# how to get rid of the protein layer on surface?



## kamel_007 (Jan 7, 2006)

hello,
i want to get rid of it, its annoying. i read about protein skimmer but i dont want to buy it,
any other possible way?
i avoid the surface movements to keep co2 stable inside.


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## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

Awhile back I got a film on the surface of my 46 BF. I laid a layoer of paper towels on the surface and it soaked/broke it up. I haven’t had it in awhile.
I don’t know what causes it.
It’s a little messy.
Charles


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## Yeaulman (Jun 23, 2005)

I used to use this:










Hagan surface skimmer that connects to your canister filter.


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## James0816 (Oct 9, 2008)

Run an airstone at night after the lights go out.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

I've read that black mollies will slurp it up.


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## wwh2694 (Aug 15, 2008)

I read it someting to do with ur filter. Its dirty and not mature yet thats why u getting surface scum. Anyways i use ADA Vuppa.


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## kamel_007 (Jan 7, 2006)

wwh2694 said:


> I read it someting to do with ur filter. Its dirty and not mature yet thats why u getting surface scum. Anyways i use ADA Vuppa.


thanks for the reply, but i have cleaned it recently.


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## pbh (Dec 9, 2010)

The Hagen surface skimmer works best.

If you want a quick fix, drag a dry sheet of newspaper over the surface and the scum will stick to the newspaper leaving the water surface without any scum.


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## Rtifs (Nov 6, 2009)

It’s a bacterial biofilm. You’re seeing the protein glue that holds the bacteria together in their colony. It means that you’ve got the nutrients necessary to support them. Once they’ve used up those nutrients, they die off rapidly. The nutrients probably come from your water supply, so you may experience it for a few days every time you change the water.


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## kamel_007 (Jan 7, 2006)

im confused about it, i dont have a surface movements, i only have 2 adult discus, 2adult angel and a 10 tetra fish, i think im not overstock,
i dont feed them much.
My water supply here is very hard, so i mix with RO water to arrive at GH15 medium hardness.
I dose nutrients for the plants.
I search for surface skimmer and couldn't find it here. I think i will diy one.


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## reybie (Jul 18, 2007)

Post #3 is a surface skimmer. It can be attached to a powerhead for temporary installations or hooked up to a canister filter for a more permanent placement. I use one of those myself.


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## lanceduffy (Jul 15, 2010)

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/general-aquarium-plants-discussions/79463-surface-scum.html


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## tapscrew (Jul 1, 2006)

I encountered this problem a while back, now i run an airstone for a couple of hours over night and i have no further problems with it. As I understand it you should run an airstone overnight anyway if oyu are injecting co2 to prevent it building up and becoming excessive. Good luck!


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## Virc003 (Aug 18, 2011)

I guess I posted this in the wrong thread.

Snails will eat it. I set up a 10gal without a filter, and the first month or so the scum was getting quite nasty until one day I saw a snail, upside down, siphoning the surface of the water. It was gone in a few days.


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## m00se (Jan 18, 2011)

tapscrew said:


> I encountered this problem a while back, now i run an airstone for a couple of hours over night and i have no further problems with it. As I understand it you should run an airstone overnight anyway if oyu are injecting co2 to prevent it building up and becoming excessive. Good luck!


+1 on the air stone at night. Clears it right up. One thing I discovered when I RAOK'd some plants to a friend and they sat in his 5 gallon pail for several days while he puttered around with his new tank. The plants were in new dechlorinated water with a strip light over them. No water movement at all. There were valisneria americana, wisteria, and jave ferns in there. Well wouldn't you know it - the water developed the glassy film on it. This leads us to believe it's one of those plants that are creating this film. My money is on the ferns. Just a very unscientific observation. We put an air stone in there and within minutes the film was gone.


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