dirty water

[siebertn]

Surface film is usually due to an excess or proteins/nutrients in the water. Bigger and more frequent water changes should help. Do you have a canister filter? If so, Fluval's surface skimmer attachment will clear it up in a matter of seconds.

There you go.

 

[pikey0151]

i have a big air stine on it but its right in the corner with the filter, sould i put it wer the fim is ?

 

[siebertn]

Just do a big water change 40% or so, that should fix the problem.

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

i have a big air stine on it but its right in the corner with the filter, sould i put it wer the fim is ?

That is what i would've suggested (or add, move a powerhead) but i won't pretend to be as knowledgeable as jcardon

 

[jcardona1]

That is what i would've suggested (or add, move a powerhead) but i won't pretend to be as knowledgeable as jcardon

Haha not at all

Surface movement may or may not help. I've had mixed results. I think if you have the return above the water level, the crashing water may break up the film. Airstones don't always work for me.

A quick fix is to scoop up all the crud with a cup, works pretty good.

 

[ballinouttacntrol]

well, at the very least, the skimmer sounds cheaper then adding a powerhead.

 

[ar0wan]

So this sounds too simple to actually work
but if you took a 1" pipe (pvc, old UGF uptoob w/e) and slotted it
Then burried the other end in the gravel
you could run the filter intake down inside it temprarily
booyha home made skimmer

Do I have to draw a picture - honestly

 

[jcardona1]

So this sounds too simple to actually work
but if you took a 1" pipe (pvc, old UGF uptoob w/e) and slotted it
Then burried the other end in the gravel
you could run the filter intake down inside it temprarily
booyha home made skimmer

Do I have to draw a picture - honestly

Temporarily, yes. The thing is, you don't have a true overflow/sump to regulate the water level in the tank, so the water level in the tank will always vary. As soon as the water level drops due to evaporation, the overflow will stop working and the filter will run dry.

The Fluval skimmer has a floating inlet that moves up/down with your water level. Either way, something similar would be easy to DIY, but at $10, you can't go wrong

 

[ar0wan]

SOB I knew that was too easy

 

[pikey0151]

haha thanks for all the feedback! i have mooved the airston and put the nosel of the fluval 4 plus internal filter just abouv the surface! it seems to be working. i also scimmed the top of the water with a cup and bought a fluval water skimmer off ebay haha. so if one of the things i have done to fix it dont work something will out off all them lol

thanks ppl