Gunk on Glass

[jameson_uk]

I get a film type build up on the inside of my nano tank and wondered what it actually is.

Most prevalent by substrate which makes scraping a bit of a pain. Is a credit card the best way of cleaning it off?

 

[roadmaster]

Biofilm or diatom's looks to me.
I clean the front glass and side glass each week during water changes with clean paper towel folded in to fourth's.
I can more easily feel any hard particulates(sand substrate for me)) between the paper towels that might scratch the glass than with algae magnet's or scraper.
If I don't clean glass each week,then more aggressive measures are needed and I'm a bit too lazy for that.
Otocinclus,Shrimps,snail's,like grazing on biofilm and diatom's seem to dissipate on their own as my tanks mature.

 

[jameson_uk]

It looks quite different to my main tank which had much darker diatoms and much lighter biofilm. (That does have a huge amount more light and flow)

I haven't seen shrimp graze on it and it is annoyingly right in front of the shrimp I am trying to look at.

Will try some kitchen roll and see if I can get closer to the substrate without disturbing it.

 

[three-fingers]

Could be diatoms of some type (maybe a different species from your other tank), or maybe cyanobacteria, or any other bacterial/algal biofilm really .

Using the credit card would be a good idea, are you trying to avoid disturbing the substrate as it would cloud the water?

I wouldn't use kitchen roll in your aquarium, it will at least be bleached, and probably treated with all sorts of other chemicals for extra strength and absorbancy. Last time I checked in Tesco there was one specific, more expensive "food safe" brand of kitchen roll - that would probably be safe for an aquarium - but all the common brands would not be a good idea.

 

[ChrisP]

If its like a film that comes off easy it could be cyanobacteria, I get it when I leave my blinds open and the sunlight hits the tank.