What is this film?

[Alexis22]

This translucent film is billowing off my thermometer. Never noticed it before. Just got my tank cycled it’s about 6 weeks old. What is this? Aquarium newbie over here 😗

[knee]

Do you have any driftwood in the tank?

[Alexis22]

No wood. Just a few artificial plants, and two ornamental decorations. 

[nabokovfan87]

Can you show or explain your filtration and how it's setup?

[Alexis22]

5 gallon tank with HOB hacked filter. Coarse intake sponge, and coarse pad behind my charcoal filter (will eliminate the charcoal filter soon when my bacteria is sufficient). 

Had 4 guppies which died due to nitrites/cycling and possible parasites. Tank is finally cycled as of about 4 days ago. Reading 0 ammonia and nitrites. Tank is empty as of today so trying to do damage control of whatever parasites might be in here or issues while keeping my bacteria up to get ready for new fish. 

I noticed the “film” in the first week or two in a single strand on one of my ornaments but didn’t think much of it. Now about 6 weeks in I see this on thermometer today. 

[Schuyler]

It looks like you may be having a bacteria bloom, probably from cycling your tank.

The fact that you're saying stands makes me think it could be hair algae but it also kinda looks like biofilm that normally forms on wood when you initially put it in the tank.

If you pick it out does it feel slimy or does it feel more stringy? Biofilm will be slimy and won't hold together. String/hair algae will feel like pulling apart a spider web almost

[nabokovfan87]

On 1/20/2023 at 2:21 PM, Alexis22 said:

I noticed the “film” in the first week or two in a single strand on one of my ornaments but didn’t think much of it. Now about 6 weeks in I see this on thermometer today. 

yeah it happens.  Just use a cheap toothbrush or something like that to clean off the decor.  Once things settle you might see that stuff go away.  I see it a lot on tanks with cartridges (meaning no sponge) which isn't the case here, and I see it on tanks where the pump is just very very poor and not moving the water.  It's usually on the decor, plastics, tubing, etc.

Eventually you can remove the cartridge in your HoB and replace that with a little bag of biomax (aquaclear media).

The tank looks good though, welcome to the forums!

[DaveO]

If you are using Fritz Guard or a similar water conditioner with Aloe Vera, that could be the problem. The aloe seems to be attracted to silicone tubing and plastic like the suction cup on your thermometer. It collects like slime on these certain  parts in the tank. I used to use it but find it kind of gross so I use Fritz Complete instead.

[Alexis22]

Yes actually that might be it! I have been using the one that came with my set called Top Fin Conditioner and I see it does have aloe. Yuck! I will get some Prime I think I’m better off with that overall anyway. Thanks!