bubbly, white film on top of H2O

[gilraen]

This morning there was this bubbly, white/transparent film on top on the tank H2O. The water itself is clear, skimmer is producing normal stuff, the fish look good and swimming around. I haven't tested the H2O (I do it every friday), as of last week everything was 0, nitriates where 5ppm. I'm able to pick up the film with a paper towel and on it the thing looks like curded milk. Any ideas?

I'll be out for awhile, just in case somebody has more questions. Thanks!!

[SirLight1337]

Where do you have this maxi 1200 ? It needs to be in the display tank and should be near the surface as to promote good gas exchange and to prevent the water from becoming stagnant. Id suggest adding another PH

[pearsont74]

if you have a sump...and an overflow amke sure that your returns and PH are moving the surface water alot....I have dual retunrs and all 3 PH are somewhat pointed or angled towards the surface.....before the PH I noticed i the corners junk gathering that didnt get sucked in by the overflow.
I also got a 2nd overflow to prevent this and make sure for a good turnover rate but the PH will make the difference

[schoeplein]

Good advice listed above. Create surface water motion to clear this up.

[gilraen]

Oh man, I forgot, I don't have my sump running since I'm in the process of adding a bigger one (my new pump arrives tomorrow). AND...well... I also took out the maxi-1200 cause the anemone was drawn to it...BUT now that somebody suggested it, I'll place it higher in the tank. You guys are life-savers. Thanks

[SirLight1337]

Also a word of caution with powerheads and anemones. Please please please, buy some nylon batting or a sponge of some type and cut it to fit over the intake of the powerhead. I have lost 2 anemones in the past due to powerheads and no one giving me this warning.

[gilraen]

The intake already has a net, the anemone doesn't get hurt but just "sucked up" to it... I did placed the maxi very high on the tank, I don't think she can reach it now I hope...

Oh and the stuff is starting to clear up too now that it has the current going on strong

[schoeplein]

Make sure you have current throughout the entirety of the tank... deadspot on the top of the water may now be a dead spot on the bottom of the tank.. detritus buildup is a little tougher to get rid of than surface scum. 8O

[gilraen]

thanks

[Avi]

I agree with what's been said about the flow and the direction of the flow, but it seems that there is also an excessive amount of organics in the tank that the skimmer is unable to keep up with. Are you getting an unwanted algae growth? How is the coraline algae growth?

[lando]

What do you feed? Any addatives?

[gilraen]

coralline algae growth looks good and I also have green growth on the rocks. no additives in the tank, I tested H2O last night and EVERYTHING was 0 I feed evey other day a mix of mysis shrimp, seaweed, some other red stuff, pellets and flakes (I rotate the food, sometimes use 2 at the same time). Fish look good.

[lando]

Do you rinse your thawed food before putting into the main?

[Avi]

Just curious but do you also test for phosphates?

[gilraen]

Yes I tested for phosphates and they were 0. Lando, I don't rinse the food... actually, I not even knew I had to do that...just learned something today. Thanks!!

[Avi]

Well, I think we're gonna have to live with never figuring out what composed that white film on top of the tank. If your nitrates and your phosphates were both undetectable, what it was feeding off of isn't very easy to ponder.

[schoeplein]

Surface scum and dust buildup methinks. Whatever nutrients floated to the top or sunk to the bottom, and aren't disolved in the water.... would this make sense?

[Avi]

It would make sense if there were some significant measure take in the immediate area of the tank, like doing sanding while finishing sheetrock in the room, or something else that would bring it into the tank suddenly. But, in the absence of that, for something to suddenly appear as a whitish film on the surface of the water suggests that it precipitated out of the water. Otherwise, I'd think that it formed because something foreign was unable to mix with the water and what that was that would have been apparent.