Persistent biofilm

[20gallonreefer000]

I have had this oil-like, brown & green biofilm that doesn't seem to go away. I've tried manual removal, carbon, surface agitation, etc. My parameters are good and have been consistent for the past 3 years. My corals and fish are not affected thankfully, but the film makes simple tank maintenance a pain. Thanks in advance.

 

[OnlyZoas]

Commenting so I can see what others suggest. I don’t get a film as opaque as yours but my tank does get this type of build up. I don’t have a skimmer while it looks like you do so that’s interesting.

I usually manually surface skim with a cup when I notice it. And just today I tried the cling wrap trick and it definitely made a difference.

 

[20gallonreefer000]

Manual removal helps temporarily in my case, but it pops back up quick :(

 

[ogtumblruser]

food? every time I feed reefroids, benepets, or mysis it tends to add a film. But when i can't get rid of it I bring a powerhead up to the surface until it bubbles and leave that running for a couple minutes, display will act like a skimmer and then siphon bubbles that collects in the corners with syringe and discard or into the skimmer.

 

[Brickz]

Commenting so I can see what others suggest. I don’t get a film as opaque as yours but my tank does get this type of build up. I don’t have a skimmer while it looks like you do so that’s interesting.

I usually manually surface skim with a cup when I notice it. And just today I tried the cling wrap trick and it definitely made a difference.

 

[Clarkjw2002]

You need something with a surface skimmer. They make HOB filters and canister filters with them. Something like a Sachem Tidal HOB or Tunze comline skimmer. Otherwise, you'll never permanently get rid of the slick. In your pics it looks like you have film algae/cyano growing on it too.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If your picture is your surface agitation, to me thats not much agitation. The surface of my tanks looks like white water rapids, that may be overkill but you should at least have some strong ripples going across the surface, I like to see the occasional tiny bubble enter the water from the amount of agitation.

You need more surface agitation to mix that stuff back into the water so that your filtration can filter it out. Move your powerheads to just a few inches below the water and aim them up.

The surface film cuts the light and also cuts the gas exchange (cutting the oxygen level), as well as it is unattractive, so its important to get it resolved.

 

[OnlyZoas]

If your picture is your surface agitation, to me thats not much agitation. The surface of my tanks looks like white water rapids, that may be overkill but you should at least have some strong ripples going across the surface, I like to see the occasional tiny bubble enter the water from the amount of agitation.

You need more surface agitation to mix that stuff back into the water so that your filtration can filter it out. Move your powerheads to just a few inches below the water and aim them up.

The surface film cuts the light and also cuts the gas exchange (cutting the oxygen level), as well as it is unattractive, so its important to get it resolved.

Since you mention this I realize that I’ve increased the water height 1-2” in my tank but didn’t move the wavemaker up. Thanks!

 

[Fish Fan]

A couple of things I hope will help. You can pull up a lot of that film with a piece of paper towel laid on the water surface.

But as mentioned, I think you need much more surface agitation to break that film up. I can't see your whole tank from your pics, but what I do see is a protein skimmer and a light. It doesn't look like you have any kind of surface skimming filter, like how an overflow works on an All-In-One tank, skimming off the water at the surface. Without some kind of surface skimmer, I think you necessarily need a lot of surface agitation.

You could try adding a simple hang on back filter with a surface skimming attachment (check etsy for those).

 

[exnisstech]

Need flow and some type of surface skimming. I get no surface film on any of my tanks.

 

[James CNM]

Agitate that surface and get that biofilm into the column to be filtered out


So you can reflect...Just saying for fun

 

[James CNM]

Need flow and some type of surface skimming. I get no surface film on any of my tanks.

That looks awfy rippley

 

[BryanM]

Rippley is what you want... for the OP, you should adjust flow and aim for a look like this, your issue will almost certainly go away.

My tank is close to this and I get none of what you're experiencing. I have gotten it in my sump and I added a powerhead down there to get rid of it.

 

[exnisstech]

That looks awfy rippley

No proof but I believe flow is as important as lighting, maybe more so. I ran 4 MP40s and 2 Nero 5s in my 36x22x22" tank and coral loved it.

 

[James CNM]

Rippley is what you want... for the OP, you should adjust flow and aim for a look like this, your issue will almost certainly go away.

My tank is close to this and I get none of what you're experiencing. I have gotten it in my sump and I added a powerhead down there to get rid of it.

No proof but I believe flow is as important as lighting, maybe more so. I ran 4 MP40s and 2 Nero 5s in my 36x22x22" tank and coral loved it.

Not much humour from you guys then?

BTW, That Halo Top Center is not a ufo

 

[James CNM]

My apologies

20gallonreefer000​

I get serious when i reply but my other side seeks fun towards those that don't read!

Peace fellow reefers

 

[20gallonreefer000]

If your picture is your surface agitation, to me thats not much agitation. The surface of my tanks looks like white water rapids, that may be overkill but you should at least have some strong ripples going across the surface, I like to see the occasional tiny bubble enter the water from the amount of agitation.

You need more surface agitation to mix that stuff back into the water so that your filtration can filter it out. Move your powerheads to just a few inches below the water and aim them up.

The surface film cuts the light and also cuts the gas exchange (cutting the oxygen level), as well as it is unattractive, so its important to get it resolved.

The agitation was originally a bubbler turned up aggressively + more wavemaker agitation. It isn't on for the pictures and the pumps were turned down because they didn't make a difference. The bubbler temporarily gets rid of the skim but is too loud to run all the time :/ I've had other biofilms before and this one seems different, it's much harder to break apart. I can take a video when the lights go on.

 

[20gallonreefer000]

The agitation was originally a bubbler turned up aggressively + more wavemaker agitation. It isn't on for the pictures and the pumps were turned down because they didn't make a difference. The bubbler temporarily gets rid of the skim but is too loud to run all the time :/ I've had other biofilms before and this one seems different, it's much harder to break apart. I can take a video when the lights go on.

I also feel like if I turned the pumps up any more, it would harm my corals and fish.

 

[20gallonreefer000]

food? every time I feed reefroids, benepets, or mysis it tends to add a film. But when i can't get rid of it I bring a powerhead up to the surface until it bubbles and leave that running for a couple minutes, display will act like a skimmer and then siphon bubbles that collects in the corners with syringe and discard or into the skimmer.

Only feeding I do is for the fish and I make sure it's all eaten

 

[20gallonreefer000]

A couple of things I hope will help. You can pull up a lot of that film with a piece of paper towel laid on the water surface.

But as mentioned, I think you need much more surface agitation to break that film up. I can't see your whole tank from your pics, but what I do see is a protein skimmer and a light. It doesn't look like you have any kind of surface skimming filter, like how an overflow works on an All-In-One tank, skimming off the water at the surface. Without some kind of surface skimmer, I think you necessarily need a lot of surface agitation.

You could try adding a simple hang on back filter with a surface skimming attachment (check etsy for those).

The paper towel helps, but it's back in full effect 2 days later . I should probably get a HOB or skimmer of sorts, never needed one until now. Thanks :)