gelatinous sludge?

[Jadis]

how is it that in the course of 7 hours my planted tank managed to grow a quarter inch of a clear, gelatin-like, coating on the top?

now thinking past to readings ive done. i think its some sort of protien breakdown? yes?

i havent been overfeeding and have been doing every other day 10-20% water changes....im perplexed.

but more so because i cant seem to properly suck up this mess. its on the top, so gravel vac's arn't helping and ive tried everthing from a fish net to a paper towel to skim off this sludge.

any advice on how to clean this up and prevent it in the future?

(and for those about to ask. prams are as follows, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 10)

thank you all.

 

[kveeti]

What kind of filter on the tank? Are you injecting CO2? Is there any water movement at the surface? I find water movement is the answer - you have to balance it if you're injecting CO2 for plants. I'm not so I don't have to worry so much. Nothing waterfallish - I just make sure there's enough current so that something put in at the surface would move and not just sit there, i.e. my floating plants swirl around a bit.