Using Super-Hydrophobic Spray on Skimmer Neck

-Logzor · Apr 22, 2015

Not sure if anyone else has this problem, but it seems that when my skimmer next gets clogged the performance drops. Perhaps using a super-hydrophobic spray coating on the inside of the skimmer neck would stop this from occurring?

Would this spray even be reef-safe?

Could this product also be used on the inside of aquarium glass to prevent algae from growing?

[video=youtube;7is6r6zXFDc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7is6r6zXFDc[/video]

HiddenUser · Apr 22, 2015

I'd be nervous as to what kinds of chemicals would leach into the water as time went on.

Shep · Apr 22, 2015

-Logzor said:
Not sure if anyone else has this problem, but it seems that when my skimmer next gets clogged the performance drops. Perhaps using a super-hydrophobic spray coating on the inside of the skimmer neck would stop this from occurring?

Would this spray even be reef-safe?

Could this product also be used on the inside of aquarium glass to prevent algae from growing?

[video=youtube;7is6r6zXFDc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7is6r6zXFDc[/video]

It would probably be a bad idea because while it will repel water and other hydrophilic compounds but it would also probably bind any kind of hydrophobic compound that touched it. That could cause all kinds of problems and second who knows what is in there and what would happen if small/large amounts were spilled directly into the tank.

-Logzor · Apr 22, 2015

Shep said:
It would probably be a bad idea because while it will repel water and other hydrophilic compounds but it would also probably bind any kind of hydrophobic compound that touched it. That could cause all kinds of problems and second who knows what is in there and what would happen if small/large amounts were spilled directly into the tank.

I believe the product is sprayed on and then let to dry, so there wouldn't be a risk of spilling it in the aquarium. Hard to say how it would react to saltwater. If it's non-toxic and reef-safe then I think it would really useful in the hobby, imagine if we never had to clean our glass!

jent · Apr 22, 2015

This has been discussed before, and I used it on the inside of my stand (my homepage links to my build thread). Long story short, it wont work.

It's not so much a toxic issue, it's actually not toxic...the base coat is basically spray paint. And the top coat is completely non-toxic. I also don't believe there is any risk of it nuking a tank (though I do wonder if the silica contents of it might cause algae growth). I am not a chemist, so someone can correct me if I am wrong, but that's what I found when I researched the toxicity of this product for reef aquariums.

With that said it wont work because this product relies on creating an air barrier. Meaning it can't be wet long term, just short term, then dry out. So eventually it actually would become soaked, and provide no benifit. In addition I found this stuff does not stick on very good/long. I have actually removed it from most of my stand because it just was not providing the benifit I was hoping. It's great the first day, but a week later almost useless, particularly if it's an area that has ANY rubbing.

reefwiser · Apr 22, 2015

Sounds like you need to slowly adjust the wetness of your skimate Its too dry causing the protein to build up on the neck of your skimmer cup. Or just clean the cup more often.

-Logzor · Apr 22, 2015

jent said:
This has been discussed before, and I used it on the inside of my stand (my homepage links to my build thread). Long story short, it wont work.

It's not so much a toxic issue, it's actually not toxic...the base coat is basically spray paint. And the top coat is completely non-toxic. I also don't believe there is any risk of it nuking a tank (though I do wonder if the silica contents of it might cause algae growth). I am not a chemist, so someone can correct me if I am wrong, but that's what I found when I researched the toxicity of this product for reef aquariums.

With that said it wont work because this product relies on creating an air barrier. Meaning it can't be wet long term, just short term, then dry out. So eventually it actually would become soaked, and provide no benifit. In addition I found this stuff does not stick on very good/long. I have actually removed it from most of my stand because it just was not providing the benifit I was hoping. It's great the first day, but a week later almost useless, particularly if it's an area that has ANY rubbing.

Thanks for sharing your experience, makes sense that this product isnt really meant to be wet long term. In all the demonstrations the items are dry.

-Logzor · Apr 22, 2015

reefwiser said:
Sounds like you need to slowly adjust the wetness of your skimate Its too dry causing the protein to build up on the neck of your skimmer cup. Or just clean the cup more often.

Cleaning more often is a good solution but that means every day. I wish my skimmer wasn't so hard to adjust otherwise I would get it just skimming wet enough to stop the neck goober from forming. Maybe I can mod my skimmer with a gate valve.

monkiboy · Apr 22, 2015

Why not just use a swabbie?

reefwiser · Apr 23, 2015

-Logzor said:
Cleaning more often is a good solution but that means every day. I wish my skimmer wasn't so hard to adjust otherwise I would get it just skimming wet enough to stop the neck goober from forming. Maybe I can mod my skimmer with a gate valve.

What model of skimmer is it?