phosban and skimmer

cd77 · 09/27/2007, 01:29 AM

Yesterday evening I installed a phosban reactor. It's now about 7 hours later, and my skimmer isn't producing anything (it appears to be functioning fine and I haven't tinkered with it) and it's set for wet skimming.. could the phosban reactor be competing with the protein skimmer in any fashion?

My tank is less than two months old -- wet skimming typically yields a full cup a day or more.

JetCat USA · 09/27/2007, 06:44 AM

as a general rule the GFO (PhosBan) will not have an effect on the skimmer, it could be that you got your hand in the water when installing the reactor/pump and that has caused the skimmer to stop producing which is very common.

cd77 · 09/27/2007, 09:03 AM

Interesting. Thank you

JetCat USA · 09/27/2007, 09:26 AM

You're Welcome.

igotthatFIREman · 09/27/2007, 10:16 AM

my skimmer didnt produce anything for about 2 day when i installed my phosban reactor. i have a reef devil deluxe

cd77 · 09/27/2007, 10:43 AM

Very odd -- it's still not producing anything. I've never had my skimmer react like this by simply placing my hand in the return compartment.

an411 · 09/27/2007, 11:06 AM

How is putting your hand in the water going to affect your skimmer? oils or stuff on your hand?

JetCat USA · 09/27/2007, 11:21 AM

natural oils on your skin cause changes in surface tension of the water, surface tension is how skimmers work

aquarius77 · 09/27/2007, 11:49 AM

My skimmer stops pulling for a few hours after i feed. I notice the difference in the skimmers performance everytime my hand goes in the tank.

rbtwo4 · 09/27/2007, 12:17 PM

Have u fed ur fish? Maybe there's nothing to skim

cd77 · 09/27/2007, 12:21 PM

It's a fairly new tank with plenty of algae, so I imagine there should be tons to skim. Even if I crank it up high I get transparent skimmate. They were fed yesterday some some frozen mysis/brine combo and a little cyclopeeze with a little garlic and selcon. Just odd. I'll be feeding them shortly here.

JetCat USA · 09/27/2007, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rbtwo4
Have u fed ur fish? Maybe there's nothing to skim

the only tank that has nothing to skim is a sterile one with nothing in it

igotthatFIREman · 09/29/2007, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JetCat USA
the only tank that has nothing to skim is a sterile one with nothing in it

i agree. a tank with fish will always have something to skim.

my skimmer didnt work for at least 48 hours. it is a very sensitive skimmer(etts deluxe) but i definitely noticed a reaction once adding the reactor+phosban.

tarax · 09/29/2007, 10:54 PM

I also just installed a Phosban Reactor within the last 2 days and have noticed the same thing with my G3 skimmer.

igotthatFIREman · 09/29/2007, 10:56 PM

it will get back to normal. i dosed my tank with ultralife for red slime and it took weeks for my skimmer to work right. like i said....i have a sensitive skimmer....it took 2 days before my skimmer worked again.

cd77 · 09/29/2007, 10:59 PM

I gave the skimmer a good cleaning today and it is still acting a bit odd though it is producing if I crank it up (wet skim) a bit more than normal -- it's not creating tons of bubbles in the collection cup (like you would expect with a skimmer needing a good 72 hour break-in) Since I took it apart today, I'll be watching it over the next few days to see how it adjusts. I've actually been real pleased with this skimmer (Coralife) so far -- If it is not skimming properly 3 days from now, I'll shut off the phosban to see if it makes a difference..

Just a side note -- after adding the phosban unit and a bit of reading, I'm really regretting the sump I purchased with the aquarium. The sump+refugium I have (Pro-Flex 100 model made by Pro Clear Aquatics) is terrible. Without re-doing all of the plumbing there is no way to plumb the return water as recommended by the phosban reactor directions, and virtually everything has to sit in the return compartment. I'm about to build my own to replace the stupid thing.

