Surface Sheen

Hi All. I've continued to have a surface sheen of what seems to be just particulate matter collecting on the surface on my water. It's an open top (no cover). The only thing I can think of is when my fan and or ac unit is on, dust gets blown around and settles on the water surface. My filter and skimmer do not pull from surface but rather a few inches below. Any suggestions? Besides to get a cover! Is this even harmful? When I place a finger inside the water it disperses as if vegetable oil and soap would react. I assume this is from the oils in my skin... Any comments would be appreciated.
Many Thanks, (and all my water para. are normal)
Nick

 

Is the surface of the water flat or is it moving with ripples. Sound to me like you dont have enough flow, try pointing your powerhead up a little so it causes more rippling on the surface of the water

 

Good thought and I should have addressed that. Yes I have excellent flow across the surface it's the only places I don't have sheen, my one powerhead I facing upwards so I get a nice cross current and then my hang the back filter on the other side of the tank pushes water out as well. Lots of current my clowns like to play in it! Good water break. Unless you are supposed to have the entire surface "broke" but I don't know how that's possible...

 

Usually, that stuff is supposed to be picked out of the water by a skimmer. It's hydrophobic substances that make up the sheen. Usually, oils and proteins.

 

hmmm....not so sure then? What foods do you feed, you dosing with anything? I have open tops on most of my tanks and havent experienced that except when there wasnt good flow.
Can you put another powerhead on the opposite side of the tank so the 2 flows meet in the middle? I tend to have a lot of flow in my tank, my 135 has a koralia 8 on the left side, a 4 in the middle and a 4 on the right side

 

It doesn't make sense to me that you say you both "have good flow" and a surface sheen. Is your protein skimmer producing the normal amount of skimmate??

Answer--- a cover isn't per se bad. It reduces oxygenation somewhat and can lower your pH some, but the may or may not be an issue for your system.

Comment -- I would be concerned if your theory is true about that much a/c dust and oils getting in my tank. I'd check my a/c filters and ducts and make sure they are clean as well.

Mark

 

Unfortunatley this is the downside of open tops (I have one too). As perviously mentioned though if you have enough surface flow you shouldn't have a problem.

That said the wife of a friend of mine sprayed air freshener around the lounge and inadvertantly sprayed over his tank, the tank was wiped out in 24 hours. Just some food for though as I am considering a way to close the top off and its not just dust floating around.

Best of luck

 

There are times when it's clear. I can't determine if it's because my fan has been off for awhile or if it's because I haven't done a water change or top off and that's why it's clear. Also, I'm not sure how the PS skims from the surface. The pump for it is several inches below the surface. A typical swimming pool skimmer skims from the surface. As for flow I believe it's more than adequate. My filter makes good ripples all across the depth of the tank from back to front. The one powerhead covers most of the length of the surface. If anything I have too much water flow throughout the tank due to my PS return, forces a torrent of water deep down into my tank. Microbubbles come and go. I might try and stack rocks up to help break it up some...

 

I have taken pictures just don't know how to insert them into threaded discussions. Pictures say a thousand words! insert picture function asked me for a url, can't I simply add them within the discussion from my folder?

 

Pictures of Sheen and Flow

Hope this helps.