Film on water surface

[rowdyates]

I've been meaning to ask about this for a while but not got around to it. The gravel I've used in my tank came from Pets at Home (sorry non UK'ers) and although it's called pink marble it doesn't look to bad, but it is a reasonably fine gravel. When I was cleaning it (seems like months ago now) the water was quite milky and it left a white ring in the bucket. When I added it to my tank (despite what I thought was a thorough clean) I had a bit of the deposit again, now I think this is floating on the surface of the water like a fine film. What I want to know is what would the best way to get rid of it, I don't think I can syphon it off because it's on the surface and as I remove some of it I guess it will get progressively harder, so I'm open to suggestions on how to skim it off.

Cheers,

Keith

 

[fish_keeper2]

i get this in my 2.5 gal. just put in an air stone. it desturbes the water enough to keep it from forming.

 

[Fish_Mike]

As you know, we're both cycling our tanks ( i assume this is the cycling tank you're talking about), and at around same point in the cycle progress. I too had white film on the top of my tank that i couldn't get rid of, but one day, it just wasn't there anymore. Sorry i couldn't help, but this may give you some hope!

 

[rowdyates]

Not having had a tank before I'm not really sure what to expect so hopefully this will also go in time.

Cheers,

Keith

 

[rdd1952]

Some water will form a film over time. My tap water does. I can leave a bucket sitting for 2 days and it films over. The airstone will work or you can leave your water level down a bit so that the water from the filter (external/HOB filters) splashes into the water. If you use canister filters, you can get a surface skimmer to use with those. they will keep the top clean. I use them on my 75 gallon.

 

[boxman]

If you have artificially coloured (sorry, colored in US!) gravel, e.g pink, black and so on it will eventually rub off and cause your water to go cloudy, it is inevitable. I've got a friend with red gravel and had lots of water clouding issues. I took it all out and washed it 10 times in near boiling water and it's still slightly pink but nowhere near as bad.

Only Tahitan Moon Rock which is naturallay black will remain black and I know there are types of pink granite (unsure if that would go in fish tank to be fair), that's if you want pink. Basically what I'm on about is naturally coloured substrate is going to be better than anything manufactured and cause less problems. Remember white substrate can get discoloured by algae and can be hard to clean.

My personal advice is to change it if you're in the cycling pocess now, it's a good time, although keep an eye on the water parameters. If you're not fussed by it then moving your filter to disturb the surface, an airstone or a spraybar would also do the job, plus it's better to have a slightly disturbed water surface to oxyginate.

 

[annka5]

I find the following works for removing film - e.g in cycling a tank:

a) Take a clean, dry peice of paper
) Lay it gently on the surface of the water
c) lift (sort of slide it, really) off the surface smoothly
d) repeat with new piece of paper - unlikely that size of paper will =size of tank, so you might not get all the gunge first time

Stand back and admire!

 

[rdd1952]

I find the following works for removing film - e.g in cycling a tank:

a) Take a clean, dry peice of paper
) Lay it gently on the surface of the water
c) lift (sort of slide it, really) off the surface smoothly
d) repeat with new piece of paper - unlikely that size of paper will =size of tank, so you might not get all the gunge first time

Stand back and admire!

[snapback]915699[/snapback]​

I have tried this and it seems to be a very temporary fix. I've tried it with paper towels and newpaper (read that somewhere). The film is gone for an hour or 2 but then it's back. I think it simply breaks it up so you can see it. I usually skim mine off with a dixie cup. Just hold it slightly below water level and let it "suck" in the film. I generally do this at water changes.

 

[annka5]

The paper technique doesn't cure the cause of the film, but I find it takes almost all of it off the surface which stayed clear until it built up again over the course of the following days (tank was cycling at the time!)
Maybe it depends on how thick or oily the film is or something?