White scum/film on glass

[Chantal]

Just noticed tonight (although it could have been around before and left unnoticed) a white scum/film on the inside of the glass. When I touch it, it feel like slime. Looks kind of cloudy. Not hairs - just slime.

30 gallon with sand substrate, 3 guppies, 1 weather loach and one tiny malaysian trumpet snail (was supposed to be a meal for the loach.. now it seems to be a permanent tank mate). Did a PWC tonight (done weekly ~20%-30%). Test the parameters almost daily (every second day for sure).

Parameters:
pH ~7.6-7.8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate ~10ppm

Tank is well established, been up and running for ~3 months. The fish are fed a variety of foods - flake, frozen bloodworms, sinking shrimp pellets, algae wafers. They eat anything and everything. Rarely any uneated food - use gravel vaccuum to stir up the sand during PWC to prevent dead spots. Use dechlorinator during PWC and occasionally cycle.

Any ideas what is causing this? I think it may be time to get a glass cleaning fish.. The snail is leaving little trails from 'eating' it..

 

[Dale_I]

Any pictures? My first thought is natural algae. But, it may be easier to identify if we could visualize it.

If the snail is eating it, I would guess it's pretty safe. I'm sure you could get a few Otocinclus (min 3) and they would love it.

Is this a planted tank? What kind of light are you using? How long do you keep the light on?

 

[Chantal]

Dig cam is missing and blackberry pictures don't show it, but it's hardly noticeable when sitting a few feet away. It's only up close that it can be really seen. The fish are all happy (heh.. all 4) and healthy so I don't think they're affected.. Just never seen this before or heard of it and don't want it to get out of control.

Never been a big fan of otos, but maybe. Maybe a colourful pleco? I still don't know what exactly my PLAN for this tank is yet, which is why there are 4 fish in a 30 gal. But the guppies have been enjoying it so they'll stay for now. The loach will stay long term with his snail pet.

Tank isn't planted but the light is for a planted tank. It's on at night and off during the day - about 12 hours and not in direct sunlight. I'm awful for leaving it on for extended periods of time though. If I turn it off and cover the tank do you think that would get rid of it? The guppies get depressed if I leave the light off for a number of days (or I think they're depressed.. they just hover at the bottom vs playing chase with eachother).

What has me puzzled is that nitrAtes have never been out of control.. I'm diligent with PWC so there shouldn't be any opportunity for algaes to grow.

 

[Fishies86]

Do you use a filter start/boost at all? I was using one before I knew what I was doing, and I ended up with all this white/clear slime everywhere in my tank, esp the glass. Once I stopped using the filter start, I cleaned the whole tank and it didn't come back again.

 

[Talvari]

You get the white film just before algae growth starts... Or at least thats what happens in my tank, as well as the tanks at work.

Just taking an aquarium scrubbie and wiping down the sides of the glass before your water changes helps cut down on the mess.

 

[Chantal]

Do you use a filter start/boost at all? I was using one before I knew what I was doing, and I ended up with all this white/clear slime everywhere in my tank, esp the glass. Once I stopped using the filter start, I cleaned the whole tank and it didn't come back again.

I hate to sound like a n00b but filter start? It's only on the glass, not decoration (yes just one lone decoration, again.. Not decided what this tank's permanent habitants will be yet). How did you clean the tank?

I found the dig cam.. too bad I don't have ANY batteries! Going to get some this afternoon hopefully

 

[Chantal]

You get the white film just before algae growth starts... Or at least thats what happens in my tank, as well as the tanks at work.

Just taking an aquarium scrubbie and wiping down the sides of the glass before your water changes helps cut down on the mess.

So before long this clear/white film is going to turn green? Good thing I asked!

I'm still confused as to there not being much for nitrAtes.. Doesn't there need to be a large presence of nitrates for algae to thrive?

 

[Chantal]

It looks worse than it is in these pictures (Blackberry cameras.. Not a fan). The big streak is actually the area where the snail has trailed and cleaned the scum, so although it LOOKS cloudy right there, it's actually clean in that swoosh. Watching the guppies today, they're trying to eat it! That's enough to make me a believer that it's algae.

I'll be going to get some new scrubbies (and batteries for dig cam), can't remember if the ones I have currently contain chems.




Again though, one thing is puzzling me - for algae to grow, shouldn't my nitrates be out of control?

Should I get some Nitra-Zorb to clear up the 10ppm that I do have?

 

[Dale_I]

I don't think it needs to be out of control, just present in the water column. For that matter, phosphates too. Trying to keep your nitrates at 0 ppm is going to be a challenge since the BB convert fish waste into nitrate.

Light management is going to be your key. Dropping to 6 or 8 hours a day will go further than trying to play with chemicals.

 

[Chantal]

It was definitely the start of algae on the glass. As soon as I started scrubbing it off you could see it was actually green in large amounts. Put the light on a timer, got a moss ball and getting more plants in the future.

Thanks for the help!