Skimmer Collection

[phastroh]

Yeah my skimmer collects dark brown gunk but It has been running for probably 3 weeks and there really isn't much collected. The foam is about 1 inch up into the cup and I can see the foam that collects at the top and it falls into the cup and then I have a tube connected that runs into a large juice bottle just in case.

There is like 1.5 inches in the juice bottle which wouldn't be much in the collection cup anyway.

I had only 3 fish in the 80 gallon but now have 5. Along with them I have an Eel and tons of Clean Up Crew and corals and starfish and anemones.

Is this normal to not have a lot of gunk.

There is 160 pounds of rock in the tank as well.

Trying to think of everything. I have crushed coral but my Nitrates are not really that high(less then 20) so it can't be the reason.

Anyone..... maybe I just have a small load on the tank.

Bubbles are plentiful in the skimmer.

 

[Northstar24]

I'm guessing this is being caused by the skimmer being in its 'break in' period, the foam being set to the wrong level in the skimmer, or a low bio-load on the tank. My collection cup needs to get empteid about once every 4 days or so

 

[phastroh]

Skimmer has been running for 5 months and the foam level shouldn't be wrong.

It is set where the factory says.

If I make it any higher it can overflow. I mean I guess I could crank it up a hair but I don't like too because I can't see past the crud to where the lever really is.

I know where it stays at which is about 1 inch up in the center of the cup and it says in the instruction 3/4 inch is the wet skimming set up and lower is for dry skimming.

It has tons of bubbles just not a lot coming out. There is always bubbles in the top of the cup just not a lot of juice coming out. The liquid is dark no doubt.

I will take the top off and clean it so I can make the bubbles higher and see what happens.

 

[fastrd400]

I am guessing your bio load is not enough to make the skimmate you are looking for. It sounds to me like it is working properly based on your livestock and bio load.

 

[phastroh]

Spanx

 

[Northstar24]

I'd agree, if you have had it dialed in for 5 months and its slowed down in the collection of crap I'd say you've managed to skim most of it out of the water.

In the paperwork for my system from Lifereef, it says that good skimmers will have periods where they are 'dormant' and not collect a lot of scum (I run a LifeReef sump/refugium/skimmer)

:bounce:

 

[wontonflip]

+1 north & fast

Here's your spanx :D

 

[phastroh]

I have a Coralife 125 in a Aqueon Sump.

The drain tube has dark liquid in it every day just not a lot.

It has never collected a lot. It has only been darker with all the fish added and since I have been using Dr. Tims Waste Away.

I have the pump hanging just into the water so it is a very very shirt tube from it to the skimmer like 2 inches so it gets a lot of power going in it.

 

[Sir Alex]

My skimmer was producing a huge amount of skim for like 4 days then it just pretty much stopped. I'm guessing it's gotten all of the stuff out of the water. It's actually working so well that the nitrates are down.

 

[phastroh]

Shart my didn't help my Nitrates ever.

 

[Sir Alex]

Well, I have chaeto too.

 

[phastroh]

Me three and it doesn't grow even with a big light.

 

[Sir Alex]

What kind of light is it?

 

[phastroh]

6500K Flood. Think it is 90watt.

 

[Sir Alex]

I use a really orange 70 watt metal halide work light. It seems to work okay.

 

[AmberSunrise]

You said spanx and shart in the same thread LOL!!

 

[reefkeeper55]

just wondering where your nitrates are.....your stock is close to mine, and my tank is just a little smaller @ 150 gal....my trates are always extremely high....