Film on surface?

[jeffrey richard]

I have a 15 gallon nano doing quite well ... it's been up since February. It's chock full of zoos, mushrooms, candycane, hammer, GSP and xenia, with a single Royal Gramma. My only issue ... the constant film on the surface of the tank.

I run a AC500 fug which I have put a bag of chemi-pure, use 2 powerheads to circulate water, but no other filtration. I change 10% water weekly.

Suggestions for cleaning up the surface film? I'm considering a 10 gallon sump/fug to replace the AC500, though everything is doing so well I'm not sure I want to tinker

 

[Casino]

You need surface skimming. You get that with an overflow box. There is a device that you connect to a canister filter (and maybe theres one for a PF) that draws water from the surface. You can also try to point some PH's to the surface to try to break the surface up.

 

[Andy O]

It is probably protein on the surface. Try taking a dry paper towel and lay it on the surface and then pull it out. I had this problem a while back on my 36 gallon and this did the job removing the film. Additionally as mentioned above point power heads at the sufract to agitate it.

 

[FishHead]

i have the same thing even with external overflow surface skimming.
the only thing i have found that clears it up is really ripping the surface.
perhaps an adequate performing skimmer would eliminate the problem.but that's another story.....

 

[NateHanson]

Surface skimming will help collect it, but it won't go away without removing it from the water after that. I think a decent skimmer is the ultimate answer.