Low flow aquarium and formation of thin layer

[Karen B.]

Greetings 

I am getting my first betta tomorrow. A male plakat.

I read everywhere they do not like flow. So I tweaked my Aqueon quietflow 20 to have a gentle flow.

I also have a sponge filter. 
I created some sort of surface divider so my floating plants stay in one side of the aquarium. It’s the side were my sponge filter and my thermometer are. It seems to affect the rest of the tank? The temperature is lower and a thin layer/film appeared. I would have tought the HOB filter would create still enough flow? What is that film? Is it dangerous? Should I switch some things around? 

[Odd Duck]

@Karen B. Tank is looking good overall, but that film is a problem.  A plakat should do just fine with pretty normal flow as long as there are also calmer areas where he can get out of the flow if he wants.  You look like you have that.  Plakats don’t have the heavy fins to weigh them down, so excess flow just isn’t really an issue.  Surface film is always an issue since surface area is where gas exchange happens.

I would turn your flow back up to normal or close to that.  See if that clears the film.  Watch closely and see if he seems to have trouble with any higher current areas.  I’m betting he won’t.  Mine doesn’t.  I don’t have the Aqueon, but I do have a similar arrangement with an HOB and a sponge filter like you have and that’s on a 6 gallon cube.  Mine’s in the 6 G “Volcano” tank in my sig.

Edited September 29, 2021 by Odd Duck

[Karen B.]

On 9/28/2021 at 10:09 PM, Odd Duck said:

@Karen B. Tank is looking good overall, but that film is a problem.  A plakat should do just fine with pretty normal flow as long as there are also calmer areas where he can get out of the flow if he wants.  You look like you have that.  Plakats don’t have the heavy fins to weigh them down, so excess flow just isn’t really an issue.  Surface film is always an issue since surface area is where gas exchange happens.

I would turn your flow back up to normal or close to that.  See if that clears the film.  Watch closely and see if he seems to have trouble with any higher current areas.  I’m betting he won’t.  Mine doesn’t.  I don’t have the Aqueon, but I do have a similar arrangement with an HOB and a sponge filter like you have and that’s on a 6 gallon cube.  Mine’s in the 6 G “Volcano” tank in my sig.

Thanks you for your reply. I just moved the sponge filter to the other side of the aquarium, away from the floating plants section and the film was gone. Will have to tweak my aquascape a bit, not pleased with it. But most plants are new, and getting the betta tomorrow so will probably try and wait a month to let the plants grow and the betta to get used to its new home before making any major change. But I think I already see that my sessiflora do not like to be hidden from the light.

If there is about 1/3 of the aquarium with little to no surface flow (the section with my floating plants), does it cause a problem? I will probably remove the sessiflora from there and just put my java fern and my anubia under that section. 

[Odd Duck]

On 9/28/2021 at 9:37 PM, Karen B. said:

Thanks you for your reply. I just moved the sponge filter to the other side of the aquarium, away from the floating plants section and the film was gone. Will have to tweak my aquascape a bit, not pleased with it. But most plants are new, and getting the betta tomorrow so will probably try and wait a month to let the plants grow and the betta to get used to its new home before making any major change. But I think I already see that my sessiflora do not like to be hidden from the light.

If there is about 1/3 of the aquarium with little to no surface flow (the section with my floating plants), does it cause a problem? I will probably remove the sessiflora from there and just put my java fern and my anubia under that section. 

Very good!  Well done!

I’ve had larger areas than that with minimal surface flow and the tanks doing fine as long as there’s enough subsurface flow and no biofilm in the open areas.  It should be fine for a Betta, but again, a plakat is a far cry in behavior from a heavy finned Betta.  They are far more active and generally healthier (which is exactly why I got a plakat).  You truly won’t need to worry about excess flow as long as you’re not blowing him across the tank.

[Karen B.]

On 9/28/2021 at 10:46 PM, Odd Duck said:

Very good!  Well done!

I’ve had larger areas than that with minimal surface flow and the tanks doing fine as long as there’s enough subsurface flow and no biofilm in the open areas.  It should be fine for a Betta, but again, a plakat is a far cry in behavior from a heavy finned Betta.  They are far more active and generally healthier (which is exactly why I got a plakat).  You truly won’t need to worry about excess flow as long as you’re not blowing him across the tank.

Thank you!

I couldn’t wait and just rescaped the tank to accommodate the switch of the sponge filter, haha. I actually like the results much better then the previous one, so that’s a plus as well.

I went for a plakat exactly for the same reason. While my favorite ones are rosetails, I just couldn’t bring myself to see a fish live a life somewhat miserable (I hear they sometimes bite their own fins because it’s too heavy or handicap them) just for my viewing pleasure. Plus they seem stronger and tougher, less prone to fin rot… so much less stress for me!

[Odd Duck]

On 9/29/2021 at 12:11 AM, Karen B. said:

Thank you!

I couldn’t wait and just rescaped the tank to accommodate the switch of the sponge filter, haha. I actually like the results much better then the previous one, so that’s a plus as well.

I went for a plakat exactly for the same reason. While my favorite ones are rosetails, I just couldn’t bring myself to see a fish live a life somewhat miserable (I hear they sometimes bite their own fins because it’s too heavy or handicap them) just for my viewing pleasure. Plus they seem stronger and tougher, less prone to fin rot… so much less stress for me!

Yes, exactly!  All of that.  Rose tails are stunning, but shortened life spans and multiple health problems from such exaggerated fins.  I just can’t contribute to that or watch it in my tank.

[Torrey]

You fixed the film problem, and if you set up another tank in the future, the film is a normal part of cycling a low flow / no flow tank.

Gently laying a paper towel on top, or using an empty bottle as a 'surface skimmer' and then topping off will also get rid of the protein film. Some substrates will generate an oily film (blasting sand for example) and others will produce a protein film (dirt & bio active substrates) that resolve over a month to 6 weeks of seasoning the tank.

Just have to remove it every day for the first couple of weeks so the plants can respire...and keep it away with an airstone so labyrinth fish like bettas can easily breathe too.

Your tank is beautiful, I like the rescape better, too! Water will be warmer under the floating plants, because they inhibit evaporation. I use that to my advantage for fish who are used to a larger swimming range to have a variety of temperatures in the tank. 

Then they can select the temperature they need atm.

[Karen B.]

On 9/29/2021 at 7:50 AM, Torrey said:

You fixed the film problem, and if you set up another tank in the future, the film is a normal part of cycling a low flow / no flow tank.

Gently laying a paper towel on top, or using an empty bottle as a 'surface skimmer' and then topping off will also get rid of the protein film. Some substrates will generate an oily film (blasting sand for example) and others will produce a protein film (dirt & bio active substrates) that resolve over a month to 6 weeks of seasoning the tank.

Just have to remove it every day for the first couple of weeks so the plants can respire...and keep it away with an airstone so labyrinth fish like bettas can easily breathe too.

Your tank is beautiful, I like the rescape better, too! Water will be warmer under the floating plants, because they inhibit evaporation. I use that to my advantage for fish who are used to a larger swimming range to have a variety of temperatures in the tank. 

Then they can select the temperature they need atm.

Thank you for the tips about the film. That will be helpful in the future. I only have 4 tanks, cannot stop yet! Hehe. 
I can’t wait to see my betta in the tank!!