# need advice to combat surface scum.



## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

hi all.

I have a surface scum problem and am looking at two solutions and would like anyone to give their thoughts and opinions.

1) use a aquaclear powerhead to ripple the water surface.

or

2) get a aquaclear surface skimmer and hook it up to one of the extra aquaclear mini hob's i have.

i have a 55g and since swithing from AC110's to an XP3 have developed this problem.


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

The source of your problem may be the use of a lone canister filter. You probably aren't getting sufficient surface agitation from it and your ac110's offer that. 
They have a great flow rate and the water fall they create is perfect at rippling the water surface.I suggest throwing one back on.
Many use the canister + HOB combo to get the benefits for both. I feel there is no such thing as overfiltration and since you have an available filter that can do the job, no need to spend more money on equipment you don't need.
Give it a try and keep us posted. :thumb:


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

believe me i loved the overfiltration of the AC110 i actually had 2 running on my 55g when i had her fully stocked with about 8 adult peacocks, 4 yellow labs, and 2 bn pleco's. but now i only have 1 yellow lab, 1 bn pleco, and 2 tiger barbs so the xp3 is sufficent for now. also i'd rather ad another xp3 in the future when i stock up again. the AC110's were just to noisy with the water fall action and i have noticed my fish are more comfortable without the constant waterfall hammering them. i already have a 4 jet UGJ going so i have plenty of circulation in the water column just lookin to clean up my scummy water surface.

my lovely wife allows me to have my tank in the living room so quietness is key for me considering i cant turn the tv up for fear of waking the baby in the bedroom. i realize the AC mini will waterfall too but not as much noise as a AC110.


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

Anything that breaks up the surface should work. I think anything that does that is going to make some noise though.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I would get a surface skimmer. I find that even though the surface is agitated, that if you turn off the filters the scum is still there. I use a surface skimmer and I don't have surface scum any more. On my tank I have an Eheim 2028 with a spray bar, an AC110 and a HOT Magnum 250 that is hooked up to a surface skimmer.


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

i'm leaning twords the skimmer. but keep posting i'll be reading even if i dont answer right away.

thanx to those that have posted by now


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

Do you have a spray bar for the XP3? If so, have it just under the water level and point the holes 45Â° upwards so that the returning water is breaking the surface. This way allows you to avoid the noise of the HOB's.

If you don't have one, you could make one from PVC that will fit inside your return hose or see if you can get one.


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

hi D-007

i have my return from the xp3 set up on one side of the tank with it strait down to the middle of the tank with a 45d elbow facing the inlet on the other side of the tank so it pushes the poop to the inlet. so yes i have a spraybar but i dont have the spraybar set up, but thanx for the idea that was a good one. I'm starting to consider the aquaclear surface skimmer and hooking up to one of my spare AC mini's. i just wish i knew ahead of time how noticable of a bubbling or sucking sound it will make.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

Mine is silent. My tank is also in the living room and if it wasn't silent my wife would have a fit. If you use your mini AC make sure it fits over the rim of the tank. My spray bar is angled up and thoroughly agitates the surface, but it doesn't get rid of any scum.


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

748johnd

do you have your skimmer in the middle of the tank or to one side?


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

Charlie, do you have a spare powerhead? You could do the spray bar idea with a powerhead too.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

Charlie,

My skimmer is on the back of the tank near the right corner. My spray bar is attached to the left side of the tank and the AC110 just left of the center of the tank. The current in the tank flows mainly left to right towards the skimmer. You could probably put the skimmer anywhere and it would still work. My tank is a 90g.


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## ajanin (Jul 24, 2008)

i've tried using the aquaclear surface skimmer and it seems hard to get it to work consistantly


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

i just figured out this morning that my ACmini doesnt fit the back of my 55g tank so now i need to rethink my stratagy of price vs performance.

does anyone know what the smallest aquaclear filter is that should fit a standard 55g tank?

