Clear slime in system

I just checked my RDWC system today and there seems to be a bit of clear slime built up, it is a 4x5 gal bucket system, with 1inch lightproof tubing for everything, smaller sizes for other parts of the system, ie pump, but all lightproof. The res is a 68L Rubbermaid "Ruffneck" tote, the buckets are pure black hydro grade buckets, with the 6' netpot lids. The res temps are pretty high, about 74-78 average, down to the point, The clear slime was on the air hoses coming into the bucket for the air stones, and I felt it, felt/looked like snot, also res has a slightly weird smell, difficult to describe, but smelled kind of like a koi pond. I have been adding h202 29% @ 5ml/gal and it seems to have fixed the smell for a day or so at a time then it comes back. I know the res temps are too high, and I have a chiller *hopefully* arriving tomorrow, tracking said it should be in by end of day. My question is once I get my temps down to 68F, will the slime go away, or do I need to empty the system and scrub it, then add fresh nutes/water and install the chiller ? If I do have to clean what/how should I do it.

The chiller won't make the slime go away, you should probably change the res and wash/sterilize the roots with gentle h2o2 or bleach water.... then mix up a new res with bennies, I use aquashield and pond-zyme.

Cold temps might slow down the development of slime, but will do nothing once you are already slimed.

When doubt change it out and clean clean clean.

Prevention prevention prevention.

Do some research on running a sterile rez. I've been using the pool shock method for about 6 months now and its GREAT. Its easy, cheap, and WORKS. I've never had the clear slime, but from my understanding h2o2 will not kill it. Getting your temps in check is important, but even with high temps, using the pool shock formula will keep your roots clean and white!

formula:1/2 teaspoon of pool shock combined with 1 gallon water mix well. Now add one oz of this solution to the res per gallon of water every 3-4 days. I actually pour this solution right into my tray when I add mine, so that it runs through the tray and the pump as it makes its way into the res.

Sounds like a slime mold. Your not using condensate water I hope. Are the nutes standing or do they move around and circulate?

its an rdwc system, I have a pump constantly circulating the water, and I am using RO water, from my small boy filter.

Also, I cannot get any of the ingredients for the heisenburg tea, except the EWC, I can get those. I will be able to get them after the new year, hydro stores are now all closed for holidays and dont know of a good online one with fast shipping in canada.

i don't know if this could be it, but i've seen most rdwc setups with larger than 1" lines, i thought they were 2"

this allows unrestricted flow and is good. It's also important the water flooms and the inlet and outlet to each bucket is put in strategically so that it circulates the water within the buckets.
alot of people incorporate a waterfall at the res and it really oxygenates the system.
airstones will help this even more; but know that just adding airstones and not thinking out the water circulation aspect is important.
you want the oxygen in the water to be high enough so that anaerobic bacteria can't give you problems. A mistake some people make is not enough water circulation so the oxygen concentration isn't thoroughly spread

if temperature is an issue i suggest you start by making sure intake and exhaust airs are seperate and not mixing, and also look into insulating buckets + lines
people use an in-line pump to reduce heat
and also, when you make the system make sure you make it easy to disassemble and clean, or else your not gonna do it good enough and you'll have problems.
I don't hear of anyone doing sterile reservoir for more than 1-2 weeks without added beneficials. This is one reason some people are turned away from RDWC systems; you change the reservoir each week and it has to be big enough to keep up with the heat of the system. by combining a bigger reservoir with all these other aspects you may be able to keep up with it by doing the frozen bottle technique.

hope something here helps!

Well as I stated, my chiller is on the way, should be here tomorrow. I managed to take a picture of the slime. FYI the water has been in the system for 7 days now, this slime developed quite fast, kinda scary.

YEp it happens very fast. The time I got a algae plume it happened in about 2 days. I'm telling ya man, do some reading on running a sterile res. If your using chemical nutes I think its the best way to go.

Well, my chiller came, so today im going to empty the entire system, shopvac out all water, then scrub everything with watter and 10ml/gallon of h202, then run about 10-15 gallons of water with 5ml/gallon of h202 to disinfect the hoses/pipes/pump, Then im gonna refill the system with about 76L of water with 5ml/gallon of 29% h202 to keep it sterile in there, and hook up the chiller. Hope this will get rid of the algae.

I hope it works for ya. I'm worried that the clear slime isn't gonna get killed by the h2o2. I would at least suggest when you clean everything to use a bleach solution.

Thundercat said:

I hope it works for ya. I'm worried that the clear slime isn't gonna get killed by the h2o2. I would at least suggest when you clean everything to use a bleach solution.

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I ended up using 20ml of h202 in a gallon of hot water and wiping everything down, everytime I dipped the sponge in the h202 solution it would smoke/steam, I think it worked lol.

Physan 20 1ml/10gals, bye slime

Dirty Jerz said:

Physan 20 1ml/10gals, bye slime

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Can I use voodoo juice in my system with this stuff ? and can I use it while the system is running ?