dirty film at top of tank

[hobogato]

i use the paper towel thing on my tank at school because it doesnt even have a skimmer. just take paper towels and lie (in a single layer) them flat on the top surface of the water very carefully, then slowly pick them up and throw them away. do this about 5 to 10 times. i have to do this about once a month or every two weeks on the tank at school. just be sure you have a trash bag right by the tank so you can chunk the sopping paper towels in as soon as you pick them up out of the tank.

[miked78231]

sounds good, now i just need to get some paper towels, LOL

[hobogato]

newspaper will also work, just not as well. so will napkins.

[miked78231]

the ink wont drip off into the tank?

[pilot_bell777]

No.....they usually use newspaper to wrap LR in when you are brining it home.

[GaryP]

Actually its better to have the scum floating at the top. That's the theory of a Calfo skimmer. The trick is just finding a way to remove it. That's what I don't like about the HOB skimmers. They pull the water from the bottom instead of the top where the waste accumulates. With a surface skimmer you don't want any agitation of the water on the surface. You're letting the lower density of the waste work to your advantage to accumulate it on the surface.

Since you are pulling from below the surface it may be better to stir it up with a power head so your filtration can get to it.