Pointing a powerhead at the surface is going to remove the film, but not the problem. Better skimming and more water changes are going to help a lot. The film that is seen on the top of the water is composed of organic amphipathic and hydrophobic proteins that are removed through skimming. Organics that are larger and not hydrophilic are going to need water changes to remove them.
Altohombre- The AquaC Remora may not be a good choice. It uses a spray injector technology which is dated at best and not nearly as efficient as the new needlewheel and pinwheel designs seen on other skimmers. The Remora is also hand made and there is variability in the height of the spray injector. This difference in height means that many Remoras will have poor performance when compared to other Remoras. The Remora also has limited dwell time which limits the interaction that can take place between the air, water and organics.
Activated carbon can be used to remove unwanted contaminants in the water. But many carbons are washed in phosphoric acid and will release phosphates when they bind with contaminants. Unfortunately most carbons that are available at retail stores are washed in phosphoric acid, as the price of carbons that are not washed in phosphoric acid is higher. The phosphates that are released can often cause algae outbreaks and damage coral that are sensitive to phosphates, such as SPS.
