Film on water

[Trebor127]

Posted on facebook and got a few conflicting ideas...

I've now had my tank running for a number of weeks without any co2, lighting or ferts. Since about week 2 I have had a film keep develop on the surface of the water....my tank is an open one FYI.

After a water change the surface is immaculate as you'd expect but after a couple of days it reapears. It looks a little like oil and also when I put my hand in and break the water, white particles flood into the water.

Now I have plants in there I am now using lighting, co2 and ferts. But since this problem was there before I started to use them I can discount them. I only planted as I thought it had disappeared but it hasn't...

I have a 2 spray bars which run most of the back of the tank, both connected to Eheim pro 3 2075 filters. This causes ripples along the surface but doesnt seem to do much towards breaking the film up...would smaller holes in the bar help to break the build up on the surface or would this be futile and it could be something else.

I am using API water conditioner - could this be the cause? Also I have ADA amazonia soil...

The tank is in a hallway - could this be contributing to the problem?

I hope this makes sense....I don't want to introduce any fish until it is running spot on so I can concentrate on them and the plants.

 

[Christos Ioannou]

You can try surface skimmers, like these
http://data:image/jpeg;base64,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[Trebor127]

You can try surface skimmers, like these
http://data:image/jpeg;base64,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True.. But I want to find out what's causing it before I hide the issue

 

[Guest]

I think the consensus of opinion is, it's a biofilm. IME it often happens when the tank is first set up, or perhaps biologically unstable.Try doing a search on surface film or biofilm...it's been discussed here before.

 

[Trebor127]

I think the consensus of opinion is, it's a biofilm. IME it often happens when the tank is first set up, or perhaps biologically unstable.Try doing a search on surface film or biofilm...it's been discussed here before.

Had a look at that before I posted... As always... Conflicting information lol.

I'm going to try smaller holes on my spray bar to increase pressure to try and push the water more.

 

[ian_m]

Air pump at night got rid of my film when I set my tank up.

 

[Trebor127]

Air pump at night got rid of my film when I set my tank up.

Did it eventually go so you didn't require the air pump?

 

[ian_m]

Did it eventually go so you didn't require the air pump?

Yes.

But in the end I decided to leave the air pump on at 10:45 in my case (1/4 of an hour before lights off) to 3am as

• The air, a curtain in my case across the back of the tank, appears to stir up settled detritus in to water where it gets filtered away. Tank seems "cleaner", less detritus.
• Fish and plants need O2 during lights off.
• Removes the excess CO2 quite quickly. In fact when I have gassed my fish and air pump on for less the 5 minutes restores normal fish activity.
• Stops any film appearing if it was going to.
• Reminds us in the lounge, with the tank, that it is getting late and should be going to bed.....

 

[sciencefiction]

I think what Troi says is about right.
My most recent encounter-started overfeeding my fry tank to get some growth out of the fish in it. Ended up with a huge diatom outbreak, a greasy oily film on top and a manky looking and smelling tank. This happened alongside daily siphoning and 30-40% water changes which weren't helping counteract the dissolved organics. I had lots of surface movement(two filters) and aeration(air pump) as I kept the temperature higher and that didn't stop anything.

I removed all fish. I did a near 100% water change or more as I did two in a row, cleaned all filters, the substrate as much as possible, all glass and next day no more film, no nothing.

The film also appeared in my soil tank for a period of time after setup, so I think it's a lot of organics contributing and unstable tank as Troi says. My guess is it will eventually clear up itself as the tank stabilizes and the organics in the soil have broken up enough. But I'd do a bit of a "cleaning up" in the mean time, some big water changes, especially that you don't have fish stopping you from messing with the tank.