Protein skimmer question

Vadafallon · 08/11/2016, 11:25 AM

I set my skimmer the level i want and it seems fine. I come home and it has skimmed stuff and then later the water level in the skimmer is way lower than what it was earlier. Why do they fluctuate like that?

thegrun · 08/11/2016, 11:29 AM

They will fluctuate if for awhile after you feed or add medications, additives or any other material to the tank. It's possible the skimmer was in a high skim mode when you originally set it up or that there were a lot of organics in the tank when you set it up, and now that those organics are gone the level in the skimmer has dropped. It's not unusual for it to take a couple of weeks before things stabilize.

hkgar · 08/11/2016, 02:48 PM

Foaming will increase or decrease as described but actual water level changing is different. Is it an external or internal skimmer? What is the feed pump? Skimmer model?

Jeff4777 · 08/11/2016, 05:25 PM

Skimmers do have a break in peroid. Make/model?

dyazdani · 08/11/2016, 07:30 PM

The feed pump needs to be where the level is constant. Let us know the type of skimmer and how/where it is installed.

Sk8r · 08/11/2016, 10:22 PM

If you feed or stick a hand in the tank (thus proving natural human body oils do affect the water) skimming may slow or stop altogether, to start up later.

08/11/2016, 11:25 AM	#1
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Protein skimmer question I set my skimmer the level i want and it seems fine. I come home and it has skimmed stuff and then later the water level in the skimmer is way lower than what it was earlier. Why do they fluctuate like that?

08/11/2016, 02:48 PM	#3
hkgar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Dewitt MI Posts: 5,051	Foaming will increase or decrease as described but actual water level changing is different. Is it an external or internal skimmer? What is the feed pump? Skimmer model? __________________ Gary 180 gallon, 40 gallon sump, 3 250 W MH + 4 80W ATI T5's, MTC MVX 36 Skimmer, Apex controller Aquamaxx T-3 CaRx Current Tank Info: A 2 Barred Rabbitfish, Red Head Salon, Yellow/Purple, McMaster Fairy, Possum, 2 Leopard Wrasses, Kole, & Atlantic Blue Tangs, 2 Percula Clown, 3 PJ and 1 Banggai Cardinalfish , Swallowtail, Bellus and Coral Beauty Angels

08/11/2016, 10:22 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you feed or stick a hand in the tank (thus proving natural human body oils do affect the water) skimming may slow or stop altogether, to start up later. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/11/2016, 11:29 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	They will fluctuate if for awhile after you feed or add medications, additives or any other material to the tank. It's possible the skimmer was in a high skim mode when you originally set it up or that there were a lot of organics in the tank when you set it up, and now that those organics are gone the level in the skimmer has dropped. It's not unusual for it to take a couple of weeks before things stabilize.

08/11/2016, 05:25 PM	#4
Jeff4777 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 518	Skimmers do have a break in peroid. Make/model?

08/11/2016, 07:30 PM	#5
dyazdani Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: New York Posts: 199	The feed pump needs to be where the level is constant. Let us know the type of skimmer and how/where it is installed.