Mollies and Surface Scum

[Mysteria]

Hi,

I've been getting surface scum on top of my planted tank. I inject CO2 and don't want to increase surface movement/agitation.

I heard mollies will eat the scum. Has anyone tried this?

[Analog Saint]

there's always siphoning "scum" off the surface, and finding out how to prevent it from coming back.

[EcoPit]

I tried this. My mollies spend way more time sifting through the gravel and eating algae than eating the surface film. I suspect it is because my plants are still fairly short, so the mollies do not feel confortable at the surface away from cover.


there's always siphoning "scum" off the surface, and finding out how to prevent it from coming back.
How do you prevent it?

[Jay]

Water surface movement, even rapid movement will help. It is surface agitation (turbulence) that will gassoff your CO2.

Are you using DIY CO2? Sometimes with the absence of a scrubber bottle gunk will get into the tank.

Weekly 50% water changes will help keep dissolved organic and other solids down.

Water Surface turbulence from an air stone at night when the CO2 is off will help.

For me rapid water surface movement and two black female mollies do the trick in my 75.

Jay