I asked some of the folk's I run with and they said" They have seen pink jelly before." It only stayed around the water ring at water level. Never had to clean like you have,cause it never got that bad. The plants turned out great with very little ph issues. I'll tell all of them that soil is alot more forgiving. Things like this is why I do soil. I'll dabble some with areo and hydro, or drip. I'm still gonna see what I can come up with cause maybe someone will benefit as well as you and I..