Film on top of my water.

[Whiskey]

I have a 50G salt water tank and it is getting a slight film ontop of the water. I am worried about it blocking some of the light, in my fresh water planted tanks I just put in a molly and they eat this stuff is there a fish that does this in a salt tank?

Thanks,
Whiskey

[MikeS]

that oily, slimy film on top of the water is common. You can help reduce it by pointing a powerhead at the surface, to increase surface aeration. The best method is to find a way to "skim" it off the surface, like an overflow that feeds your sump or skimmer. I made a homemade overflow that feeds a hang on filter, that is how I keep my tank free of this film.

It can affect the light, but more importantly, the film hinders gas exchange at the surface of the water.

Mike

Like MikeJS said an over flow is the best way to handle this problem. How ever depending upon your filter there are several filters that can be configured with a plumbing kit to skim the surface for you. Either would be a permenant fix. A powerhead would at least break it up to allow maximum light penetration and oxygenate the water. I have tried all three methods and the over flow is the best way to fix this.

[skiflyer]

I had the same problem in my tank, i bought a simple surface skimmer attachment at my lfs for about $11. It is adjustable on waterflow from surface of under water. My problem was solved within 10 minutes of installation.

[SaltyDawg]

Yep a surface skimmer will do the trick. The film is extra protien and a protien skimmer will help, but only if it can skim off the top of the water.
Wayne

[Whiskey]

I have a protien skimmer, it does a great job of taking out a bunch of BLACK smelly gunk should I turn it up???? Would the protien skimmer working better solve this?

[upstoday]

Thats pretty much what it is supposed to be doing.

[SaltyDawg]

Unless you have something that can agitate the water at the top, or the protien skimmer can suck from the top of the water, turning up the PS will not make much difference. Some PS have surface skimmers that can be bought (extra of course) that will draw the water from the surface. If your's does not have this option then I would go with a Power Head close to the surface to break up the water tension and then the stuff can be picked up by the PS.
Wayne