Skimmer Overflow from Salt?

[Richardsonic]

I have a 220 gallon mixed reef and I keep my salinity up by adding salt I've dissolved in a quart jar. It is of course very concentrated. Today I added some from the jar and about 5 minutes later I noticed my skimmer foaming over. My skimmer is generally very stable. It was only half a jar of dissolved salt (which of course means nothing) and it had an almost imperceptible effect on the salinity level when measured an hour or so later. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[T-J]

Was it a new batch of salt? Had you recently cleaned the jar with any soaps?
Also, why do you need to keep raising the salinity in your tank? Most of us have to use RODI in the ATO to make sure salinity doesn't go up.

 

[Richardsonic]

Was it a new batch of salt? Had you recently cleaned the jar with any soaps?
Also, why do you need to keep raising the salinity in your tank? Most of us have to use RODI in the ATO to make sure salinity doesn't go up.

My salinity goes down very gradually because the skimmer pulls salty skimmate over time that is replaced by RODI from my ATO. So I will creep it back up usually from 1.0255 back to 1.026. No, the jar has one intended purpose and has been neither cleaned or used for anything else. Same salt from the same tub I've been using for sometime.

 

[Dan_P]

I have a 220 gallon mixed reef and I keep my salinity up by adding salt I've dissolved in a quart jar. It is of course very concentrated. Today I added some from the jar and about 5 minutes later I noticed my skimmer foaming over. My skimmer is generally very stable. It was only half a jar of dissolved salt (which of course means nothing) and it had an almost imperceptible effect on the salinity level when measured an hour or so later. Has anyone else experienced this?

You might discover that your salinity adjustment method is a bit unorthodox and nobody will have had your experience

Tell us exactly where you added the concentrated salt solution relative to the inlet of the skimmer.

 

[Freenow54]

Your method is never recommended by anyone. I keep a 45 gallon pail full at all times of salt, and RO. I only add RO to make up for evaporation and keeps salinity stable. The salt is aded on a water change. To me too much of a shock on entire system

 

[Richardsonic]

You might discover that your salinity adjustment method is a bit unorthodox and nobody will have had your experience

Tell us exactly where you added the concentrated salt solution relative to the inlet of the skimmer.

It wouldn't be the first time I've engaged in an unorthodox procedure. I added after the the skimmer into the return chamber of my sump.

 

[Dan_P]

It wouldn't be the first time I've engaged in an unorthodox procedure. I added after the the skimmer into the return chamber of my sump.

With that reply , it is hard to invent a reply

I am used to seeing the skimmer foam collapse whenever I do anything to the aquarium, except when I forget to wash filter media before adding it to the filter holder. I am not in favor of a change in salinity being the reason for the excess foaming but how about the anti- caking agent added to the salt being the source of the excess foaming?

 

[Richardsonic]

Your method is never recommended by anyone. I keep a 45 gallon pail full at all times of salt, and RO. I only add RO to make up for evaporation and keeps salinity stable. The salt is aded on a water change. To me too much of a shock on entire system

With that reply , it is hard to invent a reply

I am used to seeing the skimmer foam collapse whenever I do anything to the aquarium, except when I forget to wash filter media before adding it to the filter holder. I am not in favor of a change in salinity being the reason for the excess foaming but how about the anti- caking agent added to the salt being the source of the excess foaming?

The amount of salt added made an almost imperceptible change in the salinity which I watch very closely. I don't do water changes (I'm one of those people), but actually go through about 20 gallons or RODI via my ATO every 10 to 14 days. I have a hard time believing the small amount of salt I added had a more dramatic change to the environment than changing 45 gallons of water all at once. Regardless of how precise your measurements, the new water can't match exactly the salinity, temperature, alkalinity etc. Regardless, I'm not overly concerned. I have particular group of Zoanthids that close-up immediately when there is any change in the water environment and they didn't react at all.

 

[brmc1985]

The amount of salt added made an almost imperceptible change in the salinity which I watch very closely. I don't do water changes (I'm one of those people), but actually go through about 20 gallons or RODI via my ATO every 10 to 14 days. I have a hard time believing the small amount of salt I added had a more dramatic change to the environment than changing 45 gallons of water all at once. Regardless of how precise your measurements, the new water can't match exactly the salinity, temperature, alkalinity etc. Regardless, I'm not overly concerned. I have particular group of Zoanthids that close-up immediately when there is any change in the water environment and they didn't react at all.

No water change crowd rise up!!! I do basically the same thing except I just mix up a gallon or so with a scoop of salt and pour it in and let evaporation raise it slowly.

 

[Freenow54]

It wouldn't be the first time I've engaged in an unorthodox procedure. I added after the the skimmer into the return chamber of my sump.

Cant explain that then. my hang off the back on my small tank will misbehave from time to time. Actually overflowed once. Found out not to readjust it at all. Also first sign like that it is removed. Soaked in bleach taken apart, and cleaned. I think the small air inlet is to blame. My large tank has an octo. No problems yet

The amount of salt added made an almost imperceptible change in the salinity which I watch very closely. I don't do water changes (I'm one of those people), but actually go through about 20 gallons or RODI via my ATO every 10 to 14 days. I have a hard time believing the small amount of salt I added had a more dramatic change to the environment than changing 45 gallons of water all at once. Regardless of how precise your measurements, the new water can't match exactly the salinity, temperature, alkalinity etc. Regardless, I'm not overly concerned. I have particular group of Zoanthids that close-up immediately when there is any change in the water environment and they didn't react at all.

Interesting. When I do a water change my coral don't open up as much. I was thinking it was because of all the nutrients available after, and they did not have to. This thread could get interesting for me. Always willing to change if it is for the better. The tank I am talking about does not have a sump, so water change is in the main tank. Which is why I am hesitant about using your method. Will have to wait until I am at the stage of coral in my new tank, and see.

 

[spicymikey]

No water change crowd rise up!!! I do basically the same thing except I just mix up a gallon or so with a scoop of salt and pour it in and let evaporation raise it slowly.

I do not do very much water changing either. But there's always a reason for adding water so I would say I probably do about a 10%-20% water change a month. I have a 100 gallon mixing tank plumbed into the sump for my 400 gallon system. The biggest challenge is managing minor and trace elements without doing significant water changes.

I try and manage it using tropic marine K,A,C K is mixed in with my calcium doser. A is mixed in with my Sodium carbonate doser. C is set up on its own dosing pump to keep up with the dilution occurring naturally from the skimmed off water.

It's a challenge and and not as good as simply doing a a fresh salt mix water change, but with a large system doing a 20% water change every week is just not practical.

 

[Freenow54]

No water change crowd rise up!!! I do basically the same thing except I just mix up a gallon or so with a scoop of salt and pour it in and let evaporation raise it slowly.

Well I tried your method. I only replaced 1 gallon twice now. My corals are much happier