Film on top of water

[sympley]

Hello,

I am in a second week of getting my nano reef going, the live rock is starting very slighty to get some color back, protein skimmer is skimming away, and i have developed some sort of a film on top of my water. I had similar problem with my fresh water aquarium but since I installed a cheap surface skimmer I have eradicated the problem. For my nano reef I am unable to install the same surface skimmer because I am not running a canister filter which is needed for this surface skimming device.
Can anyone point me in a direction as to what else I can try? Or will it disappear once the cycling is complete? Please let me know your ideas.

 

[islandcreation]

What kind of setup do you have? I see 20g mini reef but what kind of tank?

 

[sympley]

Right now there is live rock still curing in it. It will be reef tank with few fish, some inverterbrates, and a cleaning crew. I also have a HOB refugium however at this point there is nothing growing in it yet, it is just skimming a turning over water.

 

[reefman23]

In order to really get rid of the film you need to incorporate some sort of surface skimmer. I have seen people do this using HOB filters, skimmers, canister filters, etc.

Jesse

 

[skipm]

A powerhewad pointed towards the surface enough to create turbulence will help keep the scum broken up. You may aslso be able to add asurface skimmer on the pump for the refugium. Check out surface skimmers designed for some of the hang on protien skimmers like the AquaC or the CPR BakPak.

 

[sympley]

Thanks everyone for all the info. I have a build in skimmer in my refugium, but the way it is designed is sucks the water in via maxi jet PH at about 3" under the water surface. For some reason when I was buying the refugium with the protein skimmer I automatically assumed that all protein skimmers take water right from the surface....yea right, I then started to look at all the pictures of the protein skimmers and it looks as if most skimmers take in water from under the water table.

Would anyone know if there is a device, or a attachment that one could attach to the protein skimmer which would suck some water from the surface? I have one in my fresh water but that needs a intake tube from a canister filter or sump to run it. Unfortunately I don't have a canister or a sump in my mini reef.

As recommended tonight I will add another PH to my set up and point it toward the surface to mix in the film a bit and then maybe the protein skimmer will be able to suck it out.

 

[reefman23]

Here you go... http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/P ... 004+113771

Jesse

 

[sympley]

Holy crap, you guys are amazing. I though I checked all the big sites form this thing, jsut when I though I will need to strat doing some sort of DIY you come up with this. Amazing.

Thank you very much.

 

[djconn]

I once had a Prizm by Red Sea in my 20 gal. Its cheap but works in a pinch. I guess you get what you pay for. Sounds like you've got it figured out though...