OT: Cold water bacteria

[Detritus Mulm]

OK, so it's not quite Algae, but a really bad case of Mucus.

I installed a Pond Cam this fall when I covered the pond, but the lens went cloudy within about two weeks. I assumed this was condensation under the lens, but when I pulled the cam out it had a really thick coating of sludge on the lens. This stuff does not wipe off easily; it's reminiscent of a really bad cold. It forms in balls about the size of marbles on the lens and anywhere else heat escapes from the camera. I've been cleaning the lens every few weeks, but today I noticed that this stuffs is disintegrating the plastic around the lens. I assume it's some kind of acid weakening the plastic?

Any idea what could be living at this temp (39°) with this kind of profile? Any fish friendly ideas (coating) to keep it at bay?

 

[Biollante]

'Snot What You Think

Hi,


Pond cam? Give us a link.

Could it be biologically produced exopolysaccharides?

Either extracellular polymeric substances or extracellular polysaccharide matrix.

Perhaps a relative of Bacillus cereus? Which is generally considered being somewhat better than being related to me.

Does it seem at all exothermic?

Could you get a pH on it, might be caustic rather than acidic.

At any, rate a bunch of microorganisms in biological film, flocculants and sludge.

Have you tried culturing the snot?


I never get any neat stuff!

Not trying to be snotty about this.

Biollante

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Hi,


Pond cam? Give us a link.

Much less thrilling than you might imagine. The FoV for the camera is way smaller than I would like. Raise the camera too high and you don't see any fish (just air bubbles), too low and I tend to see the same fish over and over. But for a $99 waterproof camera I can't complain. The air bubbles could be part of the equation, not sure. BTW whoever said that GF don't eat below 50° or that they go dormant hasn't met my GF. Although I'm not sure what is growing at 39° in the dark; presumably some pre-existing Algae.

Could it be biologically produced exopolysaccharides?

Either extracellular polymeric substances or extracellular polysaccharide matrix.

Perhaps a relative of Bacillus cereus? Which is generally considered being somewhat better than being related to me.

Do you come with subtitles?

I don't think my GF is lactating. (Fresh material for you)

I was wondering if it's coming from the fish being attracted by the light (IR)/heat from the camera.

Does it seem at all exothermic?

Could you get a pH on it, might be caustic rather than acidic.

Next you'll want me to taste it.

I'll check the PH and temp next time.

At any, rate a bunch of microorganisms in biological film, flocculants and sludge.

Have you tried culturing the snot?


I never get any neat stuff!

Not trying to be snotty about this.

Biollante

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Some blurry pics for you. The air stones are about 6" across for reference.

The one with the forked tail is a Wakin, there s/b several in there.

 

[Philosophos]

Careful with Biolante; he asked me to sniff some of my abnormal tank growths.

Perhaps you could cap the lens with something, and fill the area between the lens and transparent material with DI H2O plus a little glutaraldehyde. I'm not sure how much the change in densities would affect viewing, but it would certainly prevent bacterial growth.

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Careful with Biolante; he asked me to sniff some of my abnormal tank growths.

LOL, He's just a big flower at heart.

Perhaps you could cap the lens with something, and fill the area between the lens and transparent material with DI H2O plus a little glutaraldehyde. I'm not sure how much the change in densities would affect viewing, but it would certainly prevent bacterial growth.

The original plan was to go with a fixed camera for summer and winter viewing. Fortunately my procrastination forced me to suspend it from the cover; given the sludge this turned out to be a good thing. The camera is actually colour, but switches to B/W in the dark. I was thinking of buying a camera with a wider angle lens and better resolution then mounting it inside a PVC pipe with a clear end cap. Although I'm not sure if this would solve my bacteria problem.

 

[Biollante]

Consevation of Energy

Careful with Biolante; he asked me to sniff some of my abnormal tank growths.

Perhaps you could cap the lens with something, and fill the area between the lens and transparent material with DI H2O plus a little glutaraldehyde. I'm not sure how much the change in densities would affect viewing, but it would certainly prevent bacterial growth.

Hi,

Sterilizing or sanitizing as best you can the camera, sticking it in a PVC pipe enclosure, sealing a piece of optic quality glass or plastic, filling with distilled water and adding say 7-10 milliliters of Excel per liter of distilled water, just might work.

