Advice required - Oil-like film floating on water surface

[Jul]

I've started a planted aquarium for abt 6 weeks now. Recently, I noticed a thin oil-like film floating on top of my water surface. I skimmed out the layer once, but it reappeared again the next day. Cld anyone tell me what it is and how to get rid of it? Thks in advance!

[Sleepy_lancs]

Use a surface skimmer or put the rainbar above the water for a while or use surface fishes like mollies.

[izzat]

these are cause by excess protein...
using a surface skimmer will help...
if there is limited space...then use mollies...

[Aeon]

What food you using. You should fix the problems from it's source.

[juggler]

[quote:0e939f0bf0="aCe^bOwleRz"]these are cause by excess protein...
using a surface skimmer will help...
if there is limited space...then use mollies...

[/quote:0e939f0bf0]

Right. My tanks are all surface-skimmed by Swordtails and Platies. Except for one South American tank where I didn't want to put such fish, I used a surface skimmer.

[Jul]

I bought some freeze-dried tubifex worm recently. The other food that i used was the common orange coloured micro-pellets that floats.

Is the protein stuff harmful to the fish and/or plants?

[Sleepy_lancs]

[quote:4563f873fe="Jul"]I bought some freeze-dried tubifex worm recently. The other food that i used was the common orange coloured micro-pellets that floats.

Is the protein stuff harmful to the fish and/or plants?[/quote:4563f873fe]

Nope. they are not...

[sotong80]

One thing I observe is that over dosing of liquid fertilizer will cause more protein to build in the surface. Yet to confirm this is true though.

[robin]

Mollies are good, i have only 3 in my 3ft and the surface is always clean.
Also, you can use newspaper to soak up the protien

Robin