Help with surface film (eisenbacteria?)

sns26 · Post by **sns26** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:36 am

Hi all--

My 57g has developed a nasty little surface film problem. I found pictures of the exact kind of film I'm getting, and have attached them here. From what I understand, this may be an "eisenbacteria" film, but I have no idea how to deal with it. My other tank does not develop this film at all, so it can't be a water supply issue.

The tank has been running now for three weeks. It has aquasoil and a lot of plants (but not a lot of growth yet) and almost no critters--just some shrimp and a few otos. I'm doing 50% water changes every 3-4 days. There is some surface agitation, and I'd rather not add more hardware to increase it. And anyway, my other tank (with no surface film problem) has no more surface agitation than this tank.

Is this an aquasoil problem? That's about the only thing I can think of that is different between the two tanks. Is it something that may go away with time?

150EH · Post by **150EH** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:42 am

I don't know about the AS end but my tank has gone thru this before and it may just be a part of your new set up getting settled. I did use paper towels to remove some of it and surface aggitation should help, but it took a couple of weeks for mine to disappear, good luck.

Some suggest Mollies will eat it but I don't keep any so.......

Post by **krisw** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:51 am

Usually, if you adjust a powerhead to gently circulate the surface, it'll break up the surface scum. Just enough to make flow, but not so much that it drives out CO2.

jweis · Post by **jweis** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:54 am

I get this too, but only in my tank with Aquasoil. Sometimes it gets quite bad, other days there is none. I've been blaming my dog and cat who I've caught occassionally using the rimless tank as a drinking dish.

I use a pitcher to suck it off the surface. I've also tried moving the input flow to make more of a ripple, which helps some, but it still happens. I worry about it affecting the oxygen at the surface.

ddavila06 · Post by **ddavila06** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 12:47 pm

get a cheap surface skimmer (if you havea acanister filter) it will be gone in about 10 mins! i blame the food i have for having something similar...it leaves an oily residue

the powerhead pointer works really well also!

Jim Miller · Post by **Jim Miller** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:24 pm

My method for removing this is just to use a limewood airstone overnight. I take it out during the day. Ugly, clumsy but 100% effective.

Jim

sns26 · Post by **sns26** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:30 pm

Thanks all. I already have one of my canister filter return jets pointed up to the surface; it definitely creates ripples and surface movement, but apparently not enough. I'm trying to avoid solutions that involve adding even more equipment (powerhead, surface skimmer, bubbling treasure chest etc.) to the tank permanently.

Julie's comment makes me suspect the aquasoil: like her, I don't have this problem in my non-AS tank, even though it doesn't have much surface agitation either and I throw a ton of food in it. Maybe it's a pH related problem? I.e. the AS drops the pH so much that it causes this junk to form?

I am going to continue manually skimming and using paper towels, and hope that some microorganism shows up soon that will chow this stuff down.

jweis · Post by **jweis** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:48 pm

samsankar wrote:Thanks all. I already have one of my canister filter return jets pointed up to the surface; it definitely creates ripples and surface movement, but apparently not enough. I'm trying to avoid solutions that involve adding even more equipment (powerhead, surface skimmer, bubbling treasure chest etc.) to the tank permanently.

Julie's comment makes me suspect the aquasoil: like her, I don't have this problem in my non-AS tank, even though it doesn't have much surface agitation either and I throw a ton of food in it. Maybe it's a pH related problem? I.e. the AS drops the pH so much that it causes this junk to form?

I am going to continue manually skimming and using paper towels, and hope that some microorganism shows up soon that will chow this stuff down.

I've had my small tank up and running for a few months now and still the scum.... I think the problem is solved and then it comes back. Frustrating. Like you, I don't want to add yet another piece of equipment.

DelawareJim · Post by **DelawareJim** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 3:52 pm

Surface extractor. It's the only way to go. I've had mine for 20 years and it still works great.

Or you could just switch to a reef ready tank if you wanted to avoid the clutter.

Cheers.
Jim

jweis · Post by **jweis** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 4:03 pm

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.

Help with surface film (eisenbacteria?)

Help with surface film (eisenbacteria?)

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