oily white film on water's surface

[rob_hoosier]

I set up my new 75 gal tank about a month ago. It cycled pretty quickly (without ever developing any noticeable ammonia levels) since I used some of the water from my old tank. Only after couple days the tank was up and running I noticed a white film covering the water's surface. I thought it was just a temporary thing so I didn't pay much attention to it. It has been 4 weeks now and the film re-appears every time after I try to scoop it from the water's surface. Like I said earlier, it has whitish color with oily appearance (kind of like if you spilled an oil into the water, but white). Anybody knows what it is and how to get rid of it?
Water condition:
PH - 7.6, temp - 77/79F, water hardness - 9 dGH (6dKH).
Set up: 404 Fluval canister filter; and 1140 Penguin powerhead connected via 1" tube to one plate from my old undegravel filter (plate covers approx 30% of tank's floor).
I don't know if this is related (probably not), but my newly purchased australian rainbowfish started developing ICK.
Suggestions anyone?

[spottedcatfish]

How much surface agitation do you have? If this is what I had in my ten a couple days ago, some good agitation should clear it up. I don't know what it is, and I've heard that its not anything to be overly concerned about, but if you don't like it, rearranging your power heads to move the surface of the water ought to take care of it.

I doubt it has anything to do with your new fish getting ick, he's probably developing that due to stress and maybe bad conditions in shipping or at the store.

[125gJoe]

http://gordon.sourcecod.com/images/flagicons/american_flag.gif
Running an air stone for a few hours a day (or night) should get rid of it.

Also, there's another member here that cleverly set-up a 'skimmer' and it seems to work great.
(This person might be busy with an outdoor pond though.. ) :D

[wetmanNY]

Why do some tanks develop a "slick" and others, which seem pretty much the same, just don'T?

Drag a sheet of paper towel across the surface, lifting the front edge as you go, to get the slick off.

For Ich information, follow the links to sources from www.skepticalaquarist.com . Aquaculture extension agencies, veterinary colleges and biologists are better sources for Ich information than hobbyists and patent medicine sellers.

[rob_hoosier]

Thanks for your suggestions, but I'm not sure if they will help. I have a lot of water surface movement from my powerhead (pointed up) and the filter itself. Today I added another filter (it's good to keep old stuff around, lol). I'll see if it helps.
As far as trying the tissue to soak it in, I tried that too but it re-appeared the next day.
I hope it will go away. I had fish for many years now, but I have never seen anything like this before.
Once again, thank you for your help. If you find or hear something else about this issue, please let me know.

Robert

[nvision]

do you happen to use diy co2? i noticed i've been also getting the white film after installing the nutrifin co2 system in two of my tanks. other than in these two tanks, i have never gotten this kind of film on the water before. i'm suspecting maybe the gas from the yeast is causing this, but not really sure.

just a few days ago i rigged up another pressurized system to replace the nutrifin in my bedroom 10g. this nutrifin will soon double-up with another nutrifin system already running in a 20g tank in another room. i'll wait a few days and see if i still get a surface film on the 10g...

[rob_hoosier]

No I don't have CO2 system hooked up. But from what I've read on some other websites and forums is that it could be caused by excessive fat in fish's diet. Everybody is telling me to improve the water agitation or add a protein skimmer. Skimmers are big and ugly so instead, I added second filter. Right now there is no "dead" spots on my water's surface. I will let you know if it helped.

[rob_hoosier]

Adding another filter helped. I see the difference after having it on for only one day. I guess it was the water agitation issue afterall. Now I need to figure out how to do it without using two filters. My old filter is huge (over the tank type) Emperor. Maybe I'll just get something smaller or will add another powerhead on the other side of my tank. Anyway, thanks to all for the help. Now I have to get rid of that ich (that should be piece of cake, lol).

[pinballqueen]

You might try adding an airstone to the tank to increase surface agitation. Put a pretty powerful air pump on, so that lots of bubbles are issued forth, and it should stir up the surface pretty effectively.

[nvision]

so i got the film again after i swapped to pressurized co2; guess it's not caused by the prior yeast gas as i have expected. :mad:

wait, then maybe it's a chemical by-product from the reaction of the plants reacting to the co2?! no, ok, now i'm starting to make things up. oh well, looks like more water changes pour moi...

[somefinnfishy]

I use a shop vac and can vac all the scum and only take a quart or two of water out of my 29g after a week of daily vacings the stuff was under control for a month or two.

[CrohnieBoy]

I may be off the wall here, but here it goes. I seem to notice the film when I do a water change and use the water conditioner liquids. If I don't use the water conditioner, I don't get the film. Go figure. I am using slightly less than the recommended dose of the conditioner also.

Don't know if it helps, but there it is. ;)

[GEV83]

Several of my tanks got it but they were tanks I just set up and never bothered to put anything in but water. It get the film and oil apearance but I put a good filter let it run for a while and it clears it all up.

[rob_hoosier]

That's what worked for me. I added another filter to improve water surface movement and the problem disappeared within 2 days.