Eco-Complete film on water?

R

riseabovethesun

Large Fish
#1
Jun 14, 2010
649
0
0
California
aquatic-underworld.blogspot.com
#1
One of my last questions, I know I've had a few lately. I've heard Eco-Complete substrate takes up to 6 weeks to work out all the water parameters it will change, which mine have been perfectly fine. However, there is a film on the water now and I am wondering if that is going to clear up within 6 weeks after it's been going for awhile? It's only almost been 1 week since I've redone the substrate.

Oh and everything is still alive and well, just the weird film..any ideas?
 

R

riseabovethesun

Large Fish
#4
Jun 14, 2010
649
0
0
California
aquatic-underworld.blogspot.com
#4
stoddern said:
what kind of film? oily? foamy? got a pic if it'll be visable in a pic?
Click to expand...
It moves in the way that oil would but if you touch it, it isn't like oily. It isn't foamy either. But I had noticed a few bubbles collect at the back, I washed them away and they never were there again, not sure if that has anything to do with it.

Also I thought it cleared up this morning then I fed them and as I put the food in the water around the food stayed clear and it floated through the "oily/film" so you could see like a path of clear water surrounded by the stuff. It is kind of white tinted.

I'll try to get a photo of it
 

anshuman

anshuman

Large Fish
#5
Nov 16, 2009
686
0
0
Mumbai India
#5
The film you are referring to is "BioFilm" its built by a kind of bacteria which grow on still water, the bacteria and film are not harmful but they literally block the water surface from air preventing any exchange of oxygen etc with the water. not good.

There are two ways to get rid of it. 1) point your skimmer/filter in such a way that there is slight water surface movement. might take time for the film to 'die-off'. 2) keep water-surface still, shut off everything, get a old paper (not the shiny heavily printed thick magazine paper) and let the paper sit on the surface and after some 2-3 seconds, peel it off from the corner, the paper will soak some water and due to surface tension, the bio-film sticks to paper, Might have to do it one more time with new paper if the film was old. this removes film within seconds.


and please, dont feel shy asking questions, ask MORE :D never harms to ask :).
 

R

riseabovethesun

Large Fish
#6
Jun 14, 2010
649
0
0
California
aquatic-underworld.blogspot.com
#6
anshuman said:
The film you are referring to is "BioFilm" its built by a kind of bacteria which grow on still water, the bacteria and film are not harmful but they literally block the water surface from air preventing any exchange of oxygen etc with the water. not good.

There are two ways to get rid of it. 1) point your skimmer/filter in such a way that there is slight water surface movement. might take time for the film to 'die-off'. 2) keep water-surface still, shut off everything, get a old paper (not the shiny heavily printed thick magazine paper) and let the paper sit on the surface and after some 2-3 seconds, peel it off from the corner, the paper will soak some water and due to surface tension, the bio-film sticks to paper, Might have to do it one more time with new paper if the film was old. this removes film within seconds.


and please, dont feel shy asking questions, ask MORE :D never harms to ask :).
Click to expand...
Thanks so much!! I do notice that the return part of the filter does keep non-film like water because of the movement and on my old betta tank I did do the paper towel thing. But since this tank is like my passion (not that the betta wasn't..but yeah ha) I wanted to make sure it wasn't something harmful, I mean besides creating the oxygen exchange issue. I'm really glad to hear it isn't like some BP thing in my fish tank :-0
 

You must log in or register to reply here.