biofilm problems

[sundragon]

One more solution to consider, I use a IKEA watering can to water my house plants...



When I get biofilm, I use it to skim the surface bio film along with the poop filled, EI fertilized water and use it to water my house plants. It takes about three fills to water all my house plants and 90% of the bio film is gone.
The side benefit of recycling the nutrient rich water is my Indian Rope plant and a variety of other plants have flowered more than ever before.

It's a little less expensive than a skimmer or wave making apparatus. I sink enough $$$ into this hobby, a little side benefit can be nice

[Waters]

The film in my tank actually has nothing to do with the fish food. It seems anytime I add new live plants to the tank the film gets bad for several weeks. It was almost completely gone until I added some new swords...within 2 days it was back twice as bad.

To answer the question as to why to remove it (besides looking bad), it blocks a lot of the overhead lighting.

[clau74]

Hi,
I decreased the amount and frequency of food you give them, biofilm has not disappeared. After a 25% water change, biofilm reappears.
What is the solution ?

[danielt]

Snails and shrimp eat the surface film. I don't see a problem, why are you looking for a solution?

[clau74]

My invertebrates eat not the biofilm. Gas exchange is very difficult, what is the solution?

[danielt]

How did you established gas exchange is difficult? You did received many answers on how to get rid of the surface film.

[Aquatic Delight]

Originally Posted by clau74

Hi,
I decreased the amount and frequency of food you give them, biofilm has not disappeared. After a 25% water change, biofilm reappears.
What is the solution ?

Originally Posted by m00se

Air stone on a timer, 30 minutes a day, best when the CO2 is off. Cured.

The air stone m00se is talking about will work very well, i know many members here who do that.

or as i said a surface skimmer.

another thing that helps is when you do your WC only skim the surface.

i think i said this earlier but i have a tank that i feed maybe twice a week, and it has bio-film. i do not beileve that bio-film is a protien issue, i think it is just waste from bacteria in the tank.

[pwolfe]

I also get this film incredibly bad. Over feeding is most definately not the cause as my betta is the only inhabitant and is fed pellets or worms one at a time and he doesnt get a single pellet or worm more than actually gets ingested.

[m00se]

Originally Posted by pwolfe

I also get this film incredibly bad. Over feeding is most definately not the cause as my betta is the only inhabitant and is fed pellets or worms one at a time and he doesnt get a single pellet or worm more than actually gets ingested.

Do you have plants? If so, do you also happen to have any java ferns? Just curious...

[sundragon]

When I had an Aquaclear HOB on my old tank there was never any biofilm, this may be a function of some aquariums (regardless of food, substrate, etc.).

EDIT: My theory is the HOB filters drive the surface debris back into the water column hence no biofilm.

When my current tank was newer (first 3 to 6 months) I had a bad case, I can post pictures. I asked people on GWAPA about it, the consensus was don't worry, skim it if it bothers you but they all managed to have successful planted tanks despite the film.

It's gotten better but hasn't completely gone away, I just stopped worrying about it because it didn't kill any fish or do any damage.

You really wanna know, get a sample tested and let us all know :-)

EDIT: Here's the picture! When I put the lily pipe at the water surface there was so much bio film that it created foam - FWIW, it didn't kill anything, but annoyed me... It's gone now that the tank is 10 months old...

[m00se]

Makes sense though...HOB's discharge at the top of the water, which would disperse a lot of the waxy crud. I personally don't have any real issue with the stuff because I figure it's a product of a healthy tank, right? What does bug me about it is that I have water lettuce, duck weed, and hydrocotyle that likes to breathe, and looks simply awful with that nasty film surrounding it.

[sundragon]

Originally Posted by clau74

My invertebrates eat not the biofilm. Gas exchange is very difficult, what is the solution?

Gas exchange concerned me as well, you can run an air stone or power head near the surface with a timer set to turn on when the lights go off. It will cause surface turbulence and break it up and improve gas exchange at night when plants are not producing O2. There really are a number of great ideas on here to do away with it.

I have a powerhead that drives the current, as a byproduct it causes ripples at the surface which probably reduced the film and increase O2 exchange. The film may be an issue for Anabantoids as they need access to air to be healthy.

Originally Posted by m00se

Makes sense though...HOB's discharge at the top of the water, which would disperse a lot of the waxy crud. I personally don't have any real issue with the stuff because I figure it's a product of a healthy tank, right? What does bug me about it is that I have water lettuce, duck weed, and hydrocotyle that likes to breathe, and looks simply awful with that nasty film surrounding it.

I concur - it's really gross - when I put my hand in the tank, it's coated in the stuff.

[fishwater]

Originally Posted by pwolfe

I also get this film incredibly bad. Over feeding is most definately not the cause as my betta is the only inhabitant and is fed pellets or worms one at a time and he doesnt get a single pellet or worm more than actually gets ingested.

Same with my betta, (in a 5gal with a HOB) although I must admit my bio-film isn't that heavy.

Originally Posted by m00se

Do you have plants? If so, do you also happen to have any java ferns? Just curious...

I do have a java fern in there but if I recall the bio-film was there before the java.

[clau74]

Hi ,
Thanks for the feedback, I have java moss in the tank and phoenix moss is helpful for biofilm. I will try to use air stones.

[pwolfe]

no java fern here. hc, flame moss, hygro kompakt, mini pelia, hygro araguaia, and a mini clover plant that's name eludes me.