Tank Oil Film directly related to temperature WHY??

[roland jacques]

Oil films on the surface of tanks has always been a question to me. why some tanks develop fatty oils others don't.

I noticed in 5 tanks (both FW & SW) that had this film build up go away as temperatures drop in the tank. I was thinking that it certain bacterias that do better in colder waters. Any ideas?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Roland Jacques;120672 wrote: Oil films on the surface of tanks has always been a question to me. why some tanks develop fatty oils others don't.

I noticed in 5 tanks (both FW & SW) that had this film build up go away as temperatures drop in the tank. I was thinking that it certain bacterias that do better in colder waters. Any ideas?

Roland- I think the opposite. I think the oily film you are seeing is a biological by product or end product, and when the temp goes up, there is more produced.

I cant think of many bacteria that woukld function better in the cold rather than warm, other than extreme adapted bacteria (polar), and, of course, extreme heat, which would like kill bacteria and denature the enzymes.

 

[fishwhisperer]

It may have more to do with what you are feeding.

 

[schwaggs]

I think feeding and skimming effect this as well. I have seen tanks curing live rock where there is a "oily" film on the water that when you run your finger through it, it collects on your finger. I think it is actually protiens that stick to the air-water interface. Feeding and not skimming enough contribute to the "oily" film IMO. Also, surface agitation seems to prevent the "oily" film from forming.

 

[ericmcj31]

that's why a good surface skimmer (or overflow box) will help for that

 

[jefft]

I noticed when I started wearing an aquarium glove any oily film I used to have went away. So most oil in my tank came from me. So since my family history came from Italy I quess thats why we were called greasers! lol

 

[roland jacques]

jmaneyapanda;120673 wrote: Roland- I think the opposite. I think the oily film you are seeing is a biological by product or end product, and when the temp goes up, there is more produced.

.

But you seem to agree that it is a result of a bacteria function.

So do you think at lower temps this oil is just in other forms of "waste"?

 

[roland jacques]

fishwhisperer;120674 wrote: It may have more to do with what you are feeding.

If that was ture i would have it in all my tanks that i feed the same foods to. that is not the case.

I have not changed the food, but it went away in all the tanks that saw temp drops.

 

[roland jacques]

Schwaggs;120686 wrote: I think feeding and skimming effect this as well. I have seen tanks curing live rock where there is a "oily" film on the water that when you run your finger through it, it collects on your finger. I think it is actually protiens that stick to the air-water interface. Feeding and not skimming enough contribute to the "oily" film IMO. Also, surface agitation seems to prevent the "oily" film from forming.

I agree these things will manage the oils. I was interested as to why would temp seem to effect the production.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Roland Jacques;120763 wrote: But you seem to agree that it is a result of a bacteria function.

So do you think at lower temps this oil is just in other forms of "waste"?

maybe, maybe not. I dont know. I just dont think that lower temps would promote an increase in activity.