# Layer of "film" at water surface in tank - HELP!



## crumbworks

Hey all. I am new here (first post!) so I will first say Hello.

Alright, down to business. I have a wonderful blue betta (cleverly named Dr. Fish, haha) but I have a concern about something that happens after every water change.

*Explanation:*
I change the water every other Wednesday. After every water change, there is this 'film' at the surface of the water. Think of it like this: if I poke my finger in and pull it out, the area where my finger used to be is clear (normal) ...but the rest of the top of the water is murky. The water itself seems very clean when looking from the side of the tank... just not the surface.

Also, when the water is like this, any food I put in spreads around VERY quickly, like I could put in a small amount that should sit in a 2 x 2 cm spot, but it disperses and covers more than half the tank in a second. Dr. Fish doesn't eat as much when it is like this... like he can't see (or smell?) his food.

As the time passes (now it is the Thursday after, so 8 days after the change), that film starts to go away... his food stays grouped together, he sees it right away, and eats it all up immediately.


*Things that may be helpful to know:*

- I use tap water

- I treat it with water conditioner (NutraFin Aqua Plus), leaving the new treated water in a sealed container for several hours (or overnight) before changing it, just to make sure it reaches room temperature

- I have a 2.5 gallon tank with 2 fake plants, an arch ornament, and plenty of gravel (the gravel is absolutely clean)

- The rest of the tank looks super clean after the change. It's just the surface that is an issue. After removing all the old water, I rinse the tank out very well (no soap, of course) and scrub all the gunk off the sides.

- I have a simple rectangular glass tank with no filter

- I do complete water changes every other week

*Please help Dr. Fish!*

Thanks!


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## fishmadcraig

In a 2.5 water changes every "other" week are not really good enough, especially considering you don't have a filter. I would say its best to sort out a regime, if you cant do a full water change once a week, then maybe 25% every 2 days which will help the water quality significantly.


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## ScuitoAmi150

I have the same problem with my filtered sorority 10g. It is like a layer of oil! It isn't as bad as when I first set up the tank, now it is mostly like a ton of little bubbles floating around the tank (the girls aren't blowing bubbles).


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## 1077

crumbworks said:


> Hey all. I am new here (first post!) so I will first say Hello.
> 
> Alright, down to business. I have a wonderful blue betta (cleverly named Dr. Fish, haha) but I have a concern about something that happens after every water change.
> 
> *Explanation:*
> I change the water every other Wednesday. After every water change, there is this 'film' at the surface of the water. Think of it like this: if I poke my finger in and pull it out, the area where my finger used to be is clear (normal) ...but the rest of the top of the water is murky. The water itself seems very clean when looking from the side of the tank... just not the surface.
> 
> Also, when the water is like this, any food I put in spreads around VERY quickly, like I could put in a small amount that should sit in a 2 x 2 cm spot, but it disperses and covers more than half the tank in a second. Dr. Fish doesn't eat as much when it is like this... like he can't see (or smell?) his food.
> 
> As the time passes (now it is the Thursday after, so 8 days after the change), that film starts to go away... his food stays grouped together, he sees it right away, and eats it all up immediately.
> 
> 
> *Things that may be helpful to know:*
> 
> - I use tap water
> 
> - I treat it with water conditioner (NutraFin Aqua Plus), leaving the new treated water in a sealed container for several hours (or overnight) before changing it, just to make sure it reaches room temperature
> 
> - I have a 2.5 gallon tank with 2 fake plants, an arch ornament, and plenty of gravel (the gravel is absolutely clean)
> 
> - The rest of the tank looks super clean after the change. It's just the surface that is an issue. After removing all the old water, I rinse the tank out very well (no soap, of course) and scrub all the gunk off the sides.
> 
> - I have a simple rectangular glass tank with no filter
> 
> - I do complete water changes every other week
> 
> *Please help Dr. Fish!*
> 
> Thanks!


In a small tank with no biological filter,you should be using a water conditioner/dechlorinator such as Prime to detoxify the ammonia created by the fish and foods offered. Should also in my view,be changing water once a week at a minimum with twice weekly being better for the fish.The product you are using does nothing to neutralize Ammonia that is created by the fish through respiration(breathing) and waste(poop).
Is why most folks have filters to process the ammonia from fish,foods,and chloramines ,assuming they want their fishes to remain healthy in the long term. Product you are using probably contains something similar to aloe to coat the fishes scales and fins. Some believe it to be beneficial, and others ,(myself incuded) think that it must also coat the fishes gills and nostrils thus making it more difficult for fish to breathe. Could also be the contributing factor to oil slick on surface of water at each water change.IMHO


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## Neelie

ScuitoAmi150 said:


> I have the same problem with my filtered sorority 10g. It is like a layer of oil! It isn't as bad as when I first set up the tank, now it is mostly like a ton of little bubbles floating around the tank (the girls aren't blowing bubbles).


same here.
i have mechanical/chemical filters and have a layer too. its oil from the food you feed. its totally harmless. it does however block off oxygen. so taking a drinking glass and sucking it off the surface is very good. you could change the food too


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## ScuitoAmi150

I had this film appear when I set up the tank, before I even added a fish to the tank. I was thinking maybe one of my plants was leaking something into the water...


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## ecoprincess

Same thing here....altho mine tends to clump together in kind of white sections. I always assumed it was the metals from the water seperating from the conditioner and amonia reducing stuff. not sure tho.


