Stella Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 I use the standard electric desk fans on my tanks to cool them over summer. Last year was the first time I did it. The tank got this awful surface scum, really thick when skimmed off (with a piece of perspex as wide as the tank). Quite gross. It came back so fast. Eventually I decided the piece of wood in there was at fault, starting to break down (it was a little). So the wood came out and it started to come right, haven't had a problem since. Now funnily enough it was at the end of summer. It is warm again now and I put the fan on and got another for my other tank. Lo and behold very very similar surface scum is starting again...... Bugger. Anyone had a similar problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 i have that problem with my freshwater tropical tank but i dont use any fans on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Wouldn't be pollen would it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Changed/added any different foods of late? Combination of heat and surface movement bringing the old "scum" to the surface? Never worked for myself what causes it :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 No, it is definitely not pollen, and not the usual oily slick you get on an uncovered, unfiltered tank. Haven't changed anything else. There is less scum in there now, the fan has been off it for two days. On friday I scooped some scum off, then managed to drop the whole bloody fan in the water.....! I grabbed it out as fast as I could (unbelievably the instinct was to grab it by the cord, not the motor!!) and the bloody thing sprayed water everywhere. It has been drying out since. Funnily enough the RCT switch did not flip when it happened, so it might just be ok. The fish got a fright but that was all. Just plugged it in - it goes! :bounce: Actually, what I should do is put it over a spare tank filled with water (ie not a set up tank) and see if it gets the scum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Probably you have very dirty air. :lol: Heh, I'm serious actually. Any dust, pollen, hair, etc in the air would be caught by the water surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Anyone smoke in the house? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted December 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Definitely no smokers. I guess it could be dirty air.... not sure how you would know. I guess the test would be to set up two test tanks, one with no lid, one with no lid and a fan. It still does not seem like the usual no-lid scum. Was thinking though, the fan was on all last summer and the scum did not let up. It came back so damned fast. Surely it can't all be coming from the fan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Install a surface skimmer to a canister filter. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Install a surface skimmer to a canister filter. ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilson Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 Install a surface skimmer to a canister filter. ron i got one but after it sucked up 6 danios in a week i took it off :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted December 3, 2007 Report Share Posted December 3, 2007 Can you put some sort of net or screen up somewhere (I dunno.. infront or behind the fan? Maybe the fan is sucking dust/etc from the air and throwing it right at where its pointed..ie: the tank You know how those fans seem to end up accumulating dust no matter what you do...usually at the back.. (fan heaters,hairdryers do the same) Sounds like a good idea to do a test though A plain tank with no fish and just the fan.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted December 5, 2007 Report Share Posted December 5, 2007 have the same problem with a large outdoor pond.On a sunny day the much starts to oxegenate and floats up with little bubbles of oxy attached to it.Next morning all sunk back to the bottom.I just get in there with a net and scoop it out,looks really unsightly but the water is still clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 5, 2007 Report Share Posted December 5, 2007 Blue/green algae does that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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