Weird Film on top of tank

Mr.Micro · 05/07/2014, 06:54 PM

First let me say hello to all my fellow 'Reefers' out there. I have been reading the forum for awhile as I contemplated my plunge into Reef Keeping. Seems there's alot of good folks out there. Thankfully technology and time has made this 'plunge' a little less scary and a little more affordable.

So my question is, 'What it this weird film on top of my tank water?'

http://youtu.be/b13Uz5backY

Just to be clear, I've been a tank hobbyist for 20+ years starting way back in the 80's with freshwater, Betta Breading, moving into FOWLR, shark tanks and back to FOWLR, so I get the concept of surface turbulation and aeration. I've since added a couple more powerheads to accomplish that task and the film went away. I usually used a bubble wand under the sand and rock to do that too, however with this set-up, the external overflow was drawing in the airbubbles and binding the TOMs Aqua Lifter and the overflow would lose siphon.

My biggest concern is WHAT IS THAT STUFF? It was so thick the overflow wouldn't draw it in and just pull the water from underneath it. Does it come from dosing? Stressed corals? Fish/Food waste?

Any help would be appreciated.

Best Regards,
J

BTW.. Here's my set-up;

155gal. Bow Front
(2) 30 Gal cubes twinned
CPR 1600gph External Overflow w/TOMS
BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor w/maxi-jet 1200
ATB Skimmer
(4) Wavemakers on dual timers
(3) 165w Full Spectrum LED fixtures
UV Light

Water Params:

Salinity: .024
AKH: 7
Phos: undetectable
PH: 8.1

I test for Calc but hadn't tested before this post

breederforlife · 05/08/2014, 05:35 AM

Hey
Ive had this for a while on my tank as well and i found out that its from the fish food, its too oily.
Ive tried putting more powerheads to turn the water more but it only works well if the powerhead is right next to the surface otherwise the only way to get rid of it is by doing a water change. Ive been now doing regular water changes and i havent see it again.

billdogg · 05/08/2014, 05:49 AM

The film forms because of insufficient surface skimming/agitation. Increase one or both and it will go away.

hth

Sugar Magnolia · 05/08/2014, 05:58 AM

It's dissolved organics. Aim a powerhead at the surface to break it up.

Moort82 · 05/08/2014, 05:59 AM

Its a protein film. It acts as an oxygen barrier so some sort of surface skimming would be useful. There is an excellent pump by ehiem over here that has a surface skimmer on it.

ReeferBill · 05/08/2014, 06:22 AM

You can soak it up with clean paper towels , Just float paper towels on the surface and throw out and keep using fresh ones until its mostly gone then point a couple of power heads at the surface on each side of top of tank to agitate and mix surface water so the filter can handle it so the slick will not reappear!

snorvich · 05/08/2014, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReeferBill

You can soak it up with clean paper towels , Just float paper towels on the surface and throw out and keep using fresh ones until its mostly gone then point a couple of power heads at the surface on each side of top of tank to agitate and mix surface water so the filter can handle it so the slick will not reappear!

what an excellent idea!

Mr.Micro · 05/08/2014, 06:35 AM

Thanks for all the replies. I have added two power heads near the surface and it has broken up and disappeared. The only food I feed is RODS complete and sometimes a mixture of algae & sponge cubes. I did that when I had the Koran in there, but the Yellow Tang seems to like the sponge too... so it's mostly just Rods.

My concern now is that, it's not really being eliminated entirely, it's more just being broken up and dissolved. Granted it will go through the overflow and through thr filter sock and eventually the skimmer, but I wonder if I should get a surface skimmer to skim it out as it forms.

any thoughts to that?

Best,
J

Moort82 · 05/08/2014, 09:23 AM

I run a surface skimmer as i don't have a sump and it does a good job keeping the surface clear for good oxygen exchange. I used to use the towel method to soak it up but it takes a lot of effort whereas a surface skimmer on a timer is the best thing a lazy guy can buy.

NWoods · 05/08/2014, 09:37 AM

I had the exact same stuff in my tank for a while. Couldn't figure it out. I knew my hands were clean every-time I put them in the tank to do rock work, so it wasn't body oils. Finally linked it to the food and protein. I bought an extra circulation pump and pointed it at the surface to create more surface agitation. Also run a HOB filter with Chemipure which pushes the water back down. Then it is skimmed out with the protein skimmer.

Moort82 · 05/08/2014, 01:57 PM

Most frozen foods will leave this and some flake foods also. One of the reason i stopped using New Era foods.

Mr.Micro · 05/08/2014, 09:18 PM

Well it's day 2 of the surface agitation with the new powerheads and the film is completely gone. I have a nice new 'shimmer' across the whole tank from the surface waves and the light refraction. So I'm pretty happy, I think I'm going to leave it like this as long as it continues.

I kinda went over board with the power heads though. I have (2) 3200 gph head on either side of the tank. They are cycling at different times of the day, but after looking at the surface, 1 aggitates the water just fine... But for $5 more, it just didn't make sense to get the 1600gph's.

