clear layer on top of refugium water

And are both pics of the middle tank?

 

These pictures do no help at all. But you get the idea by what I wrote. Also I just lowered box in fuge and it did not seem to take top layer of water. If it needs agitated maybe a pump to make a closed loop in fuge. I have never heard of any one doing this.?

 

yes.

 

to the sump. I will load a good picture of set up one min only

 

It seems we are going to go back and forth for a bit.. we'll do Q & A ...
If you use the quote feature, you can answer at the end of the question.

The film is in the middle tank?

The film is in the bottom tank?

If its in the middle tank with the over-flow, Is the water that is in the cup (that is IN THE TANK) lower than the water level causing the water surface to flow toward the cup?

 

Mr Otto, you dont need to keep jumping back and forth and getting your blood pressure up.. lol.. work with me.
Breathe

 

Here are some pictures

 

not that much just over the bottom of knotches in overflow box. maybe an 1/8 inch.

 

Maybe place the inlet line that goes to the fuge slightly above water level to agitate surface like optimist recommended. (only downside is that it will get a little loud)

 

Those are nice pics! Nice tanks!
OK, yes, dead bacteria.
Now I see what you meant by inlet next to over-flow.. I thought you meant on your main tank.
OK, you are not skimming the top of the water like you should be. From the pic, your U tube has a bubble in it (probably from lack of flow) Take an air line and shove it up in the tube and suck the air out... the water level IN THE CUP IN THE TANK should drop lower than the water surface causing the water to flow toward the over-flow.

and yes, your inlet is probably not helping to circulate the water surface.