Skimmer a must have for a planted tank?

[qngwn]

so that oil is protein? or is it just oil n they eat cos they eat everything?

[craftsman]

hmm then wont it lose CO2 since it agitates the surface?

Um.. so far so good. My CO2 is "blended" into the water outside the tank via a CO2 reactor, and enters the tank through the lily pipe. Not sure if CO2 is lost through agitation, and even more clueless how much is lost (if at all), but my CO2 indicator shows bright green, which indicates sufficient CO2 in the water. I leave my CO2 on at 2bps 24/7 anyways.

[qngwn]

Um.. so far so good. My CO2 is "blended" into the water outside the tank via a CO2 reactor, and enters the tank through the lily pipe. Not sure if CO2 is lost through agitation, and even more clueless how much is lost (if at all), but my CO2 indicator shows bright green, which indicates sufficient CO2 in the water. I leave my CO2 on at 2bps 24/7 anyways.

nice!

thanks for the info!

[Mildnomsed]

Hi bros,

Recently bought a surface skimmer from C328. Installed it on my tank, I realise the skimmer took in quite alot of air and the air bubbles is being purged out of the canister filter. I am wondering will these air bubbles cause a decrease in the overall CO2 concentration in my tank? Any resolutions?

Thanks! =)

[Shadow]

if it is take in too much ait from surface, you need to adjust the intake ration. Not sure which model you have, but should have way to adjust the intake ratio.

[Mildnomsed]

Thanks bro, for your reply. The surface skimmer I bought was JBJ and I'm using Fluval 304. So, does that mean that I have to adjust the ratio between the intake from the surface and the intake from the bottom?

[Shadow]

yes that is correct, If I remember corectly JBJ surface skimmer have srick at the center which you can turn to adjust the intake ratio.

[Mildnomsed]

Okie, thanks alot bro! =)

[blue33]

If your plant is intaking the nutrients well, you shouldnt be seeing any oily film on the water surface at all. Nowaday i dont use anymore skimmer.

[Shadow]

For your reading pleasure :

One of the Theory (from UKAP):

Any time you see surface scum, whether it be oily, white, brown or green it means that your plants are trying to communicate with you. What they are saying is that they are not happy with you. This can occur just as easily in a non-injected tank. Plants naturally secrete carbohydrates and lipids into the water column as part of their natural metabolic processes. This is organic waste, and the higher the light/CO2 the more waste is produced. If there was no surface movement at all you would see some buildup. If nutrient uptake is poor or inefficient the plants become stressed and unhealthy. When this occurs ejection of lipids and organic waste becomes uncontrolled (think diarrhea or vomiting). Lipids are the basic building block of fats and oils so release of this product results in the oily film. Ejected carbohydrate and some proteins cause the other types of debris such as the brown detritus-looking floating particles. Bacteria often feed on this flotsam/jetsam since it is high in carbon. This film then becomes it's own floating world.

High filtration and/or high circulation is important - not just for breaking up the surface film but for distributing nutrients and CO2.

You need to feed your plants more than you are feeding them now. You also need to inject more CO2 than you are injecting now. Then the plants will stop bleeding and the rate of organic waste ejection will be lowered to reasonable levels. Levels that do not required stopgap methods such as airstones or turbofans or whatever. In the scene below I can easily induce some type of surface film merely by lowering either CO2 or nutrients or both.

Another Theory (click the link but in German ):

Sounds like iron bacteria. In the wild it's normally a reddish brown but in an aquarium it is a whitish colour. When broken with your finger it doesn't flow back together again. Only way I've found to clear it is through surface agitation or skimming. If you read German then this site has a very good article about surface films including pictures of iron bacteria (pictures at the bottom of the page) - http://www.aquamax.de/HG27UG02.htm.

I preferred the second theory though, more scientific but who knows maybe both theory are correct . Anyway, use babel fish or other online translator, it is quite readable.

[blue33]

Those are not organic waste. Most of the time that is actually sugar released from plant beside overdose of Iron(Fe), and that will activate the pores of algae to start explode. I will not explain more on that but that's a facts. Some people may tell you the plant sweat... to reduce the oily film just feed more nutrients.

Oh btw there's a problem using skimmer if anyone do not know, you're actually creating a mini sump on your tank, CO2 lost from there, you still can use skimmer but not when CO2 is releasing.

Try it yourself, dont rely on thread post, sometime it mislead you.

[lEddyl]

Oh btw there's a problem using skimmer if anyone do not know, you're actually creating a mini sump on your tank, CO2 lost from there, you still can use skimmer but not when CO2 is releasing.

Try it yourself, dont rely on thread post, sometime it mislead you.

fyi, it's not a big issue. many large planted tank using sump tank.

i've been using skimmer got my tanks. still finds it most effective.
there's another method i learn from a member here (forgotten your nick. sorry )
placing an airstone partially submerge will clear the oil. you may set a timer to run it few min a day.

[blue33]

I'm curious what plant are you keeping? And your setup? Try mass stem plant!

There are many factors affect a planted tank, plant mass, filter, CO2, lighting etc etc... Big tank are more forgiving thought.

Infact we are talking about where the thing come from, not knowing where the thing come from would not solve the root issue. Anyway i just share my view.