Best,
J

05/07/2014, 06:54 PM	#1
Mr.Micro Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Lemont, Il Posts: 13	Weird Film on top of tank First let me say hello to all my fellow 'Reefers' out there. I have been reading the forum for awhile as I contemplated my plunge into Reef Keeping. Seems there's alot of good folks out there. Thankfully technology and time has made this 'plunge' a little less scary and a little more affordable. So my question is, 'What it this weird film on top of my tank water?' http://youtu.be/b13Uz5backY Just to be clear, I've been a tank hobbyist for 20+ years starting way back in the 80's with freshwater, Betta Breading, moving into FOWLR, shark tanks and back to FOWLR, so I get the concept of surface turbulation and aeration. I've since added a couple more powerheads to accomplish that task and the film went away. I usually used a bubble wand under the sand and rock to do that too, however with this set-up, the external overflow was drawing in the airbubbles and binding the TOMs Aqua Lifter and the overflow would lose siphon. My biggest concern is WHAT IS THAT STUFF? It was so thick the overflow wouldn't draw it in and just pull the water from underneath it. Does it come from dosing? Stressed corals? Fish/Food waste? Any help would be appreciated. Best Regards, J BTW.. Here's my set-up; 155gal. Bow Front (2) 30 Gal cubes twinned CPR 1600gph External Overflow w/TOMS BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor w/maxi-jet 1200 ATB Skimmer (4) Wavemakers on dual timers (3) 165w Full Spectrum LED fixtures UV Light Water Params: Salinity: .024 AKH: 7 Phos: undetectable PH: 8.1 I test for Calc but hadn't tested before this post

05/08/2014, 05:49 AM	#3
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	The film forms because of insufficient surface skimming/agitation. Increase one or both and it will go away. hth __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/08/2014, 05:58 AM	#4
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	It's dissolved organics. Aim a powerhead at the surface to break it up. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

05/08/2014, 06:22 AM	#6
ReeferBill Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 1,906	You can soak it up with clean paper towels , Just float paper towels on the surface and throw out and keep using fresh ones until its mostly gone then point a couple of power heads at the surface on each side of top of tank to agitate and mix surface water so the filter can handle it so the slick will not reappear! __________________ I never realized I had to be a Chemist and a Marine Biologist to maintain a Reef Aquarium!

05/08/2014, 05:35 AM	#2
breederforlife Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 98	Hey Ive had this for a while on my tank as well and i found out that its from the fish food, its too oily. Ive tried putting more powerheads to turn the water more but it only works well if the powerhead is right next to the surface otherwise the only way to get rid of it is by doing a water change. Ive been now doing regular water changes and i havent see it again.

05/08/2014, 05:59 AM	#5
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	Its a protein film. It acts as an oxygen barrier so some sort of surface skimming would be useful. There is an excellent pump by ehiem over here that has a surface skimmer on it.

05/08/2014, 06:35 AM	#8
Mr.Micro Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Lemont, Il Posts: 13	Thanks for all the replies. I have added two power heads near the surface and it has broken up and disappeared. The only food I feed is RODS complete and sometimes a mixture of algae & sponge cubes. I did that when I had the Koran in there, but the Yellow Tang seems to like the sponge too... so it's mostly just Rods. My concern now is that, it's not really being eliminated entirely, it's more just being broken up and dissolved. Granted it will go through the overflow and through thr filter sock and eventually the skimmer, but I wonder if I should get a surface skimmer to skim it out as it forms. any thoughts to that? Best, J

05/08/2014, 09:23 AM	#9
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	I run a surface skimmer as i don't have a sump and it does a good job keeping the surface clear for good oxygen exchange. I used to use the towel method to soak it up but it takes a lot of effort whereas a surface skimmer on a timer is the best thing a lazy guy can buy.

05/08/2014, 09:37 AM	#10
NWoods Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Minnesota Posts: 77	I had the exact same stuff in my tank for a while. Couldn't figure it out. I knew my hands were clean every-time I put them in the tank to do rock work, so it wasn't body oils. Finally linked it to the food and protein. I bought an extra circulation pump and pointed it at the surface to create more surface agitation. Also run a HOB filter with Chemipure which pushes the water back down. Then it is skimmed out with the protein skimmer.

05/08/2014, 01:57 PM	#11
Moort82 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Norfolk, England Posts: 1,576	Most frozen foods will leave this and some flake foods also. One of the reason i stopped using New Era foods.

05/08/2014, 09:18 PM	#12
Mr.Micro Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Lemont, Il Posts: 13	Well it's day 2 of the surface agitation with the new powerheads and the film is completely gone. I have a nice new 'shimmer' across the whole tank from the surface waves and the light refraction. So I'm pretty happy, I think I'm going to leave it like this as long as it continues. I kinda went over board with the power heads though. I have (2) 3200 gph head on either side of the tank. They are cycling at different times of the day, but after looking at the surface, 1 aggitates the water just fine... But for $5 more, it just didn't make sense to get the 1600gph's. Best, J