I noticed a slight film on the walls of my tank. It is whitish. I got out my trustee sponge/scraper on a stick & started wiping. It scrapped right off, but what causes it? It is ALMOST unnoticable, but when I was getting close to take some pics I saw it & looked closer!

Do you have any salt in your tank? I have noticed this film a little bit recently as well. It is very minimal, and comes off easily with the algae scrubber. Mine is only near the top of the tank, but is below the waterline. I thought it might haved to do with the salt I have added.

I have crushed coral in my filter too, could this be a cause?

Hmmm....

Mine looked like a slight haze on the walls of the aquarium! Then when I began scrapping I noticed that it came off easily & was slimey & whitish.

Mine seems the same, and is not all over the tank, mostly starts around 3 inches below the water line, and gradually peters out a few inches down. I couldn't really see it until I did a half-way job using the algae scraper, then I could see the streaks that were left behind. So every time i do a water change i turn on the light asnd look and it is often there. I almost never have my tank light on (the fish hate it) so I don't know how ling it has been there. It is very thin, and almost clear but with a definite whitish tint.

Added to my tank:

Prime
crushed coral in the filter
salted at .01%

I wonder if any of those could cause it?

Is it clear? No little dots in it?

I don't see any dots in mine, and it is sort of transparent, but with a definite whitish tint. It klind of looks like if you washed really dirty windows and didn't do a great job, so you can see the remaining dirt that was left where you wiped. Does that make sense?

Jeana, I hope you don't mind my semi-hijacking of your post...if you do, just tell me to hush up, I won't be offended.

Oh no, Jen, jump in anytime! Very often someone brings up something & it causes me to have questions! Trying to learn more is what we are here for!

And I agree, it looks like if you used cheap window cleaner & it left a haze! But it is definately slimey.....came off easily though.

It doesn't seem to cause any problem....other than ticking me off!

The only time i've ever heard of this is when there's too much yeast in a tank or excess bacterial growth. If i'm not wrong, extra filtration/decent waterchanges reduces this as well as lighting your tank roughly 10 hours a day.

I wonder if anyone else finds this in their tank?

If it's what I'm thinking,it's pretty minimal,and usually seen on newer tank set ups.Seems to look white-ish then all of a sudden it starts going that algae brown /green color once the tank's been running a bit.Anyone know what I mean?

Well, my tank is pretty new-ish...about 9 weeks old, but it is cycled. And if this is Jeana's new tank, then her's is new too. Early form of algae definitely sounds feasible.

I also have noticed a lot of slime on the outside of the filters (mine are in-tank Whispers), on the suction cups of the filters and thermometer and on the airline tubing. This may just be because it has had time to grow since the tank is new, or maybe it is related?

I have 290 gph on a 20 gallon, andwater change every other day or every third day, depending on readings (my nitrates get high). But I am also WAY overstocked, so it could be bacterial as well.

It is definitely minimal, and I doubt anyone but me would notice it!

I wonder if anyone else has this as well....

thanks!

hey! why don't u guys pin this??? i tooo have neen having the problem with the slimy stuff!! but i scrape it off! it spoils the beauty of the tank!! i feel it's some algae growth.it even develops in the corners

Hmm...I get a little of this on the sides of my betta tank...mostly near the surface, but on the sides and on the heater too. I do not have a light or a filter. You think this is the same substane?

Thats what happened to the 20gal I got for Christmas.

Theres brown algae all over the place now.

I am by no means one of the experts, but I also have the same problem. Mine's a greyish, light tan film. I get it on my suction cups, airline tubing, etc. Slimy as heck, ugh!!!

My tank is lit for 12 hours with a one hour mid-day break and my tank is not planted. I also have 5 baby SAE's, but they don't seem to want to eat this stuff much.

I've made a lot of decor changes to my tank because I was dealing with a bad blue/green and beard algae problem previously. After trying a few solutions the research I've done leads me to think the algae may be caused by excess silicates/posphates in my water.

My plan is to use my algae eaters to curb algae. I'll be purchasing a UV sterilizer to irradiate free floating algae spores. I'm also going to plant my tank to use up excess nutrients. I might purchase filter media that will absorb excess silicates/posphates. But I'll use that as a last resort.

I hope this doesn't just confuse folks , but just get some ideas out. I learn through trial and error.

Well, it seems it is harmless....just irritating as it looks "hazey" on the glass. Wish there was something that just stopped it!

I do weekly water changes! Guess scraping slimey stuff will just be part of the routine!!

I was told it was bacteria. I usually wipe the glass down every few days so the algae and gunk doesn't have time to accumulate where I don't want it. One of those Magna Floats work wonders.

I think its just algae... doubt its very harmful. I had the same thing on my walls and airline tubing and plants. It served as a snack sometimes! But I usually just used the algae brush to get it off the tank walls.

Hi All,

OK there are these white things hanging off the inside of my 55 gal. tank walls. I read about this on another post but can't find it so I decided to ask what is that? and can it be harmful to my fish? Any help is appreciated thanks.

I'vd got the white slime to in my tank that I've had set up for a little more than a week. I also have it chronically on my hex tank at home but that tank is another story....it looks especially horrible on my hex because the back part is mirrored

OK I don't know who moved my post to this topic but I don't think I am talking about the same thing. I have tiny white looking things hanging of the tank walls not slime or alagae and my tank has been running since December of 2003. There are like a lot of them. I think Queenie or Oldhag or Devs started the topic something about being ashamed to admit this or something like that. Does anyone know what I am talking about?

2befree, I think you are talking about planaria worms, which Daryl made a post about the other day here: http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/...88&#entry452688

I have no idea if that is what you have, but is that the post you are talking about?

Jen626, you are a lifesaver. That is the exact topic I was looking for. I replied in Daryl's post. Thanks alot hun.

Oooouuu, wormies

Well my slime situation has passed. None to be found! (At least for now)