If filaments aren’t the cause of your bulking, then there is a good chance it is because of the bacterium Zoogloea ramigera. Zoogloea ramigera has cells that are rod shaped, stains Gram negative, and can resemble fingers or branches of a tree. Under normal conditions Zoogloea ramigerais is a major contributor to floc formation in activated sludge. It is when there is an excess or overabundance of this bacterium that it starts to cause problems and results in zoogloea bulking.
Zoogloea bulking is also known as viscous or slime bulking and can cause the activated sludge to have a slimy or jelly-like consistency and texture. There can be several reasons for this:
- High food to microorganism ratio with a high amount of soluble organic compounds that are easy to degrade.
- Low pH
- Nutrient deficiency (Nitrogen or Phosphorus).
Fixing slime bulking depends on the cause(s); remedies can include adjusting the pH, adding missing macronutrients, wasting slowly or adding in good mixed liquor from another plant. Depending on the situation we recommend Vitastim Grease or Qwik-Zyme L.
