Is skimmate suppose to be smelly?

[vetteguy53081]

Not supposed to be but happens to be

 

[Rockhead]

Ok now we all agree it smells and I was just going to post a similar post on what are people doing to combat the smell??
Has anyone used a carbon pad of some short to lay over the collection cup lid?
I was think of running a 1/4” airline from the lid to my ozone pump inlet tube (if you have one).
I feel it’s just recirculating the same smell.

Anyone else have a trick that works for you?

 

[Soren]

Ok now we all agree it smells and I was just going to post a similar post on what are people doing to combat the smell??
Has anyone used a carbon pad of some short to lay over the collection cup lid?
I was think of running a 1/4” airline from the lid to my ozone pump inlet tube (if you have one).
I feel it’s just recirculating the same smell.

Anyone else have a trick that works for you?

I just read earlier today about this solution in another thread about skimmers: raise pH in skimmer cup to prevent bacteria causing decay and smell.

 

[sherb]

Maybe empty the cup more often? The longer it sits, the worse it’ll smell...

 

[Rockhead]

Maybe empty the cup more often? The longer it sits, the worse it’ll smell...

Believe it or not I do empty it out every other day out the drain tube so I don’t usually wash the cup , maybe your right clean it more and I’ll get better performance out of the skimmer as well.

 

[Rockhead]

All clean!!

 

[User1]

It should smell like a “sewer” when working properly. It’s organic waste, so it’s decomposing sitting in the collection cup. Thus the smell.

Yep. I sometimes get a stern talking to from my wiser half when I am lazy and leave the cup full too long or do not give it a deep clean. Me? It reminds me of being on a boat after the third dive of the day...

Glove up. Remove cup. Empty. Rinse very well. Clean tubes. Back to skimmer, paper towel, clean the neck. You know you left it too long when you only clean 1/4 of it and the paper towel is full of thick dark green or brown gunk.

 

[Potatohead]

If it doesn't choke a donkey I am typically somewhat disappointed.

 

[Rmckoy]

They always stink like sewage .
The current skimmer I’m using now is by far the smelliest .
you don’t smell anything until you take the lid off the collection container .
I can’t smell it but my fiancé notices every time as soon as I empty it ,
She can smell “poop” from the other side of the house

 

[HB AL]

Empty it when she's out shopping. You can do things so that it doesn't smell as bad like emptying it more often. Also you can run it wetter so you must empty it daily and it won't have time to fester and smell. If you run it dry and you don't have to empty it for a week or more thats when it really has time to fester and thats when it really stinks, so empty it daily no matter how little fluud is in the cup. Also If the wifey is not being nice or just being a pain let it always fester for as long as possible and make sure to empty it when she's in the room and don't be in a hurry to dump it, parade it around, maybe even set it down for a while.

 

[ReefBeta]

A bit of my anecdote experience tell me that, if you left the skimmer cup for long enough, it stopped smelling. Probably long enough for the skimmer to be cycled and the bacteria broke the nutrient down. Try it at your own risk though lol.

 

[Dom]

So I have been using several model of skimmer from reef octopus and skimz the past many years. Never remember much smell out of the skimmate, so I never too understood why people were so bother by it.

Then last couple month, I replaced one with a nyos skimmer, and new tank using a maxspect one, both are producing surprisingly smelly skimmate even when the thickness (by color) is similar. Does it suppose to smell this bad and that's what people were talking about? Given the new ones were more expensive and said to be better, have I never experienced a good performing skimmer until now?

Its fish poo. Of course it will smell.

 

[Rmckoy]

Empty it when she's out shopping. You can do things so that it doesn't smell as bad like emptying it more often. Also you can run it wetter so you must empty it daily and it won't have time to fester and smell. If you run it dry and you don't have to empty it for a week or more thats when it really has time to fester and thats when it really stinks, so empty it daily no matter how little fluud is in the cup. Also If the wifey is not being nice or just being a pain let it always fester for as long as possible and make sure to empty it when she's in the room and don't be in a hurry to dump it, parade it around, maybe even set it down for a while.

Empty it in the toilet ,
Wash it in the bathtub

works every time !

 

[ReefBeta]

Its fish poo. Of course it will smell.

I mean, if it's left there long enough, it become a septic tank, and that won't smell as bad.

 

[Dom]

I mean, if it's left there long enough, it become a septic tank, and that won't smell as bad.

I'd rather clean it.

 

[josephxsxn]

During my Dino outbreak the skimmer waste had a very different almost tangy like smell to it, sweet like but still nasty at the core. Normally it just smells like a septic system, musty and rotten sewer...

 

[stanlalee]

During my Dino outbreak the skimmer waste had a very different almost tangy like smell to it, sweet like but still nasty at the core. Normally it just smells like a septic system, musty and rotten sewer...

Don't know if you've ever pulled dino out on a toothbrush or something and gave it a wiff but it's repulsive! Mixing it with the normal skimmer poo can only IMPROVE the smell lol.