White bubbles on tank surface

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novafx
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Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2022 8:03 am

White bubbles on tank surface

Post by novafx »

Noticed a bunch of white bubbles forming on the surface of my 20 gallon tank. Water params are good, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate. Running a sponge filter and a HOB. Any ideas what's causing this?
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rizonix
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Joined: Wed May 08, 2024 5:35 pm

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by rizonix »

White bubbles on the surface usually indicate excess protein or organic waste. How often are you doing water changes? Also, what's your feeding routine like? Overfeeding can contribute to this issue.
vagabond
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Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:55 pm

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by vagabond »

I've seen this before in my tank. It's kinda sketchy, but adding a surface skimmer helped clear it up. You might wanna try that if it doesn't go away on its own.
tasteful
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Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 6:52 pm

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by tasteful »

rizonix wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 11:26 pm White bubbles on the surface usually indicate excess protein or organic waste. How often are you doing water changes? Also, what's your feeding routine like? Overfeeding can contribute to this issue.
Yep, agree with this. I'd also check your filter media. If it's clogged, it won't process waste efficiently. What's your substrate situation?
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dazed_knots
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Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:46 pm

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by dazed_knots »

Had the same thing happen last month. Turned out my filter was due for a cleaning. Gonna sound weird, but have you added any new fish or plants recently? Sometimes they bring in extra organics.
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jackgulf
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Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by jackgulf »

Surface agitation can help break up those bubbles. What's your flow like? If it's too low, the bubbles just sit there. Also, what kind of fish are in there? Some species are messier than others.
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novafx
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Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2022 8:03 am

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by novafx »

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I'll try cleaning the filter and maybe cut back on feeding for a bit. Appreciate the help!
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Habit
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Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2024 12:43 am

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by Habit »

Yeah, I'd chill on the feeding for a few days. Sometimes it's just a temporary thing. Let us know if it clears up.
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folix
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Joined: Wed Oct 09, 2024 11:30 pm

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by folix »

My tank did this once after I added a new piece of driftwood. It stopped after a week. Maybe something similar is happening here?
knightx
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Joined: Fri May 19, 2023 6:40 pm

Re: White bubbles on tank surface

Post by knightx »

Check your water conditioner. Some brands can cause surface bubbles if overdosed. What are you using?
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