Skimmer performance

[Blaise006]

Anyone know why a skimmer starts showing distinct layers in foam production? Every time this happens skimmate drops to 0 for days.

This is hard to see in the photo. The video does a better job, but you can see a clear distinction between two levels of foam. I am pulling my hair out trying to find the solution.

https://imgur.com/a/rB9qoWc

 

[Srt4eric]

Looks like that layer is your water level in the skimmer.

 

[Blaise006]

Looks like that layer is your water level in the skimmer.

What?

 

[Coral reefer]

Your cup/neck gets dirty and you don’t get more in the cup after that? Normal if so

 

[Blaise006]

Your cup/neck gets dirty and you don’t get more in the cup after that? Normal if so

I’ll try cleaning it again.

 

[JVU]

Looks to me like you are pointing out the water level. Below that, it is water with lots of bubbles. Above that, it is wet bubbles. Mine does the same.

If you need to prove it to yourself, you can take off the skimmate collection cup while that line is above where the cup connects. A bunch of bubbly water (not just bubbles) will splash out all over and potentially make a mess.

 

[Coral reefer]

After re reading this I’m. It sure what you’re asking actually? I just watched the video, looks normal to me

 

[Blaise006]

After re reading this I’m. It sure what you’re asking actually? I just watched the video, looks normal to me

https://imgur.com/a/x8Wl1Na

There are two “layers” where the top is milky white and the bottom has a grey tint. Then this happens my skimmer stops producing skimmate for days.

 

[Srt4eric]

https://imgur.com/a/x8Wl1Na

There are two “layers” where the top is milky white and the bottom has a grey tint. Then this happens my skimmer stops producing skimmate for days.

It's always like that. You only notice it when your skimmate production socks.

 

[Coral reefer]

Still looks normal to me.

 

[Blaise006]

@Srt4eric you know I look at that skimmer every day don’t even

 

[JVU]

You are seeing the normal interface of bubbly water vs watery bubbles as I tried to say above. This is normal, and is always there.

What may not be normal is if your skimmer is producing less durable bubbles (less dissolved organic molecules or a chemical interfering) that makes the bubbles pop faster and the top layer thinner. This would cause the effect you are talking about making less skimmate, and make this interface more visible.

 

[Blaise006]

You are seeing the normal interface of bubbly water vs watery bubbles as I tried to say above. This is normal, and is always there.

What may not be normal is if your skimmer is producing less durable bubbles (less dissolved organic molecules or a chemical interfering) that makes the bubbles pop faster and the top layer thinner. This would cause the effect you are talking about making less skimmate, and make this interface more visible.

I hear what you are saying.

However, I’ve been watching this for two months at this point. I have two skimmers, both Red Sea. The Frag tank and display tank are ten feet apart. This bubble interface happens and the skimmer won’t produce skimmate until I take the skimmer out and clean all the parts (the skimmer has no buildup on them). Which has become as frequent as every 4-5 days, and that is why it’s a struggle. Meanwhile the frag tank skimmer hums along without this issue.

So that indicator for this skimmer is abnormal and impacts performance.

When the skimmer is operating correctly the entire body down to the top of the pump is the milky white color and collects skimmate.

 

[Blaise006]

When the skimmer is working properly I pull about a half gallon of skimmate a day from the heavy bioload.

 

[Srt4eric]

I'd like to see what it looks like normally

 

[Blaise006]

I'd like to see what it looks like normally

I’ll post the frag tank skimmer when I get home to show you what is should look like. Won’t be for a few hours.

 

[Coral reefer]

When the skimmer is working properly I pull about a half gallon of skimmate a day from the heavy bioload.

That seems like a rather large volume. So you’re skimming super wet all the time normally?

 

[Blaise006]

That seems like a rather large volume. So you’re skimming super wet all the time normally?

Yea, typically. The frag tank is much less daily, but the bioload is also 1/10th of the big tank.

 

[JVU]

When the skimmer is working properly I pull about a half gallon of skimmate a day from the heavy bioload.

Really? Half a gallon a day? So you are emptying the skimmer cup like a couple times a day every day? Or you have a separate collection container or something? That is a remarkable amount of skimmate.

 

[Blaise006]

Really? Half a gallon a day? So you are emptying the skimmer cup like a couple times a day every day? Or you have a separate collection container or something? That is a remarkable amount of skimmate.

Would you like to swing by and measure it? I fail to see the relevance to the question I posed.