Oil

[SeanTrollope]

on one of my tny tanks oil is coating the entire thing (only on the outside).
the tank has a ugf, gravel and a heater in it, no fish or plants.
i did notice small brown dots on the water line that looks like srimp eggs. i hatch my shrimp next to the tank.
where did it come from???

 

[Ch4rlie]

Is this tank next to anything that emits oil or near a kitchen perhaps?
 
Not sure what the brown dots are either.

 

[sawickib]

Alot of foods can also give you this, what are you feeding? Anything different?

 

[SeanTrollope]

there has never been anything in the tank and befor that it had been empty for a very long time. i only noticed the oil recently and it defonatly was not there before. i have never put food in the tank and dont know if it is cycled or not

 

[Meeresstille]

If you've just set up your tank did you wash the gravel before adding it? Is everything new or did you get anything used (second hand)?

 

[SeanTrollope]

it is secondhand not only did i wash the gravel but the thank and filter aswell

it came with 18 others of various sizes

 

[Meeresstille]

The gravel came with the tank too? Wondering if anything in there could have remained even if you washed it.

 

[SeanTrollope]

yes it came with the tank. but the oil is on the outside and has not been there long

 

[Meeresstille]

Oh, I misunderstood. I thought you meant the "oil" is at the edges of the water line. So, the spots are on the outside of the glass, and even if you wipe it off they keep reappearing? If you have a lid on the tank see if it may be dripping off from there.

 

[SeanTrollope]

the spots are on the waterline on the inside.
 
 
 
 
 
the oil is on the outside

 

[Meeresstille]

Ok I got it now....sorry, must be the second language thing! 

 
 
Oil is on the outside of the tank, brown dots on the waterline inside of the tank. 
 
I would try putting glass cleaner on some paper towels and wiping down the outside of the tank. Make sure not to spray the bottle near the tank, best in another room. If the oil keeps coming back maybe it's just old glass. Sometimes glass can "sweat", especially if it is glass that is of poor quality. Maybe someone made the tank themselves?
 
Brown dots on the waterline inside the tank, if they're not eggs then it sounds to me like some impurity that rises to the surface, and if there is not much water current to move it back into the water column it will just settle at the edge. Do these also keep coming back if you wipe them off? 

 

[SeanTrollope]

i dont know havent tryed to wipe them off. and there is plenty of current.
 
the tank is not home made.
 
2.5 gal