I'm in deep trouble

Aqua Splendor · Jan 31, 2020

Hi,

I have a problem and people will thinking i'm joking but i'm not:

For the last 2 weeks my skimmer is overwhelm by the quality skim of the bubble, hear me out:

The bubble are very strong, it's like there were made in plastic (exaggerating), they don't pop that much, they fill dry a little bit. They are so strong that even with some weight i put on the cover time to time it lift the cover.
I clean the cups every day now.

I never experience something like this before,

TheReefJunkie · Jan 31, 2020

Aqua Splendor said:
Hi,

I have a problem and people will thinking i'm joking but i'm not:

For the last 2 weeks my skimmer is overwhelm by the quality skim of the bubble, hear me out:

The bubble are very strong, it's like there were made in plastic (exaggerating), they don't pop that much, they fill dry a little bit. They are so strong that even with some weight i put on the cover time to time it lift the cover.
I clean the cups every day now.

I never experience something like this before,

That’s crazy, have never seen that before. Following.

Kayvon · Jan 31, 2020

Tape that thing down

Aqua Splendor · Jan 31, 2020

Kayvon said:
Tape that thing down

I mean, I might have to lol.. seriously...
but the thing is, the bubbles inside doesn't pop that easily and that cause the problem.

LadyMac · Jan 31, 2020

It’s floam!

just kidding. Wonder what the issue is. Any tank parameters off? Doing waterchanges?

dank reefer · Jan 31, 2020

Could it be that its skimming on the wet side? Looking at the bubbles, and water it looks to "clean". if you're able to dial back on the skimmer so that it skims dry, might solve the problem.

Silver14SS · Jan 31, 2020

Jose Esteves said:
Could it be that its skimming on the wet side? Looking at the bubbles, and water it looks to "clean". if you're able to dial back on the skimmer so that it skims dry, might solve the problem.

Agreed, looks like the water level is set really high.

What skimmer is that, Tuzne?

Brasileiro561 · Jan 31, 2020

Maybe you got too much nutrient and it’s making the bubbles denser? Skimmer is working too well and trying to remove all at once

Aqua Splendor · Jan 31, 2020

I rarely touch the level wet/dry of the skimmer, pretty solide and satisfy with it in the last years.
The water look clean inside, it's because of the exposure of photos, it's actually dark naked eyes.

It setted on the dry side, I was thinking to put it on wet side to see how it react.

It started to act like this only in the last 2 weeks. I had couple changement in my tank: addition of 18 Rock Flow Anemone. Toadstool Getting squeeze in my tank. A sponge that is diying over months slowly...

It's more the dry texture of the bubble that intrigue me. Really weird.
Parameter are fine for alk 160ppm and 0.07 phos
It's more on the organic side of stuff that something is going on.

I also cut in half my coral feeding in the last couple months, seem to be better that why.

Daniel@R2R · Jan 31, 2020

Super bubbles!!

Opus · Jan 31, 2020

I have the same issue with my Deltec HOB skimmer. I didn't have the issue with my previous hob skimmers so I've always assumed it was because the Deltec was so much better at skimming.

Chefwheredyougo · Jan 31, 2020

Same thing here lately with a aquamaxx HOB skimmer. Only the last 2 weeks or so. I'm battling dinos now, so had to shut it off. The skimate would overflow and was super dense, dark green/brown and felt stiff, almost insulation like, but not quite as hard. No regular skimmate death smell from it though....

Brew12 · Jan 31, 2020

I feel that trying to skim wetter will only cause the lid to push up harder. I run a good amount of GAC along with a big water change to see if it helps.

myinvalidname · Jan 31, 2020

Any changes in the house that would cause airborne organics to be dissolved into the tank. That could make the skimmer go crazy and could provide wet skimmate despite not changing the air flow in the skimmer.

dank reefer · Jan 31, 2020

myinvalidname said:
Any changes in the house that would cause airborne organics to be dissolved into the tank. That could make the skimmer go crazy and could provide wet skimmate despite not changing the air flow in the skimmer.

Possible Wednesday Chili night?

Aqua Splendor · Jan 31, 2020

Jose Esteves said:
Possible Wednesday Chili night?

;Woot

I will perform another water change this week end. Bug god dang it remove a lot of organic!

dodgr31 · Feb 3, 2020

When mine does that I loosen the drain line and let it drip into a bucket. I change my filter socks and check parameters. Make sure to have some fresh saltwater to replace what goes into the bucket so your salinity doesnt change. Also unplug ato, so you dont get too much fresh water. Usually, within 20 min the skimmer is running fine. Maybe dial it down also until you get it figured out.

ByronP · Feb 3, 2020

dodgr31 said:
When mine does that I loosen the drain line and let it drip into a bucket. I change my filter socks and check parameters. Make sure to have some fresh saltwater to replace what goes into the bucket so your salinity doesnt change. Also unplug ato, so you dont get too much fresh water. Usually, within 20 min the skimmer is running fine. Maybe dial it down also until you get it figured out.

I'm with @dodgr31 get a bucket and let it get all the junk out. Something is probably dead somewhere or an algae bloom that you just don't realize is happening. It could even be the dying sponge causing a bacterial growth that is feeding off of the tiny bits. In the pic it looks like the level is high but if the bubbles are dry then you are good. Either way I would let it filter out and then adjust the skimmer to be sure.

I skim pretty dry so I wind up with a green/brown sludge that is kind of like a moist sticky goop.

Barks · Feb 3, 2020

I bet that’s smells really good, I love the smell of the stuff skimmers pull out!

Alistairn1 · Feb 4, 2020

Aqua Splendor said:
Hi,

I have a problem and people will thinking i'm joking but i'm not:

For the last 2 weeks my skimmer is overwhelm by the quality skim of the bubble, hear me out:

The bubble are very strong, it's like there were made in plastic (exaggerating), they don't pop that much, they fill dry a little bit. They are so strong that even with some weight i put on the cover time to time it lift the cover.
I clean the cups every day now.

I never experience something like this before,

I had similar problems with a new skimmer and it was due to it being to low in the water (originally set it to manufacture height) I then turned it off for 10mins after each adjustment until I got it close then dialled it in from there!