Will skimmer ever calm down after ChemiClean?

[Phyber]

I treated my tank with the recommended amount of chemiclean. I did not run carbon or my skimmer during the 48 hours.

I have 65g of water volume. I did a 20g water change after the 48 hours, and added double my fresh GAC requirement in a bag. My skimmer would immediately overflow into the cup, despite being dialed all the way down (Reef Octopus Classic 110, was dialed in perfectly before). I turned it off this week while I was at work.

I mixed up another 20g of saltwater and did another water change today, and the skimmer still acts nuts.

Since I'm home with it, Im running it with the cup removed and turned upside down so the foam overflows back into the sump.

What else can I do? I've already done two months worth of water changes in a week and I'm not trying to upset my tank anymore.

 

[Malifry97]

#reefsquad

 

[Tahoe61]

Takes my skimmer 2 to 3 days after treatment.

 

[Fishfinder]

Let the skimmer drain into a bucket and add water to the tank as needed. It will eventually skim out all the chemiclean.

im running chemiclean right now and that’s how I remove it.

 

[Phyber]

Takes my skimmer 2 to 3 days after treatment.

You just let it run like I'm doing now?

 

[Treasure Coast]

Exactly what Fishfinder said, run into a bucket and replace with salt water. Shut off your auto top off so your not adding water without salt. Mine usually drains out anywhere from 3-6 gallons or so. Also start with skimmer wide open the most bubble it will produce and then turn all the way back a few turns at a time.

 

[Phyber]

Let the skimmer drain into a bucket and add water to the tank as needed. It will eventually skim out all the chemiclean.

im running chemiclean right now and that’s how I remove it.

I would have thought that >50% water changes would have gotten it all out by now

 

[Mical]

On the rare occasion that I have had to use Chemiclean - I leave the skimmer cup off and let it overflow into sump - it takes almost a full week to finally settle down but it circulates Chemiclean throughout the tank multiple times in that weeks time.

 

[Phyber]

On the rare occasion that I have had to use Chemiclean - I leave the skimmer cup off and let it overflow into sump - it takes almost a full week to finally settle down but it circulates Chemiclean throughout the tank multiple times in that weeks time.

So leaving the cup off like I'm doing will be ok? It'll go back to normal on its own while running?

 

[Jaebster]

Skimmer will overflow for a few days. If you have a dc skimmer pump, you can turn it down. If AC pump on skimmer, open up the water outlet. The chemiclean will increase organics in your system so trying to tune the skimmer for wet skim would be beneficial. I am not familiar with you skimmer but most skimmers have a way of making adjustments.

 

[WVNed]

My skimmer has a drain so I let it run into a bucket untill it stops. I make up the water with NSW.

 

[Mical]

So leaving the cup off like I'm doing will be ok? It'll go back to normal on its own while running?

Yes it will. Just leave the cup off and let it overflow back into the sump. I recently did it on my 120 and took about 5 days to get back to normal.

 

[Phyber]

Skimmer will overflow for a few days. If you have a dc skimmer pump, you can turn it down. If AC pump on skimmer, open up the water outlet. The chemiclean will increase organics in your system so trying to tune the skimmer for wet skim would be beneficial. I am not familiar with you skimmer but most skimmers have a way of making adjustments.

I have it turned all the way down (as in super dry) as that makes for a slower overflow. Turned up as a wet skim almost looks like a foam fountain

 

[Jaebster]

I have it turned all the way down (as in super dry) as that makes for a slower overflow. Turned up as a wet skim almost looks like a foam fountain

Your spot on. The way I meant it was to turn down the skimmer as much as possible but keep the skimmate wet. I would have it as a wet skim and have it drain in to a bucket (if you have a drain in skimmer cup) and replace with fresh salt water.

 

[resortez]

Agree with the above post. If possible, throw a couple of bags of carbon inside the drain chamber in your sump. If your running socks, switch those with clean ones every 24hrs. (Probably for the next 2-3 days) & if the socks are at least 4” wide, I would throw the carbon bag inside the sock to bind as much of it as possible onto the carbon before it enters your filtration system. The chemiclean needs to bind to a chemical filter media in order to be completely removed & prevent it from continuing to circulate within the water column. Those cheap carbon infused filter pads work great too if your sump has a drip tray like in wet-dry sumps or those poly filter floss pads work wonders too. Once i notice a significant change with the skimmer, then I do a 25% water change & change socks & carbon again. Hope it helps.

 

[Phyber]

For future use...

I ended up doing the skimmer water change. Waiting for it to calm down in its own would have taken forever.

At first I didn't take the older filter socks and carbon out and the skimmer wouldn't stop overflowing. Once I removed those and put with with the rest in the washer it calmed down. I did about 3 gallons via the skimmer water change and my skimmer is now tuned back to the lowest water height setting and not acting crazy.

 

[Fishfinder]

I did the same thing today. Took me 85 gallons

 

[Neo Jeo]

Took me over a month... water changes