Surface Scum Problem

[LeviathanGirl]

The water in my area seems to generate a large amount of surface scum in my tanks. If the water surface is left undisturbed for a couple hours an opaque film will form and can get pretty thick. Some of the filters I have dont aggitate the surface enough... however the fish themselves seem to be perfectly fine. Is there some way I can keep this film from happening? Maybe some treatment for my water before I put it into my tanks?

So far I've been scraping it off with paper towels, but its getting tedious to do it after every water change. I'm new to the east coast, the waters alot different in alot of ways from the water back home on the west coast and I'm still trying to adjust. I dont like the idea of the scum being in the water of the tanks that do get good surface agitation due to the thickness that forms on top of the ones that dont.. Its just gross.

 

[tjudy]

Have you done a series of water tests for general hardness, pH and KH? Maybe you have a lot of TDS that is precipitating out once it is in the aquarium. If your house has a water softener check to see that it is A) on, and B) has salt in the salt reservior. Assuming your problem is caused by excess carbonates the water softener will help. Only an RO system will solve the issue totally.

 

[fishgeek]

protein skimming or some surface filtration ie overflow etc that will remove the material floating at the top

can sometimes be bacterial/protein layer
or as ted said

andrew

 

[LeviathanGirl]

I havent gotten the rest of my things from storage back home and my test kits are packed in one of my larger tanks. I plan on using them as soon as they get here. Should be the end of this week or begining of next. I do know we have high levels of chloramine and chlorine here. I found a good chlorine remover that also breaks down chloramines and deals with them.

The adult fish I have are spawning really well. I currently have a pair of A. Cacatuoides with a batch of eggs and an F1 P. Pulcher "Nigerian Red" pair guarding wrigglers. Convicts are spawning (how could they not be). My Betta Smaragdina think their rabbits. Plus my F. Gardneri "Makurdi" have reached maturity and followed suit.

The only fish that I am concerned for now are my Badis Ruber, they came in a bit thin in the belly, wont eat anything that doesnt wiggle and arnt gaining any wieght back. I've treated them for worms and internal parasites... I think its just that the only thing I have to feed them are grindals. Who knows at this point.

I'd like to get an RO unit and have wanted one for a while now, but I dont have the money and have no idea what kind to get whatsoever.

 

[AdamT]

I've had periods of much suface scum. I don't think it was ever due to large amounts of dissolved (inorganic) solids, but I can't guarantee it didn't have something to do with my tapwater. It has never seemed to harm my fish. I've always assumed that it was biological in nature, and it seemed to follow some disturbance in the tank, such as a move. Mostly I've seen it in tanks that have been taken down and then brought back up. I don't think it's rotting matter, since I figure that would have a negative effect (that I haven't seen) on fish health. I wonder if it might be fungal? Or bacterial?

You could try PolyOx or add carbon (or a carbon-like absorption resin) to your filter. You could add areation to break up the surface of your tank. These skimmer things are generally not crazy expensive, I've thought about getting one, and you might try it. I added duckweed once and either the duckweed consumed it, or it stuck to the duckweed that I scooped out and discarded every week.

I've also had it just go away by itself. How long has it been since you moved? I expect everything will be fine as soon as your tank gets it's groove back. Excepting the Badis, who I would expect to be suffering from something else, since your other fish are ok.