How to Remove Oily Scum? 🐡🐟🐠

[tuttioi]

Guys, I have an oily scum on the surface of my water.
I have a small nano tank and I don't have a skimmer.
I have just read either using a paper towel, dipping a jug or a turkey baster to remove.

Any of u guys had and removed without a skimmer??

Thanks

 

[ShannyG]

I had a tiny nano tank with no skimmer. Frequent small water changes from the surface will remove the scum.

 

[cloak]

I've tried the paper towel trick before. How are your power heads arranged in the tank? You might want to adjust them so that the waters surface is really being aggitated. This might help with the oil slick.

 

[Wryknow]

Plastic cup worked for me. Just 99% submerge it and let a little bit of water flow into the cup from the surface- the oily goop at the top will skim right off. Just be sure to top off any water that you remove this way with salt water. If you use this routine it can effectively be a daily mini-water change for a nano-tank as well. I eventually got tired of this and bought an HOB skimmer though

 

[SGT_York]

Paper towel. Works like a charm, if there is good flow turn off the powerheads and lay paper towels over the top of the water. Once they are all in lift them out and no more surface scum.

One towel at a time with the flow on works fairly well but you won't be able to get 100% of it out.

Best long term solution is to direct the flow as mentioned above so the proteins get pushed through your skimmer.

 

[tuttioi]

Thanks Guys, towels and cup method both doing the trick

 

[tuttioi]

I've tried the paper towel trick before. How are your power heads arranged in the tank? You might want to adjust them so that the waters surface is really being aggitated. This might help with the oil slick.

Wavemaker pointing up, breaking it up :thumbsup:

 

[tuttioi]

Scum still there

Scum still there

I remove with a paper towel and within a hour, it's all back again.
As i've said, I don't have a skimmer.
I have my power head pointing to surface, which creates a large circular clear patch in amongst it.

So without a skimmer, I guess it'll stay like this???

If so, will it cause any issues??

Thanks Again

 

[BryanS4]

Look into something like this. It will move some extra water as well.

https://www.eheim.com/en_GB/products/accessories/cleaning/new-surface-skimmer

 

[JMorris271]

using a cup like the PP said is the best way to remove the DOC. Moving it around by breaking it up wont do a thing to help your tank

 

[Scorpius]

Eheim makes a small surface skimmer.