White film during fishless cycle?

**KevinVA** · 08-08-2012, 09:52 PM

I'm not sure where to post this, so since I don't have fish yet and I'm currently undertaking a fishless cycle, using ammonia, I figured I should post it here.

After coming home, I looked in my 75gal tank and found this white, fine film, in addition to what looks like hair sitting on the top of my sand substrate. I do have plants and I just inserted some Seachem Flourish tabs around the tank, per instructions (about 3-4" apart, around the roots of the plants) the other day. I'm thinking this may be the culprit, since this is the first I've seen it.

Of course I don't know what's causing this, so I'm grasping for answers. The white film almost looks like it's a living organism, like a plant or moss... It moves around with the water, like a plant would. I'm tempted to syphon it out of there, because maybe it could be harmful to potential fish and/or the cycle.

Any ideas on what this could be and what I should do about it?

**tomtgael** · 08-08-2012, 10:02 PM

Whats the circulation like in your tank?

**KevinVA** · 08-08-2012, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by tomtgael

Whats the circulation like in your tank?

I've got a KORALIA EVOLUTION 750 (750gph which can't be adjusted) pushing water as it comes out of my CASCADE 1000 CANISTER FILTER (265gph, though I just reduced it for cycle purposes, by tightening the water flow valves).

**homemadepopcorn** · 08-08-2012, 10:29 PM

Did you rinse the sand before putting it in the tank? Sounds like a dense dirty cloud of water.

**KevinVA** · 08-08-2012, 10:31 PM

Here are some reference photos:

White Film 1:

White Film 2:

Hair 1:

Hair 2:

**homemadepopcorn** · 08-08-2012, 10:39 PM

Looks like its something that has hitchhiked on your plants or sand. I would just siphon it out and continue. Probably nothing to worry about. Although the hairs remind me of a microorganism I've seen somewhere... wasn't exactly good in that case... but since you're still cycling, just rip it all out...

**KevinVA** · 08-08-2012, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by homemadepopcorn

Did you rinse the sand before putting it in the tank? Sounds like a dense dirty cloud of water.

Yep, rinsed it pretty good. The water's been clear after the first couple of days, due to some of the dirt that still remained after rinsing. So I got snails & some weird fungus type thing that hitched a ride on some plants? lol Awesome. ;P

**KevinVA** · 08-08-2012, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by homemadepopcorn

Looks like its something that has hitchhiked on your plants or sand. I would just siphon it out and continue. Probably nothing to worry about. Although the hairs remind me of a microorganism I've seen somewhere... wasn't exactly good in that case... but since you're still cycling, just rip it all out...

They don't float around in the water, though. They're only in the substrate. It's really weird...

**KevinVA** · 08-08-2012, 11:44 PM

I just checked my Ammonia & Nitrites... and I'm actually showing Nitrites now. Only been a minute and I'm at .5ppm.

I wonder if these things are the result of a bacterial bloom?

After 5min:

Ammonia = 2ppm
Nitrites = 2-5ppm (colors are very similar)

**Lady Hobbs** · 08-09-2012, 12:31 AM

Big difference between 2 and 5. Two is like a light lilac and 5 is a deep purple.

My tank got a bit of slime on the glass when I was cycling, too. It might have been the aloe or stress coat in my water conditioner, too. I just wiped it off with a paper towel.