Protein film on the surface

[jcampbell]

I have a film on the surface of my tank. The surface has movement! What causes this, and how can I get rid of it?

 

[mopar9012]

How much movement? Is it just from a regular hang on the back filter?

this happened one time on my girlfriends tank, we pointed a power head to the surface and it cleared up in a couple days. Something about the water not getting enough oxygen.

 

[jcampbell]

I have a reef ready tank, so an overflow! Thats why I don't understand why I have it! I have 2 koralia 1050's in the tank so the water circulation is pretty high along with a mag 7 return pump!

 

[jeffmuse]

I had a film on the water for a while after changing my salt mix. Changing the direction of the overflows helped break this up, but it took a little while before it completely went away.

 

[mopar9012]

That is odd. Id say change the postion on the powerheads and see what that does. What I do on my tank is I have one return pump but it splits and pumps the water back in on each side of the tank so I point the locline(i think that is what is called) up on each side and it seems to get enough surface flow going on in my tank without pointing any power heads at the surface.

 

[kilo32]

Do you have any micro bubbles going into the tank. They can break on the surface and add the skim much the same as they would do inside a protein skimmer.

 

[jcampbell]

kilo32;671601 wrote: Do you have any micro bubbles going into the tank. They can break on the surface and add the skim much the same as they would do inside a protein skimmer.

Hmmm...I didn't think about that! I do have some sometimes! I may just adjust the loc-lines closer to the surface. I want more flow anyways! I may get 2 koralia 1400's or 1 vortech MP40

 

[jeffmuse]

JCampbell;671614 wrote: Hmmm...I didn't think about that! I do have some sometimes! I may just adjust the loc-lines closer to the surface. I want more flow anyways! I may get 2 koralia 1400's or 1 vortech MP40

If you have the opportunity to get a vortech mp 40, that is what I would go with... I added one to my system and it is awesome!

They are constantly being sold here on ARC or on Reef Central.

 

[jcampbell]

JeffMuse;671629 wrote: If you have the opportunity to get a vortech mp 40, that is what I would go with... I added one to my system and it is awesome!

They are constantly being sold here on ARC or on Reef Central.

I really want one, so bad!! How is the flow? Like, would I need 2? Maybe 2 mp 10 ES?

 

[kilo32]

JCampbell;671614 wrote: Hmmm...I didn't think about that! I do have some sometimes! I may just adjust the loc-lines closer to the surface. I want more flow anyways! I may get 2 koralia 1400's or 1 vortech MP40

I was thinking more along the lines of if you don't have an ATO then usually your first indication of a low level in your sump is when the tank returns are blowing air.

 

[jcampbell]

kilo32;671633 wrote: I was thinking more along the lines of if you don't have an ATO then usually your first indication of a low level in your sump is when the tank returns are blowing air.

I keep my sump topped off with water at all times! An ATO is usless for me, wasted money, and my return pump is wrapped in a 50 micron filter pad!

 

[smallblock]

Sometime if you point your loc line in the wrong way it will block flow to the overflow. In my first plumbing design I had this problem. Seemed that the fresh SW that the locline was supplying was pushing the top film back and not letting it get into the overflow.

 

[jennm]

Check your overflow teeth. Sometimes algae and gunk will get clogged between the front and back "layer" of the overflow box - AGA overflows have a hollow inside - there's a space in between where the water draws from the middle and bottom of the tank also, and go over the top into the box. Frequently when we're cleaning tanks we find a bunch of junk back behind the teeth and that can certainly impede the flow from the surface - so much so at times that I've seen the water level in the tank rise to dangerous heights because the water can't get through.

Run your finger through the groove behind the teeth and see what you get.

Jenn

 

[kilo32]

JCampbell;671635 wrote: I keep my sump topped off with water at all times! An ATO is usless for me, wasted money, and my return pump is wrapped in a 50 micron filter pad!

Could it be that the filter pad on the return pump is impeding the flow enough to cause some cavitation which would give you micro bubbles. I just know that the one time that I had that type of a problem it was micro bubbles from a protein skimmer that was going back through my return. The surface of my tank had the appearance of an oil slick. As soon as I eliminated the bubbles (which I really couldn't see that well) that problem went away....I'm just throwing things at the wall to see what might stick.

 

[jcampbell]

Smallblock;671665 wrote: Sometime if you point your loc line in the wrong way it will block flow to the overflow. In my first plumbing design I had this problem. Seemed that the fresh SW that the locline was supplying was pushing the top film back and not letting it get into the overflow.

That's kind of how mine is! It just moves in a circle! It goes no where near the overflow!

Edit:

JennM;671707 wrote: Check your overflow teeth. Sometimes algae and gunk will get clogged between the front and back "layer" of the overflow box - AGA overflows have a hollow inside - there's a space in between where the water draws from the middle and bottom of the tank also, and go over the top into the box. Frequently when we're cleaning tanks we find a bunch of junk back behind the teeth and that can certainly impede the flow from the surface - so much so at times that I've seen the water level in the tank rise to dangerous heights because the water can't get through.

Run your finger through the groove behind the teeth and see what you get.

Jenn

Just looked up in there! I do actually have some hair algae blocking the water! I'll get it out and see what happens!

 

[jcampbell]

Sure enough, the overflow was definitely block with tons of algae!
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[jennm]

&lt;----- Usually smarter than the average bear

Someone else pointed out that if you have a filter pad around your pump that might impede flow - I missed that earlier but they are correct. There are sponges/strainers that help keep matter out of the pump but I wouldn't suggest a fine pad as it will make the pump work harder and shorten its lifespan.

Jenn

 

[jcampbell]

hahaha! The filter pad is basically wrapped around the pump for vibration, i guess. It's not filtering the water in any way. It's just wrapped around it, but there is a large opening where the pump intake is!

 

[jennm]

Ah OK. Be sure to keep it clean though... you can use a piece of rubber mouse pad under the pump for vibration. Some of the larger Mag pumps come with one with sticky stuff on it to stick to the pump for that purpose (9.5 and up).

Jenn

 

[jcampbell]

JennM;671808 wrote: Ah OK. Be sure to keep it clean though... you can use a piece of rubber mouse pad under the pump for vibration. Some of the larger Mag pumps come with one with sticky stuff on it to stick to the pump for that purpose (9.5 and up).

Jenn

That actually what I am doing now! Well, Do know if I'll get around to the Mag! However, the Koralia's are so gunked up with coraline algae; does that cleaner work that they make for them? I think I've seen it in your shop!