Surface Film

[GraemeK]

Hey all!

Well i mentioned a few weeks back that i stripped my 34gal down and replaced the substrate for a moxture of JBL's Aquabasis and fine Gravel. The tank is heavily planted, 60watts of T8 lighting, pressuized CO2 at 1 bubble a second, CO2 reading about 20ppm, PH 7.1 or so. Nitrate at 7-10ppm etc etc.

The tank is mostly planted with Crypts, vallis, hydrophillia and a few others.

Since the complete strip down i've had a massive algae break out. covering everything and looking seriously nasty. I havent added any addtional ferts only KNO3 at the moment because my Iron reading is still showing .25ppm.

I'm now getting this horrible green surface film which is stopping some CO2 bubbles from escaping and generally making the tank look crap.

Whats my best course of measure? Keep up with the nitrate? monitor my iron? keep the co2 and lighting the same?

I dont really want to change lighting etc because i feel it might affect any possible plant growth and help the algae?

The hydrophillia is growing well again and the vallis is taking off.... maybe time will tell???

I'm told that a green surface film is a sigh of too much iron? If this is the case what can i do? I've covered the Aquabasis well.

Just for reference, I've another Nano tank which uses the aquabasis which i set up at a similar time and not a single problem. also the lighting ratio is higher in the nano and only planted with crypts and a javafern and not a single piece of algae. the fish load again is similar when you compare them.

Thanks

G

[GraemeK]

anyone able to help? my nitrate reading tonight was abou 5ppm so i've bumped it back up. the surface film and blue green algae is still growing..... i havent dosed any other ferts, maybe i should? my hydrophillia is looking a bit pale and spotty...?

thanks.

[Wasserpest]

I have never heard that surface film is the result of too much iron.

In my experience it is a "new tank syndrome", which also occurs when you change substrates. There are many ways to get rid of it, search for "surface scum" and read through some of the discussions.

What's your bioload? I would keep up water changes of one-third to one-half of the tank volume, keep the filters clean, etc, whatever you can do to promote clean water. Possibly increase surface agitation a little until it goes away. If your plants grow, continue nutrients and lights like before...

[GraemeK]

cheers mate...

i'll try increasing my water changes. my bio load isnt that high only stocked with small tetra's etc. its also heavily planted.

i'll try the increased water changes and carry on as before and see what happens.