09/27/2007, 01:29 AM	#1
cd77 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fishers, IN, USA Posts: 1,169	phosban and skimmer Yesterday evening I installed a phosban reactor. It's now about 7 hours later, and my skimmer isn't producing anything (it appears to be functioning fine and I haven't tinkered with it) and it's set for wet skimming.. could the phosban reactor be competing with the protein skimmer in any fashion? My tank is less than two months old -- wet skimming typically yields a full cup a day or more. __________________ -Chris Current Tank Info: 70G Reef (Aug 2007), 45G Reef (Dec 2007)

09/27/2007, 09:03 AM	#3
cd77 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fishers, IN, USA Posts: 1,169	Interesting. Thank you __________________ -Chris Current Tank Info: 70G Reef (Aug 2007), 45G Reef (Dec 2007)

09/27/2007, 10:43 AM	#6
cd77 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fishers, IN, USA Posts: 1,169	Very odd -- it's still not producing anything. I've never had my skimmer react like this by simply placing my hand in the return compartment. __________________ -Chris Current Tank Info: 70G Reef (Aug 2007), 45G Reef (Dec 2007)

09/27/2007, 12:17 PM	#10
rbtwo4 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NY Posts: 747	Have u fed ur fish? Maybe there's nothing to skim __________________ I am completely ADDICTED!!!! Current Tank Info: 30G Rimless Deep Blue, AI Sol, 120 SWC Skimmer, Apex controller, MP10

09/27/2007, 12:21 PM	#11
cd77 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fishers, IN, USA Posts: 1,169	It's a fairly new tank with plenty of algae, so I imagine there should be tons to skim. Even if I crank it up high I get transparent skimmate. They were fed yesterday some some frozen mysis/brine combo and a little cyclopeeze with a little garlic and selcon. Just odd. I'll be feeding them shortly here. __________________ -Chris Current Tank Info: 70G Reef (Aug 2007), 45G Reef (Dec 2007)

09/27/2007, 06:44 AM	#2
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	as a general rule the GFO (PhosBan) will not have an effect on the skimmer, it could be that you got your hand in the water when installing the reactor/pump and that has caused the skimmer to stop producing which is very common.

09/27/2007, 09:26 AM	#4
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	You're Welcome.

09/27/2007, 10:16 AM	#5
igotthatFIREman Moved On Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 161	my skimmer didnt produce anything for about 2 day when i installed my phosban reactor. i have a reef devil deluxe

09/27/2007, 11:06 AM	#7
an411 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Derby CT Posts: 2,861	How is putting your hand in the water going to affect your skimmer? oils or stuff on your hand?

09/27/2007, 11:21 AM	#8
JetCat USA Moved On Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,847	natural oils on your skin cause changes in surface tension of the water, surface tension is how skimmers work

09/27/2007, 11:49 AM	#9
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	My skimmer stops pulling for a few hours after i feed. I notice the difference in the skimmers performance everytime my hand goes in the tank.

09/29/2007, 10:54 PM	#14
tarax Premium Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Way Up North Posts: 164	I also just installed a Phosban Reactor within the last 2 days and have noticed the same thing with my G3 skimmer.

09/29/2007, 10:56 PM	#15
igotthatFIREman Moved On Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 161	it will get back to normal. i dosed my tank with ultralife for red slime and it took weeks for my skimmer to work right. like i said....i have a sensitive skimmer....it took 2 days before my skimmer worked again.

09/29/2007, 10:59 PM	#16
cd77 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Fishers, IN, USA Posts: 1,169	I gave the skimmer a good cleaning today and it is still acting a bit odd though it is producing if I crank it up (wet skim) a bit more than normal -- it's not creating tons of bubbles in the collection cup (like you would expect with a skimmer needing a good 72 hour break-in) Since I took it apart today, I'll be watching it over the next few days to see how it adjusts. I've actually been real pleased with this skimmer (Coralife) so far -- If it is not skimming properly 3 days from now, I'll shut off the phosban to see if it makes a difference.. Just a side note -- after adding the phosban unit and a bit of reading, I'm really regretting the sump I purchased with the aquarium. The sump+refugium I have (Pro-Flex 100 model made by Pro Clear Aquatics) is terrible. Without re-doing all of the plumbing there is no way to plumb the return water as recommended by the phosban reactor directions, and virtually everything has to sit in the return compartment. I'm about to build my own to replace the stupid thing. __________________ -Chris Current Tank Info: 70G Reef (Aug 2007), 45G Reef (Dec 2007)