potatocouch Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 I heard that oil on the surface is bad. For those pico owners, most of you guys don't have protein skimmer to skim this stuff, right? I have few questions that I am interested in knowing: 1. What causes this oil-like stuff? 2. Why is it bad? 3. Is doing WC the only way to fix it? 4. If you answer 'no' to question #3, what is your other method? Thanks Link to comment
potatocouch Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 Have anyone use Mame Design - HOB Skimmer III ? Is it worth it to buy for Pico tank or WC will do? Link to comment
tibbsy07 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 The oil on the surface is various waste products. Protein skimmers will help, but they are costly and for such a small tank not necessary. The mame III skimmer is beatiful but $$$$. Water changes help. Surface skimmers help like a bad fish reef skimmer box. You could also aim your powerhead (if you have one) up towards the water surface so it agitates the wster and helps break the oily stuff up. Link to comment
potatocouch Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 or probably I can agitate the surface using CPU fans. i think i am just over thinking it. surely weekly WC will fix it. it's like a reset button. Link to comment
potatocouch Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 hmm various waste product ... Will 1 turbo snail is enough waste to cause oily film ? Link to comment
tibbsy07 Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 The waste is from many things - microbes, livestock, particles from the air that fall into the tank, etc. Link to comment
Lawnman Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Drop a flat paper towel on the surface a few times a week problem solved! Link to comment
potatocouch Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 Drop a flat paper towel on the surface a few times a week problem solved! let it soaked ? proven to be working? Link to comment
Lawnman Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 No take a dry paper towel and place it on the surface. Once it gets wet pull it off before it sinks. This will absorb the oil slick. I have done it many times in the past. Sometimes it take a few paper towels. Link to comment
potatocouch Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 have you tried using cup method? cup method sounds logical too. paper towel sounds logical too. Link to comment
Lawnman Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 have you tried using cup method? cup method sounds logical too. paper towel sounds logical too. Yeah I have tried the cup but I use paper towels for everything . Link to comment
Dark_ice Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Yeah I have tried the cup but I use paper towels for everything . This is really weird, might have to try it. i have a bad fish skimmer box and to me it fails if the water level is not perfect for it Link to comment
.Newman. Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 there is another way, you can take an air line and siphon the water during a water change by siphoning at the surface. that will suck up the film. a heavily fed tank will have that film constantly, it's not too bad but i siphoned it each week when i had my pico. Link to comment
Lawnman Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Paper towel ftwI think you taught me that trick years ago! Link to comment
Formula462 Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 lol yeah back in the HOB days, that's what I had to do, especially soaking everything in Zoe and garlic. Link to comment
thesmallerthebetter Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 for my sps cube i swear by the paper towel, if i skip a day of paper toweling the film gets thick enough that flatworms chillax in it....ewwie. but with frequent paper towel action the surface skim is handled. and i can stay filterless Link to comment
gena Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 I was having an issue with the oily surface. I started running carbon plus GFO in a media bag in my HOB filter. I no longer have the sludge. It's worth a try! Just make sure you calculate the right amount to use for your system! Link to comment
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