[APD] black slime, green slime, brown slime

[Diana Berberich <fishfaceid at yahoo_com>]

Hello Folks:
 
I am clearly battling a case of some kind of slime growth that is now mostly black.  It starts at the substrate level but grows on the rocks and plant leaves as well.  I keep the water on the acid side.  My substrate is flourite and today I put sand in other parts.  The 90 gal discuss tank is the real problem.  I have read that this slime is not an algea, but some kind of bacteria or slime mold.  This stuff has no structural integrity, it just come off as sheets or disintegrates with handling. The plants grow well and would do better if not for the covering on their leaves, of this slime.  Every week I have to spend at least 3 hours dealing with it.  I am leary of chemicals because the tank has chocolate gouramis and discus.
 
 I live in NY and this problem has also overtaken my mothers aquariums in FL.  She has a 50 gal with flourite substrate. In both our cases we have few fish and plenty of plants.  But this slime is affecting the plants at this point. 
 
Any ideas, references, anecdotal observations would be appreciated.  It seems the more experienced and knowledgable I get, the more difficult the problems I am encountering.   Whats up with that? 
 
HELP!
 
Diana 


      
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