surface film?

[sfarkhan]

So the surface film has been greatly reduced. I use paper towels to mop it up over the last week. Would surface plants like water lettuce or frog bit suck it up?

[jweis]

So the surface film has been greatly reduced. I use paper towels to mop it up over the last week. Would surface plants like water lettuce or frog bit suck it up?

I've tried a couple of different floating plants, and they did not reduce the film. My surface film is better some days than others. The only thing that I have found that consistently makes a difference is the surface skimmer. I recommend the Eheim one.

[sfarkhan]

Thanks! I'm still working on the filter/circulation so I will take a look at that as an option.

All the praying to the algae gods has payed off and the surface scum has been reduced to nearly nothing (and I hope it stays that way) but now I have algae

Be careful what ya pray for, you just may get it, lol

[150EH]

I have had problems with a film in the past and there always seems to be a little something there but I drill a hole above the water line (small) so I always have a thin stream of water breaking the surface tension, it does make a trickling sound and I like it but it's not for everyone but it does work. I would like to try a sump with overflows one day and let the socks catch my scum and little floating leaves, etc.

[sfarkhan]

Hey Tim, thanks for the idea. I just placed the lily pipe at the surface and it breaks the surface. I'm wasting CO2 most likely.

If everyone is having this issue then I'll stop feeling special and get on with my life. If I figure out a magic bullet that hasn't been offered up here in advice, I'll let you know.

I wonder if this this an aquasoil issue as well. I'm using UP aquasoil (cheaper copy of ADA aquasoil).

The previous tank never had this issue. The tank I had when I was 9 didn't either, and it had 1980's technology!

It's interesting that Amano juust started selling a skimmer if it's been an issue (feature) all along...

[sfarkhan]

Something new to try. I purchased an multi directional jet output to replace my glass lilly output. It sits under the surface and I direct it up to agitate the surface.

multi directional jet output

IMG_3026.JPG (114.76 KiB) Viewed 3606 times

multi directional jet output

IMG_3025.JPG (112.63 KiB) Viewed 3606 times

The surface film is almost gone but I think lack of agitation at the surface hampers CO2/O2 exchange - a contributor to my shrimp cocktail issues? I can increase CO2 output to get it to a good level if needed.

water agitation! w00t!

IMG_3030.JPG (83.4 KiB) Viewed 3606 times

I like it because it takes up no space and is nearly invisible. I hate equipment in my tank. If this doesn't work, I'm getting a Koralia Nano and aiming it at the surface.

[150EH]

I've seen tanks with dual Eheim 2262 canisters and the outlet is 2 inches above the water line, so you might use a little more CO2 but if that's what it takes to make your tank beautiful I wouldn't sweat it, I think we are just talking about a half bubble per second and nothing more and I like the sound, good luck.

You could use a block under that new outlet to raise it closer to the water surface if need be, IMO that is a light surface ripple in the photo.

BTW your tank looks nice and clean, mine has antique algae in the corners!!!

[jcali10]

I get a surface film in my 75 from time to time, and I dont even have livestock in it, just plants. I don't know if it's lipids, or protien from plants breaking down that is causing the whitish film. In my stocked 50, whenever I had a sudden issue with surface film, I assumed a fish died, and I would physically remove most of the film and the rest would clear out within a day or two without doing much else. I would also look for a dead body so I can remove it. Sometimes that's easier said than done in a heavily planted tank. I also heard once that hydrogen peroxide may help breakdown the film, though I'm not sure about that, or if it's already been mentioned, just a thought.

[sfarkhan]

I get a surface film in my 75 from time to time, and I dont even have livestock in it, just plants. I don't know if it's lipids, or protien from plants breaking down that is causing the whitish film. In my stocked 50, whenever I had a sudden issue with surface film, I assumed a fish died, and I would physically remove most of the film and the rest would clear out within a day or two without doing much else. I would also look for a dead body so I can remove it. Sometimes that's easier said than done in a heavily planted tank. I also heard once that hydrogen peroxide may help breakdown the film, though I'm not sure about that, or if it's already been mentioned, just a thought.

I've heard there is something special going on with a white surface film. Calcium or something.

The film isn't anywhere nearly as bad as before, and not consistent. It comes and goes - I thought it could tip the scales towards bad gas exchange and assist in gassing fish, aside from being gross.

Like someone mentioned earlier - I now think it has something to do with aquasoil (ADA or UP) because you have no fauna contributing to the film.

It will take a week or two for me to tell if the film reappears on my tank or not. I am now thinking I may need the Koralia Nano to keep the flow strong. The filter is now sucking from the bottom of the tank but not pushing the water across anymore. I've been looking at Kris' blog and his tanks have more than one to push the water around. That would help with the algae on my dwarf hair grass.

[150EH]

I'm not sure that's true as my Nano tank gets it and has no fauna and I used Stratum, I associate it with a tank that's not yet mature and every time you change the bio load or add something that changes the water parameters you are likely to experience this film, you may also see it on a mature tank from time to time but it's very light. Also when my tanks were covered I never had any problems with surface film so it could be air born pollutants like cigarette some, kitchen grease, etc. laying on top of the water. My Great Grandmother gave me a antique China cabinet that she had in her dinning room for 60+ years just steps from the kitchen, I wanted to clean it but not disturb the patina and as I w cleaned the kitchen grease from the top I could faintly see something embedded in the surface, it turned out to be an old double sided razor that was buried so deep in dirt you couldn't even see it before I started so a lot of dirt/smoke is created in the kitchen.