Surface Film

[Anonymous]

Thank you ceg for the in depth presentation 🙂

Paper towels, fish nets and skimmers do not solve the basic problem of environmental stress.

True, although the surface extractor is good to get rid of dust and food from the water surface before photo sessions

The proper path is to solve the malnutrition or to reduce the lighting to lower the nutrient/CO2 uptake demand.

True, this is the best approach and works every time.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[mlgt]

Wow. A lesson in science first thing in the morning is great. I had to read it twice but its great knowledge to be had.
Thanks for the in depth reply and knowledge share 🙂

 

[John Lumb]

I'm getting exactly the same thing in two of my three tanks. It comes and goes, seemingly at random times, but affects the two victim tanks at similar levels of 'scum intensity'.

Coincidence perhaps, but the only tank not getting it has a closed lid. The two victims are open top.

I don't think this type of scum is nutrient or CO2 related, but something in the surrounding air.

The scum is pure white and has a waxy feel to it.

Does anyone else suffer from a similar type of scum?

Hi George,

Yes, funnily enough, I do.

I actually noticed this yesterday and my Aqua Nano30 fishless aquarium has a similar scummy/film on top. I agree it is milky in colour and appears mainly if I leave the lid off.
I did think it was related to my CO2 dosing and possibly the issue with Glutarahalderide as you have mentioned before.

I have changed it from having a few fish to at the moment a fishless tank with just some Bogwood Java Fern, Moss and Vallis which I took from my other tank as 'grown on' plants it is under a 7W led light with a small nano filter on its lowest setting and occasional airstone action. I would love to find a perfect very fine mist bar about 7-10" long to work slowly in the rear but cannot find one for love nor money, and with a lack of aquatic shops near me now I am struggling.

The tank is in the kitchen near a window which is West facing and dulled severely by neighbours very high bushes so little natural light. The oven/Hob is about 10-12' away from the tank and obscured by an American style fridge so I assume very little in the way of air particles being put into the water.

Parameters:

Water = Wet
PH = 7
NO3 = Very Low = 10? (very much depends on the stick current API is in between 0 & 20)
NO2 = 0
GH = > 180 Very Hard (Typical South West London water, I live nr Twickenham)
KH = 0

There are some algae on the Vallis and old peat dust from the substrate which has broken down over 2 yrs or so.
Water does have a slightly dusty look too it is not crystal clear like your tanks which I am very very sad about and have no idea what to do.

Would I be better to actually strip the tank down and re-scape it before I add a Betta which is what my darling better half wants even though I want Ember Tetras and some Pigmy Corys?

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi @John Lumb

There are some clues earlier in this thread as to potential causes of surface film and you could also take a look at:

Do Healthy Plants Release Organics?

Hi Folks, I am trying to get a full(er) picture of what contributes to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater aquariums. Why? Well, I still have an ongoing problem with an oily film on the water surface. Using the kitchen paper towel method is effective but the result is short-lived. I...

www.ukaps.org

But, in your case, I wonder if the kitchen environment is contributing to/causing the surface film. To some extent, it may depend on what air extraction you have in the kitchen. If there are invisible airborne droplets of organic compounds in the air (from cooking), perhaps these are collecting on the tank water surface? I see that it is an open-top tank. My hunch is that a surface skimmer may be the way to go. These pieces of kit are discussed frequently on UKAPS. If you don't have shrimp and small fish, the Eheim skim350 is one possibility. Another, possibly better (and cheaper) option is the All Pond Solutions Skim-2.

JPC

 

[John Lumb]

Hi @John Lumb

There are some clues earlier in this thread as to potential causes of surface film and you could also take a look at:

Do Healthy Plants Release Organics?

Hi Folks, I am trying to get a full(er) picture of what contributes to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater aquariums. Why? Well, I still have an ongoing problem with an oily film on the water surface. Using the kitchen paper towel method is effective but the result is short-lived. I...

www.ukaps.org

But, in your case, I wonder if the kitchen environment is contributing to/causing the surface film. To some extent, it may depend on what air extraction you have in the kitchen. If there are invisible airborne droplets of organic compounds in the air (from cooking), perhaps these are collecting on the tank water surface? I see that it is an open-top tank. My hunch is that a surface skimmer may be the way to go. These pieces of kit are discussed frequently on UKAPS. If you don't have shrimp and small fish, the Eheim skim350 is one possibility. Another, possibly better (and cheaper) option is the All Pond Solutions Skim-2.

JPC

We have a full extraction system out of the kitchen and normally I actually keep the glass lid on the tank. I was replying to the earlier thread though I was wondering if the recent disturbed Aquatic soil had caused this issue as it had not occurred before

 

[jaypeecee]

We have a full extraction system out of the kitchen and normally I actually keep the glass lid on the tank. I was replying to the earlier thread though I was wondering if the recent disturbed Aquatic soil had caused this issue as it had not occurred before

Hi @John Lumb

OK, so maybe it's nothing to do with the kitchen. One of the reasons I thought it might be kitchen/environment-related was because of what you said below:

I actually noticed this yesterday and my Aqua Nano30 fishless aquarium has a similar scummy/film on top. I agree it is milky in colour and appears mainly if I leave the lid off.

If the milky colour appears when the lid is off, that seems significant, doesn't it?

JPC

 

[not called Bob]

its almost always fatty acids from decaying matter

 

[rebel]

My unbiased view is that we should call it Rebel Scum.

 

[John Lumb]

Well to avoid the 'Rebel Scum' I have decided to replace the glass lid and I am aerating the aquarium though it does not need it, I just like to see some nice gentle bubbles while I work.

 

[dsandson]

John,

I have just set up my Aqua Nano 40 (next step up from your tank) and found that i was getting some of this surface scum. May not be the same source but I have found the back filter can help if you get the grille intake to act more as a weir.

I have dropped the water level slightly. This has a result of letting less water through to the filter compartment, and the pump then lowers the water. If you keep the water lower in the filter side it will act as a weir and take the surface scum into the filter. Its not a very stable situation and minor evaporation will lower the filter level further and cause the pump to blow air, so keep it topping it off if you want this set up over a longer period.

 

[Wolf6]

I have the eheim skimmer with the eheim shrimp guard, comes on 30 minutes in the morning before lights on, 30 mins in the evening after lights out, havent seen any scum since on this tank ever since I got it. My larger tank has a skimmer on the filter inlet, but that one is a bit dodgy, I have to constantly monitor it, too high or too low and it doesnt work well.
I do have to say I've only encountered scum in tanks I run with CO2. I've had periods where I neglected the tank, CO2 ran out and I didnt replace, and the scum disappeared. But I believe Ceg's explanation as to why this is 🙂