Yokohamarama

Hi all,

I wonder if anybody could help me. I am perhaps being a tad over paranoid but have noticed some bubbly scum (if that's the best way to describe it) has gathered on the water surface. The tank is a small five gallon with quite a lot of plants but no fish(going through the cycling process) and has been set up for a bit less than a week.
Just wondered what this might be and whether it is bad or nothing to worry about.

Thanks
Yokohamarama

Butterfly

What did you use for dechlor? Some dechlors have aloe in them and while this is not a bad thing it can accumulate in the tank when doing water changes and cause just such bubbly scum as you describe.
Carol

Yokohamarama

Hi Carol,

Thanks for your help. I am using Tetra Aqua Safe.
Very glad to hear it's not a major problem

Ben

PPK9110

i have this problem too

Butterfly

It never hurts to do a water change if your concerned. Check to see if your conditioner has aloe in it.
Carol

Yokohamarama

The bubbly scum seems to be getting less and less. I checked my water conditioner but no mention of aloe. It does contain something called BioExtract though.


I have started cycling my tank using fish food (about a week now) and have had no ammonia, nitrite or nitrate readings so just another question. Should I change some water during the cycling process or let it be until I start to get some readings? The tank seems to be getting a bit dirty although my plants are flourishing and have grown loads in the past week. I have also noticed a kind of white, dusty mold on some of the plant leaves and also on the thermometer sucker.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Butterfly

If there are no fish in the tank I would leave it alone, it will cycle faster with out water changes. What are you useing for an ammonia source?. The white stuff is a type of algae I believe, Its not harmful. When the cycle is done you can wipe the white off if you want .
Carol

Yokohamarama

Thanks Carol. I'm using fish food flakes, a few every 12 hours or so.