Film on water

[TeeJay]

Just noticed this "film" on my water. Just did a water change yesterday. I have never seen anything like this before. Tank has been setup for almost 9 months pretty heavily planted. All water params are where they should be. 0 ammonia and nitrites. 20 nitrates.

https://youtu.be/Z7-Qbyn7HrM

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

While I don’t know what it is, I can tell you that some people remove film by laying paper towels on the water surface and then picking them back up.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/20/2022 at 3:44 PM, TeeJay said:

Just noticed this "film" on my water. Just did a water change yesterday. I have never seen anything like this before. Tank has been setup for almost 9 months pretty heavily planted. All water params are where they should be. 0 ammonia and nitrites. 20 nitrates.

Watching the video, but this might be a tidal 35 thing.  Yeah.  I can't tell from the video.  What tank is this, what filter?

I ended up getting a skimmer just for the sake of running the tidal 35 on a tank, testing that whole process.  It's just a normal oil film that can build up depending on things like food and other factors.  You have good flow, it's broken up.  The real concern is when you get that haze and it seals the top of the water.

 

[TeeJay]

On 11/20/2022 at 9:32 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Watching the video, but this might be a tidal 35 thing.  Yeah.  I can't tell from the video.  What tank is this, what filter?

I ended up getting a skimmer just for the sake of running the tidal 35 on a tank, testing that whole process.  It's just a normal oil film that can build up depending on things like food and other factors.  You have good flow, it's broken up.  The real concern is when you get that haze and it seals the top of the water.

 

Yes is on the 29 gal killi tank with the tidal 55 on it

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/20/2022 at 6:33 PM, TeeJay said:

Yes is on the 29 gal killi tank with the tidal 55

Sorry I got distracted. Pups attacked me and then I realized I forgot to feed the fry.

Alright.... So it's not the filter per say.  It just means that the HoB output should break all of that up and push it into the water so it can get filtered out. If this is the one with the baffle, maybe that's a chemical you're seeing from that plastic.  I would clean the pump and foams just to make sure it's all good, run some floss or fine pad for a week and see if it goes away.

The other way to handle it is to just add an air stone where you're seeing the most of it and give the glass, rim, and lid a good rinse on next maintenance day.

Edited November 21, 2022 by nabokovfan87
Clarification

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Hmm. I got my baffle before @TeeJay and I’ve never seen a film. I have 2 airstones going.

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/21/2022 at 1:45 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Hmm. I got my baffle before @TeeJay and I’ve never seen a film. I have 2 airstones going.

It literally could vary from print to print.  3d printing can be a fickle thing. I assume the material or baffle isn't causing an issue, but having the baffle on the tank would reduce surface movement depending on what the design is like (with the spraybar style output or not).  It really is a situational thing and that film doesn't concern me... I would literally just run fine pad for a week and never see it again.  If you do see it constantly.... looking at you tidal 35 tank...  then it's more of a concern and speaks to a gas exchange issue.

It's about trying to find what is causing it, but at some point if you see it show up you can just focus on filtering it out too.

DEFINITELY interesting.  I am curious to see what is the cause.

[TeeJay]

On 11/21/2022 at 4:59 AM, nabokovfan87 said:

It literally could vary from print to print.  3d printing can be a fickle thing. I assume the material or baffle isn't causing an issue, but having the baffle on the tank would reduce surface movement depending on what the design is like (with the spraybar style output or not).  It really is a situational thing and that film doesn't concern me... I would literally just run fine pad for a week and never see it again.  If you do see it constantly.... looking at you tidal 35 tank...  then it's more of a concern and speaks to a gas exchange issue.

It's about trying to find what is causing it, but at some point if you see it show up you can just focus on filtering it out too.

DEFINITELY interesting.  I am curious to see what is the cause.

Yes I have 2 air stones going as well. It's on my 29 gal killi tank. I have never seen it before until now. I have been using the baffle for a few months. The only thing that has changed is that I started feeding the plecos fresh veggies daily. And leaving them in for about 24-36 hours at a time to get them used to eating them .I'm thinking this could be what is causing it. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/21/2022 at 2:50 AM, TeeJay said:

The only thing that has changed is that I started feeding the plecos fresh veggies daily. And leaving them in for about 24-36 hours at a time to get them used to eating them .I'm thinking this could be what is causing it. 

It looks like more of a bacteria film. Usually protein is more oily / rainbow colored. So it could be added bacteria bloom of sorts from the new vegetation.

Try to make sure it stays "broken".  Add filter floss of fine pad to the HoB (window cutout, if you don't have that sealed on this tank) and then just try to siphon any food that gets into the gravel really deep. See if that clears things up and keeps it away after a week.

You might also see it form on cords and airlines. Plastics in the tank.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/21/2022 at 5:50 AM, TeeJay said:

And leaving them in for about 24-36 hours

Eh. I do this all the time and don’t get a film. I take them out at the 24 hour point though.

I will say though, my waterline is dropped. So some agitation comes from the sides of the baffle. Not much, but some.