Help with surface film (eisenbacteria?)

[chris_todd]

I've had this in several of my tanks, including well-established tanks, and I've never used aquasoil, so I'm not sure that's the cause. I've never convincingly pinned down a cause, though it has been suggested to me that it is protein buildup of some kind, and suggests over feeding, or as Damian says, feeding a food whose breakdown products cause it. That doesn't sound like your problem, since I assume you're not feeding since you only have shrimp.

I thought Aquasoil usually had huge ammonia spikes for a good while after initial setup - how well are your shrimp and otos doing?

[sns26]

I thought Aquasoil usually had huge ammonia spikes for a good while after initial setup - how well are your shrimp and otos doing?

When I set up the new tank, I put some well-established filter media in the new canister filter to jump-start the cycling. Then I waited two weeks. Then I tossed in one solitary crystal red shrimp to see how he did. Answer: fine. A couple of days later, I added two more shrimp. And I just dropped in ten amanos and half a dozen otos yesterday. Hopefully they'll be fine too.

I will not put a surface skimmer on this tank! There has to be another way...

[jweis]

I thought Aquasoil usually had huge ammonia spikes for a good while after initial setup - how well are your shrimp and otos doing?

When I set up the new tank, I put some well-established filter media in the new canister filter to jump-start the cycling. Then I waited two weeks. Then I tossed in one solitary crystal red shrimp to see how he did. Answer: fine. A couple of days later, I added two more shrimp. And I just dropped in ten amanos and half a dozen otos yesterday. Hopefully they'll be fine too.

I will not put a surface skimmer on this tank! There has to be another way...

I did almost the extact same thing. I robbed filter media from my larger tank and also used aquarium water from my larger tank to fill up my 11g (which is the one with the scum problem). I have shrimp and some super small chili rasboras in there. I don't think I overfeed. Since my tank is small and accessible, it is not the end of the world for me to take out the scum, but it is annoying. I wish I knew what the root cause of the scum is.

[DelawareJim]

Now if they made that in a clear glass pipe I'd consider it. Otherwise it would just mess up the whole clean look of my rimless tank.

Julie;

I've been toying with the idea of a skimmer box made from glass with the hardware inside it. A nice clump of L. Archata in front and you shouldn't even know it's there.

Cheers.
Jim

[ddavila06]

the out put of your canister filter can take care of it, is the same as a powerhead. keep it close to the surface to agitate the water and disperse the stuff all over

[jweis]

the out put of your canister filter can take care of it, is the same as a powerhead. keep it close to the surface to agitate the water and disperse the stuff all over

That certainly helps, but if there is a big bloom, that doesn't handle it either. I wonder if after a year or so the problem will go away...

[Ltrepeter2000]

The output of a canister filter is not creating suction on the surface just surface disruption. I have several of the eheim surface extractors and they work great but the tank I had an issue with this really was solved with a Hydor Koralia circulation pump. This has enough suction to break the scum and sweep it to a lower level of the tank.

[150EH]

I also think it could be just household pollution, things like smoking or a tanks near the kitchen where pollutants can easily get airborn, who knows.

It runs it's course in 2 or 3 weeks for me but I do have a pump making fairly good surface movement for the time being, good luck.

[jweis]

With the addition of my three 5.2 g tanks, I know have FOUR tanks with surface film problems and it is just a huge pain to do the "papertowel thing" to four tanks each day.
For the 5.2 tanks I am using a hydro sponge filter. Do you think I can somehow hook up a protein skimmer to the sponge filter? Has anyone done this before? See the pictures below of my sponge filter and of an air driven proten skimmer (link is also provided for skimmer).
http://www.aquariumguys.com/protein-ski ... edium.html

[150EH]

Mine goes away after 2 weeks or so but I still do the paper towel thing sometimes but here lately I just did nothing and it was gone after a week. I think its from changes in bio media or load, it seems to always pop up after installing a new filter or plumbing, or if I sell of a ton of plants, but I've removed all my powerheads because of my new plumbing and the scum came lightly and then disappeared just as quick.