I have been having this problem for a while, but now I need an opinion.

I have been having this film grow on top of my water when I let it sit. I let some water in a 10 gallon sit for about 4 days. All I did was fill it up with tap water, add Prime, and wait. This is what I get:



This stuff covers the entire tank. The problem is, whatever this is has also infected my jars. And I know cannot be good for the gas exchange, although the bettas can breathe atmospheric air.

I just want to know what this is. It definitely does grow. Is it some type of algae?

Well, I have to go now... tell me what you think.

Thanks

I think that its bacteria or just organic matter accumulating at the top but I'm not positive. Sometimes I get it on my bigger bowls that go longer without water changes. If you lay a paper towel on top of the water surface and then pull it off it takes the slime with it. I think that its from lack of water movement and if you add an air stone it should break it up.

EEEWWWW, DUDE!!!
That is exactly like what I was getting in my tanks, only it was overnight, and within a couple hours sometimes.
Eventually, it went away, though I still get something like a slick across my tanks.. I don't know that it ever killed any fish. I had a die off though, adults and young fish, but I think that was more from the stress of moving than the water muck.

I know, LaBella, it is GROSS!
I also know that an airstone does hinder the growth. I have an airstone on my killie tank and I haven't had it. I just let this tank go for a bit to see if I could find out what it actually is.
I have tried bleach cleanings to try and get it and KEEP it out, but it has always come back. I am just worried about the low oxygen levels in the water it must be giving the jars.
The problem is, I can't airstone EVERY jar I have. It just isn't possible. I want to find a way to get rid of it for good.

The only thing I could do was scoop it out every day.. and open the windows..
Here is the thread with my gunk

do you have "liquid rock" water? ie. pH high and kH and gH high?

I also get this too I even did the air stone in my fresh water and also filter it some weeks as my water company has bad weeks yea for us. I also notice the growth around the top of the aquarium when the water level is low only takes a day to grow and in my jars as well do you thing it might be a bacteria from the fish them- selves and we are transferring it somehow? I wash all my jars monthly I have too do to this with the growth on the jars, no matter how clean my water is. :blink:

The film of gunk on top of the water, if it looks like a white grease like substance is a protein build up. Particles of food and grease that accumulate over time.

Using fatty foods like freeze dried bloodworms will build up that layer of gunk very fast.

The windows are open 24/7 LaBella.

Yes, I do have hard water. I have always gotten the hard water spots, but this gunk hasn't ALWAYS been there.

Palor, there is no food going into that tank, as it is just used to hold water until it is room temperature, to do water changes for the fish in jars.

I am STUMPED...

Like Mumu, I have had that appear in empty tanks, I have had it appear in bleached out tanks at that, so there should not have been any residual leftovers to help encourage whatever that is to grow.
And like mumu, it was in tanks with non moving water.

I have no idea.... but I don't really have but one unfiltered betta tank... so, good luck ya'll in figuring out the culprit.

It's bacteria. When you put the Prime in you seeded the water with beneficial bacteria. There is normally bacteria everywhere. I have had the same problem. I use a garbage can to age water and discovered if I wait to add Prime until I'm ready to use it AND cover the container I don't get it. Why the covering helps, I haven't been able to figure out. I've noticed on the betta containers without circulation that I cover I also get less of it. I'm baffled as well. All I know is in my water aging container I've started waiting to add the Prime and I cover it and I don't have the film anymore. It's got to be the covering because one night I forgot to put the cover on and I noticed the next day there was a glisten of that film starting up. I don't think it is going to hurt the fish. It is gross though!

Palor, I thought the same thing at first, too. Protein does have a tendency to create a film on the surface also. Then when I had it show up in my aging containers I was baffled, too.

I wonder...................do ya think maybe it's bacteria that works on breaking down proteins (which would explain the surface of the water). Maybe that bacteria is getting transfered into the aging containers with transfer equipment. Just maybe it's a kind of bacteria that needs plenty of air to multiply. If the container is closed they don't have as good of air supply and don't multiply as well, which is why my closed containers don't get the film. Does that sound nuts?

Hey Mumu, try covering the bucket. Do it some times with Prime and sometimes without Prime. I'm going to do the same. We can compare results. I think I'm going to even try a couple more containers that have never had contact with any of my fish stuff. I'll keep a couple in the same room as my fish and a couple in a room with no fish anything. I'm just wondering if airborne comes into play here. You, or anyone else game?