# Low Tech - Surface Scum



## John S (7 Jan 2019)

Sorry for another surface scum thread. Most of the posts I read about this seem to indicate this being more of a high tech tank problem. I did see this a bit when I ran a high tech tank but not much, since setting up a low tech tank this is rife.

Tank details:
*Aquanano 80 (130L)* - with stock LED light, pump and filtration through the back sump.
*Substrate* - Aquagrowth Aquarium Soil
*Plants* - java fern mini, Bucephalandra, Cryptocoryne beckettii, Rotala, Helanthium Tenellum, Heteranthera Zosterifolia, MC and Xmas Moss.
*Light Period* - 6 hours
*Dosing *- EL ferts at ~ 1/10th
Also running Chihiros Doctor.
Tank has been running for 6 weeks.

The plants seem very healthy. The stems have been trimmed twice in six weeks which makes me think maybe the stock light is brighter than I thought it would be.

I added another internal filter to increase the surface movement, I didn't want to do this as the appeal of the tank was that everything was hidden. It helps, but not much, as you can imaging the surface of the water in the sump area is totally white due to no surface movement. Water changes help but within 3 days its back as before.
Does anybody have any experience of this with low tech tanks? I guess I'm going to have to try a skimmer?


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## Siege (7 Jan 2019)

Yes additional surface movement or add a small Eheim skim as an alternative. You could leave it in there permanently or just run it for 10 mins twice a week.


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## Tim Harrison (7 Jan 2019)

I find it's a perennial problem regardless of energy input. You are right, the best solution is to buy a skimmer. I know the idea is to keep the tank as free from paraphernalia as possible but I think it's worth the trade off...
https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/products/accessories/cleaning/surface_skimmer_skim350


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## tam (7 Jan 2019)

Some fish foods seem to contribute - might be worth experimenting?


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## John S (7 Jan 2019)

Thanks for the replies. Will give the Eheim a try.
I feed quite lean on fish food but I will try something different.


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## John S (7 Jan 2019)

Tim Harrison said:


> I find it's a perennial problem regardless of energy input. You are right, the best solution is to buy a skimmer. I know the idea is to keep the tank as free from paraphernalia as possible but I think it's worth the trade off...
> https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/products/accessories/cleaning/surface_skimmer_skim350



Have you used one Tim and is it quiet?


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## Tim Harrison (7 Jan 2019)

I'm using one in my current scape, you can just see it in the RH corner. Note the surface ripple you only get with zero surface scum. And yes it is quiet


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## goldscapes (7 Jan 2019)

I installed one recently in a 54L for the same problem. It’s smaller than I expected, almost silent and no more surface scum. I have a dark background so it blends in well.


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## John S (9 Jan 2019)

Skimmer arrived today. Deliberately didn't remove any scum before fitting. After 10-15 minutes the surface is clear. No additional noise and the extra water flow is a bonus as the provided pump seems a bit weak. That said I've been used to pumps giving 10x turnover on high tech. 

Anyway I'm really impressed with this. Thanks for the advice.


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## Siege (9 Jan 2019)

Cool. Pleased you are happy with it.

Get a piece of gauze and roll it up to slot into the skim head. It’ll stop shrimp climbing in!


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## Ady34 (9 Jan 2019)

The eheim skim is a great tool.
I’ve always had surface scum, planted, non-planted, high tech, even marine 
Sometimes I think it’s nothing to do with the tank and water but outside environmental factors. Maybe it is any protein based influence from within, who knows, but I have it always without intervention. I’ve ran the skim 350 for years and now have the aquascaper surface skim to try and eliminate extra in tank equipment.


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## Konsa (9 Jan 2019)

Hi
I got one recently too.It is a good tool.
I have mine on minimum flow as it keeps spitting bubbles if in full flow.I have mine positioned next to my outlet pipe(due to cable lenght) but due to lowered flow of it and some floaters present there is a bit of scum left on opposite side of the tank as filter flow pushes the scum away from skimmer.Any tips how can I increase skimmer flow without having the thing  spitting bubbles all the time?
Regards Konsa


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## Steve Buce (15 Jan 2019)

Superfish do one for £11 skimmer 300, if you only want to use one as a tempory measure


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## goldscapes (15 Jan 2019)

Konsa said:


> Any tips how can I increase skimmer flow without having the thing spitting bubbles all the time?



Mine did this once, it was due to floating plants interrupting the flow a bit. I sectioned off a floaters area at the front of the tank using air-line (fishing line and suckers also works I believe).

Have you tried adjusting the vertical position of the skimmer?

Try removing and replacing the cap to refill it with air.

Finally try expelling some of the air under the cap so that it sits lower in the water. 

Anywhichway it shouldn’t do this, mine doesn’t.

Good luck!


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## Konsa (15 Jan 2019)

Hi 
Thanks for the reply.I had a play with it earlier  today on waterchange  and seems it is all sorted now.I need to make a mesh guard as I get loads of snails in it.Pulled like 40 ramshorns out today.It was almost full to the rim.lol
Regards Konsa


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## john dory (10 Feb 2019)

Hi.
Once the sponge has taken in a little scum..after a couple of days,the bubbles stop.


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## Aqua sobriquet (21 Apr 2019)

I understand the Skim 350 has adjustable flow, anyone know what the minimum flow rate is? I ask because it seems quite popular on Nano’s. I’d like to clean up the surface on a 10L but worried it’s a bit too powerful.


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## Matt @ ScapeEasy (21 Apr 2019)

I don't unfortunately, but have just looked up the height of the unit... Do you have the 13cms required?


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## GHNelson (21 Apr 2019)

The 350 Eheim would be too powerful!
You could try this...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/All-Pond-S...=pet-supplies&sprefix=skimmer,pets,155&sr=1-4
Or a hang on back filter which sometimes has a skimmer!



hoggie


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## Aqua sobriquet (21 Apr 2019)

Matt @ ScapeEasy said:


> I don't unfortunately, but have just looked up the height of the unit... Do you have the 13cms required?



Yes, the tank is 25cm high.


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## sciencefiction (21 Apr 2019)

Surface scam is a type of bio floc, a mixture of all different bacteria, protozoa and other organisms .Diana Walstad has a paper on the preference of mycobacterium hanging in the surface scam...a bit scary...

The colonies can indeed be influenced by what you feed and other factors. Too much protein, more pathogens. Less protein and in food, more friendly type of bacteria that compete with pathogens, in fact they put sugars.... That's generally how bio floc technology in fish farms is managed to swing the fauna in the right direction and they've found out the friendly organisms control the pathogens so it works good for the fish too. Then again those tanks are not water changed but aquariums are close enough to those conditions so I think the science applies too. Just one more factor to mention in bio floc technology they rely on good flow which apparently leads to better environment as anaerobic decomposition is minimized. Good flow also means less surface scam, if any....My pond is generally not prone to surface scam at all. I've seen it, but it's a day event the most...My smaller tanks are way more prone to surface scam....


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## Affinis (6 Sep 2019)

Hi everyone,
Personally I prefer a more natural approach, I have over 200 outdoor ponds of one sort or another. It occurred to me one day that despite being basically standing water, none had a surface film. So I decided to investigate a little. The answer was actually very simple, the bladder snails were simply surfing the meniscus and keeping it spotless. I know adding snails is a bit of a contentious point to some, but in this case I find them really useful. 

Cheers.


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