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11-05-2010, 11:39 AM
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#1
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Aquarium Advice Activist
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lancaster, Pa
Posts: 149
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Oily film on water surface
Attachment 25911
Attachment 25912
Not the best pictures, but I tried. 
Does anyone know what this is or what is causing it? I just noticed it last night.
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"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I or are the others crazy?" 
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11-05-2010, 12:09 PM
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#2
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Aquarium Advice FINatic
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Whitestone, Queens, NY
Posts: 592
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looks like biofilm to me...
i had a thread on this awhile back... you can check it out Here
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"Never argue with a idiot, they will drag you down to there level then beat you with experience." "One never needs their humor as much a when they argue with a fool."
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11-05-2010, 01:09 PM
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#3
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Oak Forest, IL
Posts: 4,388
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If it's indeed an oily film and not cloudy water, it can come from a lot of sources. Aerosol propellents, cooking fumes, even skin oil can make that film.
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11-05-2010, 01:12 PM
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#4
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SW REEF 20+ YEARS
Community Admin
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 39,145
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I`m a SW person but Surface aggitation does a good job of breaking it up. I`ve also seen people put a paper towel on top of it and then pull it out.
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11-06-2010, 11:05 PM
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#5
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Sacramento Area
Posts: 1,553
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Ive seen this atributed to oil skin alot, especially if you have lotion or something on when you reach in the tank.
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-CHAD
"Another Fish Tank!?!?!?!?" -My Wife 
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11-07-2010, 01:47 PM
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#6
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Aquarium Advice Regular
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 69
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I have this problem about once or so a month, and when it starts to happen I notice the bubbles float around on the surface longer before they pop. The water just looks thick. But then I started noticing my aqueon filter was filled and the water was just bypassing the filter, getting run through a pump and dumped back into the tank. So I started keeping an eye on it, and whenever I notice the film start to appear and the bubbles start taking longer to pop, I just change out my filter and it goes away within a day.
Good luck!
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11-07-2010, 01:52 PM
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#7
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Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Orange Beach, Alabama
Posts: 19,407
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Sit dechlorinated water in a cup or bowl for a few days with no agitation and you'll see the same thing. I used to have bio-film appear on my tanks, then I increased surface agitation by means of a spray bar... haven't seen it since.
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"What, exactly, is the internet? Basically it is a global network exchanging digitized data in such a way that any computer, anywhere, that is equipped with a device called a 'modem', can make a noise like a duck choking on a kazoo." - Dave Barry
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11-07-2010, 01:54 PM
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#8
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Aquarium Advice FINatic
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Whitestone, Queens, NY
Posts: 592
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+1 for surface agitation as a solution...
__________________
"Never argue with a idiot, they will drag you down to there level then beat you with experience." "One never needs their humor as much a when they argue with a fool."
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11-07-2010, 10:48 PM
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#9
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Aquarium Advice Addict
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Queens, NY
Posts: 2,082
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This used to happen to my 72 gallon. I never found out why, but I wound up relating it to my oily skin (don't be grossed out, I'm not greasy, just have excess oil on my hands  ) Anyway, like others have said, agitation breaks it up nicely. It always occurred in the dead spots of my tank.
See? Lol
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11-08-2010, 12:10 PM
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#10
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Aquarium Advice Activist
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lancaster, Pa
Posts: 149
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Surface agitation is the key.
As my water level drops from evaporation my AC70 causes a lot more surface agitation. I guess I had my water level a little to high? Now the film is barely noticeable. :p
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