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## smallvle

mine used to get the same thing all the time before i got a heater. (it's a mini hydor non-adjustable heater, tho i'm saving up for a full eclipse 6 gal hex tank with the works.) but if my tank's water temp drops below 77 for a day or two, i get that film. if it stays above 77 (usually does,) the film goes away. you didn't add if you had a heater or not crumbworks, but it might be worth a try. my mini Hydor heater has worked great and is finally just starting to go after about 2 1/2 years (again, almost saved up for a new tank with the works, inc. and adjsutable heater.) the hydor mini works great in my 2.5 gal tank, and is very inexpensive. you just need to buy a good thermometer and know that it really only raises the water temp 5-6 degrees above room temp, tho if you have a cover to your tank it keeps it a couple degrees even warmer. (our house in the winter is kept around 65 degrees, though my room stays a little warmer since it faces west and my tank somehow managed to stay right at 80 degrees 98% of the time this winter. it only dropped if my room got cold for one reason or another.)


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## ecoprincess

Dont know about anyone else....but i have a heater and still get the "film"

I use Novaqua+ and Amquel for the amonia. -shrugs-

I skim the top of the water everyday and refill with fresh water.......mainly b/c i want to keep the Oxygen easy to get for my betta.


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## xxabc

I heard it was protein-buildup. Not sure what that is though, I never actually looked into it. My sponge filter (+water agitation) took care of it and I've never seen it again. It's definitely affected by lack of water agitation (although not exactly in the negative light). HOB aren't always enough - especially with bettas who don't swim strongly.


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## Mister Sparkle

Depending on what kind of "film" we're talking about, it could be trapped gases in your water. Try making a whirlpool with a plastic whisk in the new water the next time you do a water change, vigorously stirring for at least a few minutes. It might help.


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## ecoprincess

Mister Sparkle said:


> Depending on what kind of "film" we're talking about



I will try to remember to take a pic in the morning


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## s3kshun62

I had the same problem when I had my Tetra Whisper 3i filter in my 2.5 gal tank. When I switched my filter to the Tom internal mini filter it cleared up in hours.


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## Noko

I think it's a protein film. I had one in my tank. I didn't have enough water circulating around so it had time to form. BTW you need to clean you tank a little bit more often.


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## ecoprincess

It seems that the film is there MORE the first couple days after a 100% water change. The more i think about it, the more it makes sense that its the minerals or the "proteins" in the water seperating and floating to the top. After a few days of skimming there really isnt much anymore (hence the no photo) I just did a 100% change, so i will post a pic tomorrow!  When i had my filter in the tank i found it was still collecting near the top just swirling around the area where the water re-enters the tank.


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## ecoprincess

Ok.....heres the pic


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## ecoprincess

any one else ever get this on the surface of the water in your tanks?


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## Mister Sparkle

Hmmm...sort of. Are you using anything that bubbles a lot (i.e. airstone or sponge filter)? If so, then I wouldn't worry about it too much. If not, then I'm stumped.


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## ecoprincess

Nope....nothing that bubbles at all.

The area i lived in has unusually high levels of hard metals in the water (ie calcium) Im thinking thats what it is. The tank has a hood so im pretty positive its not dust or anything.


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## Mister Sparkle

I wouldn't worry too much about calcium, which isn't actually a metal. If you do have hard metals in your water, though, I know that there are a lot conditioners which are designed to neutralize dissolved metals. Too many of those in your water is certainly something to be concerned about.


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## ecoprincess

lol ...riggght....calcium is definately NOT a metal! lol lol 

Thanks Mr. Sparkle..........u rock!


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## Kittles

ecoprincess said:


> lol ...riggght....calcium is definately NOT a metal! lol lol
> 
> Thanks Mr. Sparkle..........u rock!


Is that sarcasm? Because I just wiki'd: 


> Calcium is a soft gray alkaline earth metal, and is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the Earth's crust.


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## ecoprincess

Kittles said:


> Is that sarcasm? Because I just wiki'd:



I plead the 5th.....and will be the first to say that perhaps i may not be the brightest crayon in the box....but dammit im the prettiest! hahahaha

and nope....wasnt sarcastic......i really thought i got it wrong...but i guess i didnt haha


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## Kittles

LOL. Well, you could certainly play it off as sarcasm. Quick! Let's get these last 2 posts deleted and nobody will have to know!


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## smallvle

s3kshun62 said:


> I had the same problem when I had my Tetra Whisper 3i filter in my 2.5 gal tank. When I switched my filter to the Tom internal mini filter it cleared up in hours.


 i have the tetra 3i and the suction cups keep falling off, and i'm jusut not pleased with it. i looked at the tom filter and thought of buying it. is it a good buy?


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## ecoprincess

Kittles said:


> LOL. Well, you could certainly play it off as sarcasm. Quick! Let's get these last 2 posts deleted and nobody will have to know!



IM DOWN! wheres the delete post button? lol


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## Mister Sparkle

Kittles said:


> Is that sarcasm? Because I just wiki'd:


No, you got me there...I should have said that it isn't a HARD metal, nor a heavy one. Seriously, good catch, Kittles! Keeping me honest. Son of a... now I'm gonna have to do homework!


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## ecoprincess

I put an IAL if my tank.....and film is gone. Havn't seen it for 3 days now.

Hm...weird.


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## Mister Sparkle

Is there anything those things can't do?


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## ecoprincess

Mister Sparkle said:


> Is there anything those things can't do?


if i could - i'de send them off to do my day job!!! lol then for sure ide be set!

LOL


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## DanMarion

I had the same thing in my betta's heated and filtered 10 gallon. I put in an airstone and set the pump to a low flow, and the surface agitation seems to have taken care of the film. Haven't seen it since. I think it has something to do with the water not moving around.


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