sludge in pipeline with carbon dosing

Discussion in 'DrTim's Aquatics' started by claudacate, Jul 12, 2013.

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  1. claudacate

    claudacate Plankton

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2013
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    I started carbon dosing about 18 months ago and had a tank crash and restarted. I thought I had things figured out, and it's now obvious I have not. I stopped carbon dosing two months ago due to heavy thick biofilm and constant bacteria blooms. Two months passed by and I am rewarded with dying yellow biofilm coming from the pipeline everytime I turn the pump on. I took two pictures. One showing a day worth of biofilm sludge collected, and one shows a piece of biofilm lying at the bottom of the tank. Here is a link to youtube showing the sludge coming out from pipeline after the pump is turn back on.
    pipeline sludge in reef aquarium - YouTube
    The sludge piece is getting smaller, I am hoping there is an end to this nightmare. Can any one shed some light on what I did wrong? I dropped 3 to 4 drops of zeostart3 into a 340Liter tank every day for 3 months and this is what I got.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    Just remove one section of pipeline and inside is crammed with the sludge I described. I think the bacteria sludge is now in self propagating mode. I am thinking antibiotics. Would that be a right course of action? or should I wait for the bacteria to die down. Would waste-away be my solution?
    Thanks