Foaming at the Filter Socks

Kunala6 · Feb 4, 2020

Hi

I setup a 75 gallon saltwater aquarium about 3 months ago, this is my 3rd saltwater tank. I used live rock from my old tanks so beneficial bacteria and
all is present in this tank, but I did allow it to cycle for a month before adding fish and coral. I am getting this foam build up in my filter sock compartment of
my sump. How to I get it to stop? As of now I do not have a protein skimmer, will adding one help stop this foam build up. I have 0 ammonia and nitrites. I have about
10 to 20 ppm of Nitrates and everything in my tank is thriving so I don't chase number much when it comes to nitrates.

Thank You
Kunal

lilgrounchuck · Feb 4, 2020

That foam is from all of those organics in your water. The increased surface tension in saltwater is what causes them to foam up like that when agitated, hence skimmers bubbling up and removing that stuff from the water column. It's the same thing you see in sea foam at the beach. If you added a skimmer that removed that stuff from the water column you'd likely see that foaming drastically reduce or disappear from elsewhere in your tank.

MTBake · Feb 4, 2020

Add a protein skimmer. It'll pull that out no problem.

Kunala6 · Feb 4, 2020

Not sure if anyone had tried this but thought I could try and take advantage of the foaming action almost using it as a skimmer. I attached a catch container for the any skimmate that overflows. I had to cut it down and silicone it back together to make it fit. Wonder if anyone else has tried something like this. Eventually I do plan on getting skimmer but for the time being this may help.