Surface oil or something??

1771 Views 17 Replies 15 Participants Last post by dekstr, Dec 18, 2007

JennysPlanties

Discussion Starter · Oct 18, 2007

Theres this weird "stuff" on the surface of the water in my tank. It looks kinda like a thin layer of oil floating on it.

Except where the current is strong the water is clear.

This isn't a thick scum or anything, it's *weird*.... When I put my hand in the tank today to replant some camboba that my snail uprooted the layer broke up into lots of little pockets.

Any ideas as to what it might be? I'm going to do a partial water change tomorrow and try to see if I can skim off the surface water and get rid of it, but just wondering what it is.

1 - 18 of 18 Posts

fish_lover0591

· #2 · Oct 18, 2007

It happens naturally. I had the same thing just try to agitate the surface some more. It wont hurt your fish or anything.

links: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/planted-nano-tanks/52978-whats-slick.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/g...ussion/51894-film-my-waters-surface-help.html

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/40534-film-water.html

Ryzilla

· #3 · Oct 18, 2007

take a small cup and dip it into the water and only let water from the surface slowly into the cup. This will remove only water at the surface. You can then discard the water from the cup. Rinse and repeat until you have removed the scum. This usually happens to me when I start a new tank. Somtimes it can last for a few months in my experience.

JennysPlanties

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 18, 2007

Thanks guys, that's what I was figuring.

I'll try the cup idea tomorrow b4 the water change, it may be easier than trying to use the Python's siphon end to just catch the surface.

I need to do a 25-30% water change anyway though... my ammonia is low at .25 but nitrates are getting too high at 10 ppm right now. I thought having an already cycled filter in there would help speed up the cycling of the Eheim & substrate, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, y'know?

ikuzo

· #5 · Oct 18, 2007

JennysPlanties said:
I thought having an already cycled filter in there would help speed up the cycling of the Eheim & substrate, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, y'know?

it helps!
i usually put some used sponge from an established tank filter to a new one to help accelerate the cycle. cleaned first of course with running water, but i'm pretty sure the bacteria are still there

Gatekeeper

· #6 · Oct 18, 2007

You can also use a surface skimmer if you have a canister filter. This will help remove the "surface slime".

tazcrash69

· #7 · Oct 18, 2007

gmccreedy said:
You can also use a surface skimmer if you have a canister filter. This will help remove the "surface slime".

I love mine,
How is your's doing ?

BTW, you can also use the Fluval\AquaClear one on HOBs

Gatekeeper

· #8 · Oct 18, 2007

Loving it Walter....just posted a "thank you" on NJAGC.

amunso01

· #9 · Dec 15, 2007

I have found that using paper towel(s) the width of the tank can be dragged along the surface from one end to the other to soak up the "oil".

Green Leaf Aquariums

· #10 · Dec 15, 2007

I second the surface skimmer on the intake of filter method. It works

loachlady5

· #11 · Dec 15, 2007

Yeah, the scum has never left my tank and I've had it up and running for years. I tried the paper towel thing. It helps, but it's a little tedious. I wonder if prime or other additives might contribute to it.

JennysPlanties

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 18, 2007

loachlady5 said:
I wonder if prime or other additives might contribute to it.

I'm not sure. The "problem" eventually went away on its own. Interestingly though, I tore the tank apart last week and re-planted it. There are currently no fish in it and the only thing I've put in there is a tap water conditioner to take out the chlorine and chloramines and I noticed today that the film is back.

Weird.

gotcheaprice

· #13 · Dec 18, 2007

My layer of film has been there since the change of substrate to oil dri, so I'm assuming the oil dri is leeching something into the water -_-
At least none of the fish died from this.

waterfaller1

· #14 · Dec 18, 2007

I use a length of small air tubing to syphon it from the surface. That way I can concentrate on the surface, and the water is removed slowly. It also helps when removing unsightly stuff from the bottom. My tanks are small, that's why I need to remove the water slow. Oddly, only one of my tanks gets the surface slick.

fshfanatic

· #15 · Dec 18, 2007

I have this same thing happen in my 180 and after adding Purigen it disappeared. Mine is due to that fact that I feed my Jardini thawed krill. It seems to leech some oils into the tank. The Purigen removes this from the water.

ywl

· #16 · Dec 18, 2007

I use to have that problem until I started running my 2W air pump on a timer when the lights are out . The bubbles from the air stone acts like a skimmer breaking up the oil film when they burst on the surface .It works well and cheap and keep my dicus from suffocating when the lights are out .

zelmo

· #17 · Dec 18, 2007

You can also add some black mollies.

dekstr

· #18 · Dec 18, 2007

I got an idea from somewhere--don't remember the link.

Basically a cheap surface skimmer used on an HOB.

Get a piece of PVC that is wide around the intake tube of the HOB. Cut it long enough so that it's slightly below water level when it touches the bottom of the tank.

Fit the PVC around the intake tube, and the surface water will get sucked into the filter, clearing the scum.

I have the same problem, I just increase water surface movement with a spray bar + powerhead just beneath water level.

Edit: The water surface is almost an entirely different world! Tons of microorganisms that live there support multitudes of other animals.

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