I'm pretty sure i want to go with a skimmer and a small aquaclear and i'll just wait it out till i can snipe one on ebay.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

Charlie,

You could hook the surface skimmer up to your AC110. Surface skimmers don't just draw water from the surface, but also from far below the surface. You can adjust the volume of water you want drawn from the surface. If you already have the AC110 that's what I would do. My tank is a 90g All Glass and the rim including the lip is one and a quarter inches wide. Only the AC110 would fit over it. I also went with the HOT Magnum 250 because it adjusts to fit rims up to about 2 inches. My surface skimmer is a Tom's, but if you plan to use the Aquaclear filter I would go with the Aquaclear skimmer.


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

748johnd

i'd rather not use my ac110 being i need a quiet of a tank as possible, thats why i switched to the xp3 thus now i have this dang surface scum problem. maybe i can find a skimmer that will hook up to my xp3.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

Charlie,

You can hook up surface skimmers to the intake of canister filters. A few months ago there was a post about surface skimmers that had many replies along with many pictures. It may have been in the Equipment & Supplies section although I'm not positive. Hagen makes the Fluval and Aquaclear skimmers and Tom's has one. They all look identical to me and they come with adapters to fit most filters. My AC110 is very quiet and I do keep the water level high so there is no waterfall effect. If it wasn't my wife would be complaining.


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

748johnd

thanx for the idea of looking up that other thread. i found one that lead to another and both were helpful. now i'm deffinatly gonna hook it up to my xp3.


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## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

Here's a suggestion . Get a power head, placed it in the middle tank bottom of either the right or left sides of your tank. Then point the return flow tube directly upward. This with cause a constant surface wave motion from side to side on the tanks surface.


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## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

Here's a suggestion . Get a power head, placed it in the middle tank bottom of either the right or left sides of your tank. Then point the return flow tube directly upward. This with cause a constant surface wave motion from side to side on the tanks surface.


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## parkayandbutter (Jan 15, 2008)

I have UGJ's and the closest Jet on the closed Loop coming from the pump going out shoots to the top at about 70 degrees upward. I can always tell when the The surface gets a great deal of agitation from this. I think any weak pump for 15 bucks shipped to your kingdom would be sufficient. My reticulated foam clogs and flow is dampened. I clean it about every 3rd week or 4th week.


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## jcushing (Apr 6, 2008)

just thought id add, i had a canister with a spray bar, and a HOB with plenty of surface agitation and it wasnt untill i added a skimmer to my canister that i finally got rid of the scum.

skimmers will probably reduce flow a bit though, i tried it on a penguin HOB and it stopped the wheels from spinning (an old 330) and it cut the flow down a bit on my canister (cascade 1500). no big deal, my canister is pretty much just bio, medium foam and ceramic rings...


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## JWerner2 (Jul 7, 2008)

The problem is/was a brand new appliance. If you realize it or not it is new and it does leach out some small amounts of oils.

Within some water changes as well as keeping the water level just right all you should need is the diffuser pointed upwards and it will clear.

Other than that a spray bar with a can that size is the best way around this.


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## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

Hi all.

I just got an aquaclear surface skimmer an hooked it up to my xp3. works awsome and i dont notice any reduction in flow as i have the outlet from the xp3 on a 30ish degree angle with the elbow tip at the far end of the tank and it has enough flow to move the water surface in the dirrection of the skimmer.


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## jboogerfinger (Apr 16, 2005)

Get the Fluval Skimmer. It is adjustable and Silent when adjust correctly. I have read that people have to "fool" with theirs alot to get them working, but it's actually pretty easy. just turn the black lever "loose" and it will take in alot of water from the surface, thus causing the sucking noises. Gradually turn it clockwise "tighter" until it settles to where you want it. It's that simple. It is also silent. When adjusted correctly, the water pours into it smoothly not making a sound. And when i kill the filters to feed my fish, the surface is like glass. When the filter is off, the skimmer "float" just rises slightly to the top, and sits there. Then, when the flter is turned back on, it just gets pulled down a 1/4 inch or so and begins to work again with no extra adjustments. I will never go without them. It is much better than having to disturb the surface with the jets so bad that is loud.


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