Hi,

Ever since my tank's been up I've been accumulating a slimy brown sludge
in the overflow, water tubing, sump, and pump. I don't see any of it in
the tank, probably because it is being eaten. But it is everywhere
else. If I scrape it off something, like the overflow, it comes back
very quickly. I don't mind it visually, since I am not normally looking
at the sump, pump, and tubing. But I noticed my pump isn't putting out
as much lately, and so yesterday I took it apart (a Supreme mag 12) and
tried to get out as much of the brown stuff as possible. After putting
it back together, I was surprised to see it put out 2 or 3 times as much
water than before. So although I don't mind the brown sludge in the
sump and tubing, it does bother me when it slows down the pump. I also
mind that it seems to clog the filter pads in my wet dry almost
immediately; I don't think my filter pads are doing much since they are
always clogged with this brown stuff. Does anyone know a relatively
easy way to keep this stuff from building up in the non-visible parts of
the tank? Is this something I will just have to live with (given my
water supply), or can I prevent it easily? Thanks,

Ric