Habitat - Indoor

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:56 am **Foam?**

There is a white "foam" around the filter that accumulated today. What the heck is it and is it bad?

I was thinking maybe a filter change would help.

Thanks in advance.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:35 am

Foam in the surface usually means dirty water. Do a partial water change and clean the filter. You might need to think about a bigger filter, i don't recall what your setup is like.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:28 pm

Alright, I'll get on that. I think I need to upgrade to a new filter anyway, maybe I can try and do that tomorrow.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:57 pm

If you get a bubbler that will also help. When there was foam on the surface of my water, my bubbler would clean it away. And my turtles liked the bubbler.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 6:22 pm

Doormat -- A larger filter probably is in need. When purchasing a filter/pump get one that will exchange the water in the tank at least 5 times per hour (GPH)
A bubbler may help: it will oxygenate the water and may move some water in still areas. The foaming is probably from dirty water. If you look closely you will see a thin film of oil like substance on/in the water.

Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:07 pm

i loved the air stone, and so did the turtles. They pulled it up every single day, and finally, I gave up. I thought Grey Goose had a good idea, and I buried them in rocks on the bottom of the tank, but they dug them out. Now i have the 2 filter outputs agitating the surface of the water to keep the foam/oilslick at bay.

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:37 am

Get a weighted one or a suction one if they are pulling it up.

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:07 am

scripta_elegans wrote:i loved the air stone, and so did the turtles. They pulled it up every single day, and finally, I gave up. I thought Grey Goose had a good idea, and I buried them in rocks on the bottom of the tank, but they dug them out. Now i have the 2 filter outputs agitating the surface of the water to keep the foam/oilslick at bay.

Wow. My turtles hate their air stone. They also ignore it and will never play in it.

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:34 pm

I think my turtles are highly destructive. I love them dearly, and they are sooo naughty. I will get a video of them dismantling the tank.

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:07 pm **re: foam**

Some have noticed foaming after using too much water conditioner, though that's just another possibility.

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:46 pm

i cleaned my tank and i haven't had the problem since. =)

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:47 pm

If foam develops and you haven't cleaned the filter or changed some of the media in awhile, that's most likely the reason for it.

Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 2:48 pm

yeah, the filter got a little dirty more quickly than i expected. once i changed it out it was fine again. :p

Habitat - Indoor :: Foam?

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