To forgo the protein skimmer

[L/B Block]

So the protein skimmer I have has been on the crazies ever since I introduced epoxy into the system. Even after a few water changes (but no carbon) -it’s still as spastic as ever -overflowing and ton of micro bubbles.

I have been talking to the manufacturer w/o resolution. But even before the crazies I had put in a rollermat that has been doing a ton if the work anyway -should I not concern myself with it. I could really reboot the fuge again.

Anyway like to hear the wisdom of the folks here..thanks

 

[richiev]

I'm not wise, but fwiw I went skimmerless on my 30gal AIO frag tank for awhile. Went fine. Then my tank got stressed from two oops'es with the heater and hitting 65º F in a week. For months after that things just kept acting weird and no matter what I did, things just slowly were getting worse. Params checked fine (including an ICP test).

I had carbon in there, good water params, and pretty solid stability. Finally one day I added the in-tank skimmer I had sitting idly in my collection of random aquarium stuff. Almost immediately the tank turned around and things got better. I didn't do any sort of scientific test, but that was one of the main changes I made around the time things turned around.

My tanks will always have a skimmer running now, for reasons that seem applicable to yours. If the skimmer acts up, something is seemingly up with the tank, and it's likely getting crap out that I'm not able to track otherwise. Could've been a coincidence. Could've been some gunk was in there that wasn't showing up otherwise (maybe some chemical warfare making it past all the carbon?). Could've been ph stabilization. Who knows.

In your case, sounds like you know the root cause, and the skimmer is acting up while trying to get crap out of the water.

Have you considered doing your water changes through skimming? Run the skimmer super wet, or just let it freak out, and ideally have the tank water draining through an outlet into a bucket (or manually drain the cup over and over). Replace with fresh saltwater when it stops, or you get sick of trying to watch it.

 

[L/B Block]

Doing water changes is certainly interesting throughout the skimmer. There is a small outlet on the cup that can be used to run to another container..I thought about simply running it but with all the micro bubbles clouding the tank-er-maybe not.

I may just let it run though on water change days. It is def the water in the tank. I had taken it out and put in a tub of fresh saltwater and it worked fine.

 

[richiev]

simply running it but with all the micro bubbles clouding the tank-er-maybe not.

Have you considered temporarily adding more of a bubble trap? Throw some sponge media before the return pump. Maybe go extreme and toss some filter floss post-skimmer somehow for a bit.

 

[L/B Block]

Have you considered temporarily adding more of a bubble trap? Throw some sponge media before the return pump. Maybe go extreme and toss some filter floss post-skimmer somehow for a bit.

I had thought about that. The fleece filter socks do a good job. But floss might work too. I do have a sponge between the ps and return pump but these bubbles are so tiny it just passes though.

May have to wait though. Came home today with 3 coral knocked over -so used the epoxy again. But if I can get out to the LFS then I can prob get the floss/fleece to get the ps up and moving.

 

[Coral reefer]

Why epoxy? And why again after you noticed it was causing issues with the skimmer? Super glue is not likely to cause those issue ime

 

[L/B Block]

Why epoxy? And why again after you noticed it was causing issues with the skimmer? Super glue is not likely to cause those issue ime

Superglue does not cause any issues in my tank. I have found that the combo of epoxy/superglue does a better job of keeping the urchins and pitho crabs from knocking over the corals. No matter how much superglue I use-those critters make a mockery of my glue jobs.

 

[Darkxerox]

Seatak is going to be out soon and should solve these issues. Ben and Rich have been talking about it the last few weeks on Reef Beef: https://www.seatak.com/

But epoxy has been a skimmer beater forever and you just have to dial it way down until it cures completely. Shouldn't last for more than a day and you can use it as a pseudo water change by having it run out the skimmer waste cup into your water change container much like the chemiclean method that @H2OPlayar uses

 

[L/B Block]

Seatak is going to be out soon and should solve these issues. Ben and Rich have been talking about it the last few weeks on Reef Beef: https://www.seatak.com/

But epoxy has been a skimmer beater forever and you just have to dial it way down until it cures completely. Shouldn't last for more than a day and you can use it as a pseudo water change by having it run out the skimmer waste cup into your water change container much like the chemiclean method that @H2OPlayar uses

Problem is, ever since I introduced epoxy, it has gotten the crazies and has never settled since. So for example after my last use of epoxy, it’s been at least a week, plus two water changes representing 12.5% for one week (50% monthly) and yet..

