Film on top of tank

[Newsalth2o]

Hi all new to this forum just found the Tucson group here. Glad it's at home. I've been working on a cyano outbreak on my tank lately. Doing water changes and scrubbing and vacuuming. But I've noticed a film on top of the water that seems to keep coming. I have a 50g DT and 20g sump. I've been pointing a power head at the surface every night to force some more into the overflow but it doesn't seem to be going away? Any ideas?

 

[sillygoose]

A little while back, someone posted with a similar question. One person suggested using strips of newspaper and "lifting" the film off of the top. I've been thinking about trying it myself because this happens on my nano. I don't notice it as much on the surface of my 90g.

 

[brettinteriors]

most likely high phosphate. A media reactor with gfo is a easy long term fix. I would never run a tank without one. When I added it to my first tank it went from a cyano mess to cyano free. Welcome to the forum.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[Tanque Verde]

I always noticed a surface film, at least in the corners of the tank where the water eddied away from the overflow. More surface agitation and flow that directs towards the overflow will help. Adding a surface skimmer would help too.

 

[Newsalth2o]

Running GFO and protein skimmer good skimmate. Nit 0 phos 0 GFO new last week cal 460 Kh 8? Could it be something precipating out of solution?

 

[Tanque Verde]

A surface skimmer is not the same as a protein skimmer.

 

[Newsalth2o]

Are you talking a surface skimming box/pump that sits in the tank with media and charcoal? I have a overflow in the back of the tank.

 

[Tanque Verde]

I can't tell from that picture how your overflow works. Is there some sort of grill or teeth in front of your overflow? Like this:

http://www.petsolutions.com/storefr...forNanoCubes&gclid=CMbmwa3k_aoCFRdsgwodjX172w

If not, that's a big part of your problem. You could install/create those teeth. Or if you do have them, you could experiment with them--adding screen or mesh???--to ensure that they are cutting the film on the surface as it flows out into your overflow and also that the maximum amount of your surface water is being routed toward the overflow. Alternatively, you could supplement your overflow with an in-tank skimmer box.

 

[jjk_reef00]

Another option is to get i bigger return pump to produce more flow and more water to push the film into the overflow.

 

[oscarslr]

What skimmer are you running? What flow is within the tank? You might be successful at getting the film onto the overflow, but a skimmer removes it from the system.

 

[brettinteriors]

How about a power head close to the suface on a cheap timer.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[Newsalth2o]

There are no teeth on the face of the overflow. I'm pumping about 150GPH (did the bucket test). Coral life skimmer seems to be producing about 1/2 the cup every 3 days?

 

[Tanque Verde]

If you study the overflows on AIO tanks or on most presiphon boxes you'll find teeth. Those teeth are designed to break up surface film--hence the name surface skimmer--and if properly used are very effective. If you don't have them, I'd recommend that you mod your overflow to include teeth or add some sort of surface skimmer or surface skimming filter. (I have one for sale but it's not something I'm trying to push on you and it might not be right for your tank but if it is and you are interested, I'll give you a discount.)

 

[Newsalth2o]

Thanks for the info I am currently in the market for a 125 and need to do some QT time with the fish for ich. Been saving for a while and got a good stash ready to go. This was my first saltwater tank and have learned allot from all the great people on sites like this and locals like you always offering help. I learned one thing though.... Buy exactly what you want and the best so you will have a successful tank. It seems if you are going to take this hobby seriously the $ has to be secondary or you have to do without and if you're not disciplined in your maintenance you will have more work to get it back to excellent again.

 

[Newsalth2o]

Went shopping today and saw most tanks at the saltwater stores had the same thing. I moved a powerhead to the bottom of the tank and now the flow is zooming over the bottom and hitting the side and producing a big up flow on that wall. Used spare pump to flush overflow piping (maybe there was some air in them). The surface is mirror finish now. Not sure why but it seemed to do the trick. Gonna leave the powerhead low overnite and then move it back up tomorrow and see what happens..

 

[prickles]

welcome to RC and Tucson! I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to have cyano outbreaks this time of year. I was talking to another guy and he said even though he had been keeping up on his WC's and GFO he was having the same problem. A thought that comes to mind is perhaps temperature? My tanks are cooled by fans and with the higher humidity I am getting less cooling out of them and warmer water.