Is this normal when breaking in a skimmer??

[Mele__Reef]

hey guys,

Just set up my ne 50 gallon cube a few days ago. Can anyone tell me if this much foam in the skimmer chamber is normal? Thanks

 

[tdileo]

Depends. I would try adjusting the water level real quick

 

[redfishbluefish]

It looks like you don't have the drain plugged off....so you're putting the foamy skimmate back into the sump.

My SCA has a piece of tubing attached that has a white plastic plug in the end of the tubing.

 

[Jimbo662]

Most skimmers overflow like that for a few days until they're broken in.

 

[Yoda0311]

Mine did this for almost three weeks when I set up my 30 gallon cube. No matter how fast I adjusted the skimmer it was still overflowing with foam. It made a lot of bubbles in my tank and then one day it just stopped. I just had to let it do its thing.

 

[Dylan Grech]

The skimmate looks too wet. I would just turn it down as much as I can and just clean the cup twice a day until it stabilizes.

Since the skimmate is going back in your sump it will just pull it up again

 

[Gil03]

My guess is that you've adjusted the skimmer as best as you could to minimize the foam but it still didn't help. Now for the possible reasons...if you used anything in a bottle to seed the tank for the cycle it could be causing the issue and also the skimmer is new. I'm sure by now it has settled in, I'm going through this right now too.