I have a older 110s octo reef I may replace it with (need the silicon tube) and see if that works better.,

In the meantime I will check out that podcast!

 

[Coral reefer]

I think good super glue technique is the answer. There is definitely a right or best way to do it

 

[Turkeysammich]

Problem is, ever since I introduced epoxy, it has gotten the crazies and has never settled since. So for example after my last use of epoxy, it’s been at least a week, plus two water changes representing 12.5% for one week (50% monthly) and yet..

I have a older 110s octo reef I may replace it with (need the silicon tube) and see if that works better.,

In the meantime I will check out that podcast!

That’s crazy. Marc Levenson said if that happens. Just let the skimmer run and empty it out. Then replace the water. When that happens to me. I dial the skimmer back and try to pull out the toxic junk. Then make up the water.
Hopefully it will calm down soon.

 

[L/B Block]

That’s crazy. Marc Levenson said if that happens. Just let the skimmer run and empty it out. Then replace the water. When that happens to me. I dial the skimmer back and try to pull out the toxic junk. Then make up the water.
Hopefully it will calm down soon.

Thanks. I also raised it 1 1/2 inches which helped.

 

[L/B Block]

I think good super glue technique is the answer. There is definitely a right or best way to do it

All for it if I get the special recipe. The epoxy glue sandwich was recommended by a few folks on BAR.

 

[Some Rando]

Seatak is going to be out soon and should solve these issues. Ben and Rich have been talking about it the last few weeks on Reef Beef: https://www.seatak.com/

But epoxy has been a skimmer beater forever and you just have to dial it way down until it cures completely. Shouldn't last for more than a day and you can use it as a pseudo water change by having it run out the skimmer waste cup into your water change container much like the chemiclean method that @H2OPlayar uses

Thanks for for the info on Seatak! This sounds awesome.

 

[L/B Block]

Seatak is going to be out soon and should solve these issues. Ben and Rich have been talking about it the last few weeks on Reef Beef: https://www.seatak.com/

But epoxy has been a skimmer beater forever and you just have to dial it way down until it cures completely. Shouldn't last for more than a day and you can use it as a pseudo water change by having it run out the skimmer waste cup into your water change container much like the chemiclean method that @H2OPlayar uses

I totally mistook Seatak for someone not a product. Just looked it up. Looks promising

 

[biophilia]

Depending on the amount of surface agitation you have, if you're going to bring the skimmer offline for a significant length of time it might be a good idea to throw an airstone in the sump to help counter the sudden drop in gas exchange.

The skimmer is removing a lot of "stuff" that the rollermat is not (some beneficial, some not). Going long-term without a skimmer, assuming you have sufficient gas exchange, is totally doable and may even result in more plankton in the water column for your corals to eat. Being successful with it long term probably would require a healthy population of sponge growing in your rock and in cryptic zones in the sump to convert the microbial carbon the skimmer would otherwise be removing back into sponge tissue or particulate carbon/coral food. Also probably a good idea to run activated carbon if you're ditching a skimmer.

 

[L/B Block]

Duly noted. The carbon is in.
I have an older protein skimmer that I am about to put in and see if that has any better success.

 

[L/B Block]

That’s crazy. Marc Levenson said if that happens. Just let the skimmer run and empty it out. Then replace the water. When that happens to me. I dial the skimmer back and try to pull out the toxic junk. Then make up the water.
Hopefully it will calm down soon.

So I took it out of the tank and put in a tub of water from the tank and fresh SW and let it run. And run it did w/o abatement from the overflowing for a good 48 hrs and it did not seem that it was going to stop. So I took the carbon from under the roller mat and sandwiched it between the venturi and the wall of the tub and let it go. Less than 45 min later it was fine. Interesting.

Going to see next time if just jam the carbon against the venturi for a bit -this will stop the issue until that new glue comes out.

 

[Turkeysammich]

Wash it out with some dawn dish washing soap and hot water. I wonder if there’s some kind of film on/in the skimmer or pump.

 

[L/B Block]

Wash it out with some dawn dish washing soap and hot water. I wonder if there’s some kind of film on/in the skimmer or pump.

There could have been but the carbon took care of it. Good to know for next time though.