Bubbles Foam On Water

So I have a bunch of bubbles/foam just sitting on top of my water, what is causing it? I don’t use any cleaner of any sort when it comes to my tanks and around them just to get that one out of the way. I do have a bubbler but it hasn’t been plugged in for some time. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also I just fed them so there is a lot of food still floating at the top

 

What is the stocking?

 

If you don’t have any labyrinth breading fish, I’d guess inadequate filtration, possibly overfeeding, or feeding too many times a day. Just guesses. Are you filtering at least 5 times the volume of the tank per hour?

Had this problem in one of my tanks. Added a canister filter that increased gph substantially, started using purigen, problem was solved.

 

What is the stocking?

I just moved 2 fry(guppy) in there that are about 3 months old, as well as 1 other guppy and 3 otos

If you don’t have any labyrinth breading fish, I’d guess inadequate filtration, possibly overfeeding, or feeding too many times a day. Just guesses. Are you filtering at least 5 times the volume of the tank per hour?

Had this problem in one of my tanks. Added a canister filter that increased gph substantially, started using purigen, problem was solved.

I have been worried because my tank is starting to get thick with vegetation and I don’t think the water is getting through it well, I do have an adequate filter but if that is the case I may get a wave maker or something to help circulate the water a bit better

 

I would add a small corner sponge that runs on an air pump that should give you adequate surface agitation to get the bubbles to go away.

 

This is a build up from high protein food - like fat on the surface of the water.
I use a JBL Top Clean for fresh water. it pulls the top layer off the surface and pushes into my canister filter.

Are you feeding on high protein food?

 

I have been worried because my tank is starting to get thick with vegetation and I don’t think the water is getting through it well, I do have an adequate filter but if that is the case I may get a wave maker or something to help circulate the water a bit better

Ya, I know what you mean. I had some overgrown hornwort in a 90 gallon at the time and I was wondering if that was contributing. Had an aquaclear 110 and a Seachem Tidal 75 hobs. Never felt like I was getting good water movement. Kept the 110, added an FX4 with polishing filters, purigen, and a heck of a lot more biological filtration which drastically increased flow, and some pruning. The water was crystal clear in 2 days. Bubbles, foam, and murky water gone.

I agree with you on starting with water flow.

 

This is a build up from high protein food - like fat on the surface of the water.
I use a JBL Top Clean for fresh water. it pulls the top layer off the surface and pushes into my canister filter.

Are you feeding on high protein food?

I mix it up between shrimp, flakes and pellets. I guess I just have to reduce how much I’m feeding them then or get better filtration, which is also something I’m looking into

Ya, I know what you mean. I had some overgrown hornwort in a 90 gallon at the time and I was wondering if that was contributing. Had an aquaclear 110 and a Seachem Tidal 75 hobs. Never felt like I was getting good water movement. Kept the 110, added an FX4 with polishing filters, purigen, and a heck of a lot more biological filtration which drastically increased flow, and some pruning. The water was crystal clear in 2 days. Bubbles, foam, and murky water gone.

I agree with you on starting with water flow.

Yeah it’s tough too because there's so much debris in there that I keep trying to clean out but I can never get it all, and then I’ve been having issues with NO3- so I am reducing how much I do water changes which means the stuff stays in there even longer, ugh the struggle is real

 

What's your water change schedule? And what is the ammonia level?

 

What's your water change schedule? And what is the ammonia level?

Usually do tank maintenance once a week, all my levels in the tank are 0