Surface scum

[MarkW19]

I still have the stuff on the surface - I've just adjusted my spraybar so it's not blowing out nearly as many bubbles - you can barely see them now unless you get really close up.

I just got rid of the stuff on the surface with paper towels/powerheads to break it up, but it's back again within a few minutes...

Are they just bubbles? All part of the filtration/aeration of the tank? Or should I be worried about them?

 

[MarkW19]

no-one?

 

[Brad]

I'm listening...

Well my two cents is that you should turn your skimmer on, if you have one. Earlier there was discussion of leaving your skimmer off during cycle. I don't agree with that. Besides, you've got scum and you need to skim it. AND...

See if you can disturb the surface somehow...either by waterfalling water down through the surface or deflecting a powerhead slightly toward the surface. AND...

Try to draw water off of the surface into your skimmer, or into a powerhead, or into your filter or whatever you've got.

 

[MarkW19]

I don't have a skimmer...

Thing is I got all the stuff off, then I turned everything back on again and it came back again, perhaps something to do with the bubbles I'm getting out of my Eheim...

 

[Brad]

no skimmer

OK..no skimmer. Try to do the other things I mention. Get that surface water into some sort of filter. The trick is pulling water from the surface. I've seen adapters for powerheads that will do it.