In The Shallows

[fr499y]

Looks like we’ve lost Bluey, barbs, emperors and two harlequins, all over night and not from the same tank.
The harlequins where in a 40L on they’re own and Bluey was in the shallow.
I’d done a water change yesterday and there’s an oily film back again already.

I’m not convinced the water supply is right as they are still replacing the main lines.

I guess Nibbler has the tank to herself now!

[fr499y]

Oh and 0 nitrate/ammonia and a little nitrate showing.

[FishBubs]

Oh so sorry to hear that .

[Martinspuddle]

Not good @fr499y.

You going speak to your water supplier or were you given notification of the works?

[fr499y]

Nothing but the water works have been going on for nearly 6 months now. It’s only recently that I’ve noticed more white marks in the tank and this oily film, possibly iron related from the removal of old steel pipes? I’m thinking of leaving the tank until the new year with just Nibbler in it and see how it goes.

[plankton]

Sorry to hear M.

[Martinspuddle]

I’d done a water change yesterday and there’s an oily film back again already.

I know it's expensive but I'd be tempted to send a sample to a laboratory for testing.

[Martinspuddle]

Don't think I'd be drinking it either @fr499y.

[fr499y]

Don't think I'd be drinking it either @fr499y.

We filter the tap water before drinking or putting into the kettle/coffee machine as its the only way to keep a kettle alive for more than a few months I did actually notice a few days ago there was rust spots on the plastic in our water filter jug.. maybe its iron particles from the old pipes making its way through?

[Vale!]

This is awful.

At the strong risk of teaching Grandmothers to suck eggs, have you eliminated all possible 'internal' causes? For instance a change of food - some flake-type foods are much more 'oily' than others. Has Mrs. fr499y reported unusual scum when boiling potatoes? No cleaning-type aerosols? Metabolic 'exhaust' products from plants can contribute to oily scum - so no changes to the plants' regimes during the time period? No unusual disturbances to the tanks' substrates? Nothing added to the tanks which might have brought in organic nasties? Tank water comes exclusively from the kitchen tap - if not, any unusual scummy marks on the bathroom sink?

Independent laboratory testing tends to be prohibitively expensive, I agree (around £250 for a decent chemical/biological job?). But if you raise an alarm with your Water Authority they should (I think) come and take a sample from your tap for analysis : I've seen multiple examples of this being reported by domestic consumers over the years. Water Authorities are obliged, after maintenance work such as 'flushing' or replacing pipes, to ensure that drinking water conforms to required standards before supplies are restored to domestic properties, so yours should react if you tell them that you're concerned about your drinking water quality as a result of observations made on your aquariums.

I hope it gets resolved soonest.