# Floating grease-like on surface, wat do??



## Ahura-sama (Sep 5, 2008)

The best simile is motor oil on water. That grease layer of rainbow effect.

It did not show up right away but more like 3-4 days later after I fill the tank. I read from somewhere that it could be protein scum and that filter can remove this. I have no fish in the tank btw. Regardless, what could possibly be causing this??

Water level is about 20 high by 12 wide. I have eheim intake situated about halfway (10") the water height.

Water is very still on the surface.


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## ianryeng (Dec 22, 2008)

you would need to get a surface skimming filter or attachment for your filter is the only solution I know of...

If someone else has a better alternative I would like to know as well as I have a similar issue and have just been stalling a surface skimming solution as I do not desire the potentially resulting co2 reduction.


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## freshyleif (Jan 9, 2008)

Surface movement will help reduce the problem, maybe even eliminate it. A simple water change can also clean up some. As far as I know it is coming from organic decomposition in the tank. When I don't clean up the detritus in my tank for a while I can see the film start to build. But one good WC and it is gone. I have had a surface skimmer in the past and it worked great. I don't use it now and have no film though.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Well, the proteins probably come from a microorganism of some sort. Many make a jelly like coating that protects them, so perhaps one of these microbes produces the protein slime. In any event, the film seems to be a temporary phenomenon and probably won't last more then a few weeks as the tank matures.

You don't have to remove the protein film, it isn't harmful, just a bit ugly looking.

You could get rid of the film by increasing surface agitation, so pointing a filter up at the surface, or adding a hang on the back filter would do the trick. Of course this will remove CO2 from the water so it might not be so good for the plants.

Alternatively, you could lay a paper towel on the surface of the water. The scum will stick to the towel and then you can remove it. 

Some fish also like to eat it. Guppies, Mollies and other live bearers tend to enjoy it.


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## Ahura-sama (Sep 5, 2008)

Well, I have duckweed and frogbits (I think that's what it is) floating would they not interfere w/ the skimmer?? Or even the Eheim intake for that matter.


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## tapscrew (Jul 1, 2006)

Hi,
I have had this problem in the past. I started off getting rid of it by floating paper towels on the surface, it does wipe off but you never get rid of it all and it just kept coming back so I ended up having to do it every day which is a right pain. Now I run an airpump with an airstone just under the surface for half an hour twice during the night to agitate the surface of the water which seems to have solved the problem for me.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Night time airstones and gently agitating powerheads are a good method for taking care of this stuff. It may be hard to get rid of the layer completely, but these things definitely reduce it. I also find they keep the CO2 more stable. One of the big problems with this film is its consistency; I've had it turn into a white sheet at times, and it caused a massive retention of CO2 that killed some shrimp.

-Philosophos


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## Ahura-sama (Sep 5, 2008)

Im thinking about diy something similar to that add-on for Eheim intake that let the filter pulls in surface layer also.

Maybe a really fine net cover so the weeds wouldnt get suck in.
THis shouldnt disturb the surface too much for co2 to get wasted yeha??


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