nasty surface scum

Talonstorm · 08/24/2006, 01:46 PM

I have been battling this problem for a while, my 30 gallon cube has a nasty brown surface scum. Quick tank description: it has been running for about 10 months now, cpr bak-pak skimmer, about 40 lbs of live rock, 2 false perc clowns, a six line wrasse, a bta (that has been growing like mad), and a variety of other corals (bubble coral, favia, sun coral, zoanthids, porites, a couple digis, and some mushrooms). I have never had a problem with hair algae or bubble algae. I get a little greenish haze on the glass, but the snails keep it in check for the most part. I do have the surface skimmer box attachment for the bak-pak, it doesn't help. I have tried cleaning the maxi-jet on the bak-pak, but that doesn't seem to improve the problem any. I also have 3 maxi-jet 900's on a wavemaker for the flow. These are pointed at the surface and they disrupt the scum some. What can I do to get rid of and prevent this nastiness? I use RO/DI for both top-offs and water changes (with instant ocean salt). I will post water parameters tonight if needed, but I test pH, alk, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, phosphates, and calcium once a week and they are always close to perfect. Salinity is kept at about 1.025.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tina

PS - I almost forgot to mention, lighting is a 150 W mh (XM 10K) and 36 W pc actinic.

anthony34 · 08/24/2006, 02:39 PM

if you have a surface skimmer and its not helping you need to direct some flow from the top of the water pushing toward the skimmer. I see you said you are using maxi jets but if you are not pushing the surface water the scum will not more.

08/24/2006, 01:46 PM	#1
Talonstorm Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Dingmans Ferry, PA Posts: 41	nasty surface scum I have been battling this problem for a while, my 30 gallon cube has a nasty brown surface scum. Quick tank description: it has been running for about 10 months now, cpr bak-pak skimmer, about 40 lbs of live rock, 2 false perc clowns, a six line wrasse, a bta (that has been growing like mad), and a variety of other corals (bubble coral, favia, sun coral, zoanthids, porites, a couple digis, and some mushrooms). I have never had a problem with hair algae or bubble algae. I get a little greenish haze on the glass, but the snails keep it in check for the most part. I do have the surface skimmer box attachment for the bak-pak, it doesn't help. I have tried cleaning the maxi-jet on the bak-pak, but that doesn't seem to improve the problem any. I also have 3 maxi-jet 900's on a wavemaker for the flow. These are pointed at the surface and they disrupt the scum some. What can I do to get rid of and prevent this nastiness? I use RO/DI for both top-offs and water changes (with instant ocean salt). I will post water parameters tonight if needed, but I test pH, alk, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia, phosphates, and calcium once a week and they are always close to perfect. Salinity is kept at about 1.025. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Tina PS - I almost forgot to mention, lighting is a 150 W mh (XM 10K) and 36 W pc actinic.

08/24/2006, 02:39 PM	#2
anthony34 Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Nashville Posts: 504	if you have a surface skimmer and its not helping you need to direct some flow from the top of the water pushing toward the skimmer. I see you said you are using maxi jets but if you are not pushing the surface water the scum will not more.