While I think the wide angle lens in the enclosure is a good idea. It will not serve to reduce the net amount of heat, unless you circulate the fluid, cooling it to 39 F or less outside the pond.

Biollante

 

[Biollante]

Flower! I'll Flower You... You, You

Hi,

I like the pictures and I think it is interesting to see what the critters are actually up to, not just what they say.

I also kind of wonder if areas of increased temperature might have something to do with the carp eating when the temperature is so low. That kind of worries me. Then I have never observed carp over winter.

The snot is most likely extracellular polymeric substances, most likely decomposing sludge, me I would take a good whiff of it, don't be a sissy, check the pH (my guess is it will be 9 or 10). Take a close look at the stuff with a good magnifying glass, if you have a microscope and can do some Gram staining even better. I would also try to culture the snot.

Seriously, does the snot feel warm, even just a little compared to its surroundings.

Take a some of boogers and try dropping them in varying solutions of methyl blue, Malachite green, erythromycin or whatever you might have available just in case the stuff turns out to be more than just a mild inconvenience.

I suspect this is 'normal' process of sludge being broken up, we just do not usually see it up close and personal, it may be the rise temperature speeds up the process.

Biollante

 

[Biollante]

Thinking makes head hurt!

Hi,

Doing better thank you, feel like I've been kicked in the head, which is a good trick for a potted plant!

This is the kind of biofilm, http://www.edstrom.com/Resources.cfm?doc_id=145 I was talking about. FAQ, http://www.edstrom.com/Update.cfm?doc_id=333#1

I suspect a bunch broke off to find the warmth of the camera.

I have been working at growing biofilms for a while now, I have not gotten any great 'snot' quality, though I have a few I have been able to 'pull threads' (short) almost like nylon.

Gonna have to go now.

Biollante w/ LC

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Hi,

This is the kind of biofilm, http://www.edstrom.com/Resources.cfm?doc_id=145 I was talking about. FAQ, http://www.edstrom.com/Update.cfm?doc_id=333#1

I suspect a bunch broke off to find the warmth of the camera.

I have been working at growing biofilms for a while now, I have not gotten any great 'snot' quality, though I have a few I have been able to 'pull threads' (short) almost like nylon.

Biollante w/ LC

Thanks, the camera has stayed clear the last little while. The only thing I can think of is that the snot is growing near the heater and since it's been warmer lately, the heater is on much less frequently.

I'll post a pic if it shows up again.

I really have to invest in a microscope.

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Some pictures of the snot

View attachment 1230View attachment 1231View attachment 1232View attachment 1233

Biollante,

Some pictures of the 'bacteria' for you. Any better idea?

 

[Biollante]

What Is The Wite Stuff?

Hi,

Well those photos confirm what I thought. While I have not managed to get snot as impressive as that, I have been able to get biofilm to migrate along food, chemical and heat gradients. (no scientific breakthrough and probably no proper controls).

I really do not have a good (well practical) answer to keeping the camera clear of snot. Perhaps a wrap of stainless steel belts with “fins” off the back to dissipate the heat and attract the biofilm to the radiating “fins.”

What I cannot figure out is what all that white stuff is, all around the photographs?


Biollante

 

[Detritus Mulm]

Hi,

Well those photos confirm what I thought. While I have not managed to get snot as impressive as that, I have been able to get biofilm to migrate along food, chemical and heat gradients. (no scientific breakthrough and probably no proper controls).

I really do not have a good (well practical) answer to keeping the camera clear of snot. Perhaps a wrap of stainless steel belts with “fins” off the back to dissipate the heat and attract the biofilm to the radiating “fins.”

What I cannot figure out is what all that white stuff is, all around the photographs?


Biollante

That's white gold, but don't tell anyone I don't want any claim jumpers.

How about dosing the water with PP? It should knock back any bugs and the good bacteria are long dead from the cold already.

 

[Biollante]

PP In The Pond

Hi,

I think the PP rule is like 1.5 grams per 200 gallons (might want to double-check that one).

I have found biofilm hard to kill or even slow down, I am afraid the snot would not even notice any amount your critters would survive. That polymer is pretty tough stuff.

You might try dropping some snot in mixtures of PP and see what happens, but in your pond it would be a very dilute mixture.

White gold, eh? Seems a lot of your countrymen are down here avoiding the "white gold."


Biollante