Foam In Sump

[kbsharp]

Hello Fellow Reefers!

I just started to cycle my tank today using Fritz turbos start. 25 Gallon I don't have a protein skimmer, Temp 78 F , Salinity 1.025, Carribsea Life rock , Carribsea Live sand fiji pink

I need some help, is it normal to have alot of foam build up in the first chamber of my sump (where the water drains into) after i have added bacteria?

I added a little bacteria first day and noticed the foam and over few days it calmed down i took out as much as i can. It gradually went down.Now I added the whole bottle and the foam is back.

Any Help Please?

Thank you in advance !!!

 

[albano]

Never used the stuff, but is the dosage for 25g supposed to be a full bottle?

 

[kbsharp]

says i can use the full bottle but even when i put the small amount it was foamy

 

[Billldg]

You may have to much water coming back on your return causing the foam when you add the bacteria. If its not overfoaming your sump then I would just wait a few days and see if it calms down as it should. If you have a ball valve or gate valve on your drain you can close it slightly to lessen the foam build up, but remember, as you close the drain you also have to slow down or slightly close the return as well.

 

[kbsharp]

You may have to much water coming back on your return causing the foam when you add the bacteria. If its not overfoaming your sump then I would just wait a few days and see if it calms down as it should. If you have a ball valve or gate valve on your drain you can close it slightly to lessen the foam build up, but remember, as you close the drain you also have to slow down or slightly close the return as well.

im hoping its that but before I added the bacteria the flow was the same havent changed valve and it didnt have foam.

same flow rate and only foams when i add bacteria, so thinking it does something to the water to make it more foamy for the moment i guess

 

[Billldg]

im hoping its that but before I added the bacteria the flow was the same havent changed valve and it didnt have foam.

same flow rate and only foams when i add bacteria, so thinking it does something to the water to make it more foamy for the moment i guess

Its not so much the flow as its the turbulence created, its the same with a skimmer, when you add some things to your tank it will cause the skimmer to overflow. The turbulence causes the substance that was added, in this case the bacteria to foam up, kinda like shaking a soda bottle.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

You may have to much water coming back on your return causing the foam when you add the bacteria. If its not overfoaming your sump then I would just wait a few days and see if it calms down as it should. If you have a ball valve or gate valve on your drain you can close it slightly to lessen the foam build up, but remember, as you close the drain you also have to slow down or slightly close the return as well.

Im not sure throttling back your drain is ever a good idea... That's just asking for trouble. Throttle back your return and the drain will slow down.

 

[kbsharp]

Im not sure throttling back your drain is ever a good idea... That's just asking for trouble. Throttle back your return and the drain will slow down.

I'm thinking if you guys think its pretty harmless, i can leave it for a few days and see if it pipes down... excuse the pun lol

 

[Billldg]

Im not sure throttling back your drain is ever a good idea... That's just asking for trouble. Throttle back your return and the drain will slow down.

Depends on your piping size and flow rate. It is a balancing act between drain and return flow rate in the sump and tank.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I don't know anything about the product but I wouldn't be too worried, new tanks do all kinds of weird, gross, and ugly things. It's a waiting game

 

[glb]

I don't know anything about the product but I wouldn't be too worried, new tanks do all kinds of weird, gross, and ugly things. It's a waiting game

This. I’ve never used the product the OP listed, but tanks do all sorts of crazy things when they’re starting up.