change the additive to Waste-Away.  Also on an every other day basis, the Waste-Away would be used at a 5-ml per 10-gallon dose for two treatments, then raised to 10-ml per 5-gallons after that.  Once the slime has been eliminated, the Waste-Away can be used as a routine maintenance product.

So at this time we are in the process of dosing our aquariums with the Re-Fresh, and the slime has greatly been reduced already, after only three doses of the product.  Over time, it will break down the organic detritus and other celluloid waste, which builds up in the gravel and on the live rock in our aquariums, making our jobs easier and our aquarium inhabitants happier and healthier.  Based on our experience here, we intend to continue using the products on a maintenance basis in the future, for sure.

Next entry- the conclusion of the mysterious white slime metabolism.

Some of you may know more about my life with aquariums and marine animals than do others.  Therefore, so as not to start by listing redundant stats about my life, I will jump right in by beginning with current events.    

Recently I encountered a bit of a surprise in a client’s reef aquarium.  We had moved his thriving and stable reef aquarium from Miami Beach north to Pompano Beach about five months ago.  After approximately a month after the successful reset up, both his reef tank and his son’s smaller reef became covered with a thick, copious and“goopie” white slime!  The corals were dramatically affected and started to decline.   As you might expect I was not at all happy at this turn of events! I ran all reef tests and the chemistry parameters were good, so no information there.

However once before I had experienced a similar slime coating such as this one many years ago in Vegas, where  our company was taking care of a dentist’s office aquarium and they developed this seemingly similar white slimy metabolism that coated everything.  We immediately changed all chemical and mechanical filters and pads, performed huge water exchanges every week and still the horrific “Glob” returned, every time!  No literature or research that I patiently pored over revealed any information for this unique metabolism.

Fortunately I was scheduled to leave soon for the annual Fish Disease Workshop, at the University of Georgia, Veterinary College.  I quickly took the advantage of the instructing staff headed up by Dr. John Gratzek (now Professor Emeritus), and after I explained the scenario, I asked if he had any idea as to what the cause could be.  Well he certainly did!  From my description, Dr. Gratzek informed me that there is an airborne bacterium that thrives in the presence of alcohol!  (Alcaligenes faecalis). Well it certainly was not likely that the dentist’s office was having late night parties, so where in the world would alcohol be coming from?  Dr. Gratzek went on to explain that many dentists’ and doctors’ offices use either chemi-claves or auto-claves to sterilize their instruments.  Since the auto-claves use steam for their sterilization method, there is no problem there.  However, the “chemi-claves” use ALCOHOL for their sterilizing agent.  I immediately telephoned our client and asked about which of the methods they were using.  They told me right away that they had just upgraded from autoclaves to chemiclaves! As soon as I explained to our client doctor what we now believed to be the causative factor of our problem they immediately changed back to the autoclave system and the metabolism disappeared.

So then drawing on this experience for our Florida client with a similar white slime situation we understood that this was a very different case as there are no chemiclaves in the house nor do the clients drink there often and the problem remained.  I was soon able to discover that the carpets had just been cleaned throughout the home, using a dry-cleaning method and not with a steam cleaning method.  Therefore we are deducing that the chemicals contained in the cleaning fluid provided by the carpet cleaner are the causative agent for the slime.

I have systematically performed water exchanges weekly, changed the chemical filter media weekly and asked that they ventilate the house thoroughly, weather allowing.  At the time of this writing, the slime coating is subsiding and the corals are looking much better, to my (and my client’s) great relief.

Therefore, my patient readers, the moral of this story is:

• There still remains much for us to learn from and about living reef environments, both contained and wild.
• Remain patient as your reef aquarium goes through its many changes over the years.
• Try to appreciate just how many unknown ingredients there might be in many products we use so casually every day.  If there is a dramatic or radical change in your otherwise stable reef, you must look beyond the obvious.
• A reef just might be telling us something about the products we use if it is having an adverse or radical reaction to something in our home or business.

At this writing I am continuing to research and reach out to other qualified industry scientists that may be willing to venture into the study of this metabolism.  I will provide the updates as they are revealed to me.

If any of you have had similar experiences, please be sure to write to me.  I truly enjoy hearing of other aquarists’ experiences as it is my belief that through this interaction, personal growth and expansion of the hobby are greatly enhanced.

In closing, some of you may be curious about how I started out in this 35+-year career odyssey, please visit my web site (www.captiveseasaquariums.com) for our brief bio, which includes a few of our Las Vegas aquarium highlights and what we have been doing since we left Vegas in 1999.  FYI: The “we” I refer to is me (of course) and Mikki, my wife and partner since 1982.  Mikki quickly embraced my love of marine animals and aquariums and has been working by my side each and every day and every step of the way and still does.  She is a remarkable woman and we are a great team. – Lance