# Film on top of water



## timewalker03 (Feb 27, 2007)

I have an oily film on top of my water. Can anyone tell me what it is and how to get rid of it. i have a 55g tank. Thanks for the help. If you need tank stats to figure this out Ill post them but if not ill wait till i put them in my signature.


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Normal deposits from air...usually from cooking, smoking, auto emission, etc.... You can remove thick film by putting a clean sheet of paper on the surface and move it around.

Putting a glass cover will help. Make sure you leave a 1/2" gap along the length of the tank for gas exchange.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

I suspect much of it originates from within the tank in the form of lighter-than-water protein and lipid accumulations. I use a surface skimmer to remove it from one tank. Another less heavily stocked tank has very little surface scum.


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

mollies and platties will eat that surface film as well. another thing you can try, if you have a spray bar, is slightly turn it upward so that it lightly moves the water surface. not so much if you're injecting co2, so that it doesn't de-gas what is in the tank.


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## Tsquare (Feb 9, 2007)

I had scum from substrate in a newly set up tank. Used my Python siphon system to suck it from the top. It can be half out of the water and still work.You have to remove the big end to do this.
Gene


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## bigtroutz (Nov 17, 2006)

Blue-Green Algae also make a surface scum that looks like oil.

All the comments methods of removal will work well.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/biofilm/surscum.shtml

I like using surface skimmers to get rid of it, also Mollys work very well.


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## Aquaspot (Jan 19, 2006)

It's probably protein film from the plants. May be a little unsightly but is otherwise harmless in the aquarium.


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## dapellegrini (Jan 18, 2007)

In addition to what has already been mentioned, I have also noticed that some dechlor/stress coat treatment will leave a film on the surface of your water. PWC and using a siphon at the surface can help get rid of a lot of it.


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## banderbe (Nov 17, 2005)

I found that Seachem purigen got rid of the oily film.


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## timewalker03 (Feb 27, 2007)

Ty all for helping me out on this. I dont use any stress coat or anything else in my water. I use R/O water and I let it sit for 2 days before I introduce into the aquarium. Also My R/O unit removes all of the chlorine when I "Make" the water. Thanks all again.


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## MiSo (Nov 4, 2005)

i use a surface skimmer to get rid of it in my tank.
they work really well and makes the surface look spotless.










you can get them from drsfostersmith/bigals/lfs. 
they should go for around $10.


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