Film on water

[jtroutine]

I have this film on top of my water, I dont understand I have a overflow box I would think tthat my overflowbox would rid of it. It looks like soap scum i know its not, bu that is what it looks like. Anybody have any insight on this?

 

[col]

Normal i think. Is the surface water being boken up (powerhead etc), this will disguise it.
I'm not sure how to eliminate it, skimmer perhaps.

 

[madd catt]

It is most likely protein waste good surface movement will break it up or use a protein skimmer to remove it.

 

[jtroutine]

I do have a skimmer; right now I have my powerheads aimed on my lr trying to get all the dead stuff off, so once that is done I will aim more to the surface. The appearence doesnt bother me as you really cant see it, I just wanted to make sure that things aere in the norm.
Somebody told me it is a good thing, film maybe benificial bacteria from cycle, dunno. I will try to stop worrying so much. I dont even have any livestock in there yet, you guys will love me when I do start having livestock, I ll be the 20 question man.

 

[phil1964]

As far as I know it is not good.
I have a skimmer that pulls lots of gounk out but I still have this film also.

 

[jtroutine]

hmmmmm.....well uh

 

[shmeeb]

i had a similar film right after my cycle, supposedly its created by the live rock. someone recommended getting rid of it my absorbing it with a paper towel. works, but its quite a pain in the butt. it went away about 2 weeks later. i tried the surface ripple, but all it did was push the film into one corner. makes it easier to collect and minimizes its ability to impede the oxygen exchange.

 

[gatorcsm]

Best way is to point the powerhead such that the corner it would be collecting in, is the one with the overflow, this will elminate it. I had this same exact problem. I aimed the powerhead opposite of my overflow straight out, and then aimed the one on the side of the overflow towards the front straight out, so the surface water would all eventually make it to the overflow.

 

[bradttu]

I had the same problem, I just directed current towards the top of the water to agitate it. No problems now.

 

[hondo]

I'm surprised you have the film on the water considering you have an overflow. One of the benefits of an overflow is that it usually rids your tank fo surface debris or film which does inhibit O2 exchange (not entirely but it does effect it). One thing I would recomend is increasing the amount of flow through the return pump which will pull more water through the overflow and should eliminate the surface slim from building up.

 

[beth]

Place a pre-skimmer box on your seaclone, that will clear up the slick.

 

[jtroutine]

what do you mean beth I have a filter media around the pipe for my overflow box and I also have a filter media around the powerhead for the skimmer is that what you meant?

 

[killafins]

u need to turn ur powerheads down, those that facing it and turn up the ones facing it. This should work...

 

[jlem]

what????

 

[jtroutine]

u need to turn ur powerheads down, those that facing it and turn up the ones facing it. This should work...

okay you lost me....