Skimmer making green water

[Kial]

Just checked my skimmer cup and its producing a weird green water. Doesn't look like the usual skimmate?

Any idea what it could be, have not dosed anything other than the usual calc and alk.

 

[futureinterest]

Wow that's a really bright green. It's not unusual for a skimmer to pull greenish skimmate out of the water column as a lot of that is simply naturally occuring phyto. Never seen it that shade though... almost teal. Looks almost like a copper solution...

 

[Kial]

Wow that's a really bright green. It's not unusual for a skimmer to pull greenish skimmate out of the water column as a lot of that is simply naturally occuring phyto. Never seen it that shade though... almost teal. Looks almost like a copper solution...

Yeah it is strange. I have just got the skimmer pump back after repair so thats the only reason I can think of why its different.
Then again have no explanation how repair would do this.

 

[Maggie321]

I had mine pulling fuscha skimmate one time. Sometimes our tanks do weird things...

 

[Kial]

I had mine pulling fuscha skimmate one time. Sometimes our tanks do weird things...

I had to get my girlfriend to check it as well incase I was seeing things haha. Will check it again tomorrow and see what happens

 

[Reeferdood]

Do you use Kent essential elements by chance?

 

[Kial]

Do you use Kent essential elements by chance?

No I don't use that

 

[Jose Mayo]

Maybe looking at a drop in a microscope, could you find microalgae or cyanobacteria?

Regards

 

[Kial]

Maybe looking at a drop in a microscope, could you find microalgae or cyanobacteria?

Regards

I've cleaned the skimmer now but I've got pretty much no algea in the tank

 

[Lasse]

Is your aquaria doing well? Do you use natural seawater or have introduce some stones recently. Do you have low nutrient levels - especially N?

I think that I know what it is - a very small bacteria plankton using photosynthesis. Food for many filtrating animals and IMO a very useful organism in a reef aquarium. But the family name will scare your pants off. The colour is typical - this blue green colour. And it was also the old name for this family - blue green algae - more known as cyanobacteria. But calm down this is probably a plantonic species that is very important in the seas foodweb.

However - because its difficult to know exactly which species you have - just be careful - there is nasty ones in that family too

By the way - I have start to dose a species of these bacteria plankton to my aquaria - However - not a nasty one.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Do you feed formula 2 pellets?

 

[Snook65]

Do you feed formula 2 pellets?

Or nori to your tangs or other fish???

 

[Auquanut]

I was waiting for a reply on this one. I feed formula 2 pellets, and I've always gotten green skimmate. It doesn't appear to have an adverse effect on tank parameters (although nitrates tend to run a little high). Should I be concerned, or discontinue using them? The fish really love them.

 

[Kial]

Is your aquaria doing well? Do you use natural seawater or have introduce some stones recently. Do you have low nutrient levels - especially N?

I think that I know what it is - a very small bacteria plankton using photosynthesis. Food for many filtrating animals and IMO a very useful organism in a reef aquarium. But the family name will scare your pants off. The colour is typical - this blue green colour. And it was also the old name for this family - blue green algae - more known as cyanobacteria. But calm down this is probably a plantonic species that is very important in the seas foodweb.

However - because its difficult to know exactly which species you have - just be careful - there is nasty ones in that family too

By the way - I have start to dose a species of these bacteria plankton to my aquaria - However - not a nasty one.

Sincerely Lasse

Tank is doing fine. Nitrates are a little high sitting around 20

 

[Kial]

Or nori to your tangs or other fish???

I feed nori occasionally but have not fed it for a week or so

 

[Jessesoto33]

It’s making Kriptonite

 

[andyg1960]

US Army skim. Be proud.

 

[OriginalUserName]

Look, we've all been there. A heavy night of drinking and then who knows what. Go get some penicillin and you will be good to go bro.

(jokes aside that is a funky color, makes me think of green cyano or something)

 

[Kial]

Look, we've all been there. A heavy night of drinking and then who knows what. Go get some penicillin and you will be good to go bro.

(jokes aside that is a funky color, makes me think of green cyano or something)

Its stopped producing it now. No signs of cyano in the tank so hopefully whatever it was had none gone for good

 

[OriginalUserName]

Its stopped producing it now. No signs of cyano in the tank so hopefully whatever it was had none gone for good

Whatever it was, far better in the skimmer than in the tank!