Skimmer is acting strange???????

steri · 01/05/2007, 02:16 PM

When I add water to my tank or do a water change, for the next day or so, my skimmer really acts up. I don't really know why.

This has happened twice. The skimmer is working great, pulling out a bunch of skimmate very consistently at about 1/4-1/3 cup a day. Then I add some water, then all the sudden, the skimmer kinda stops pulling out skimmate and adds more microbubbles to my tank. Then, maybe about 12-16 hours later, all of the sudden, in about 10 minutes, I will go from having nothing in my skimmer cup to having water overflowing out the top of the skimmer cup and onto my floor.

What the heck is going on?

I have a seaclone skimmer. This is the water I use to fill my tank during water changes or when the tank is a little low. It says it's Real Ocean water taken from the ocean with no additives. Has anyone else use or had problems with this product before?

http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.as...amilyID=11884&

Should I not be using this water? Or should I turn off the skimmer for a day or 2 after doing a water change? What is causing my skimmer to act up like this?

Any advice you guys can give would greatly help this confused smilely face

BillyJoeJimBob · 01/05/2007, 02:21 PM

I have never seen that water before. What is the salinity out of the bottle? The description doesn't say.

drummereef · 01/05/2007, 02:31 PM

I would save the money on products like those, invest in a good RO/DI, and use a trusted brand of salt like Instant Ocean. Those types of products are marketing gimicks, imo.

steri · 01/05/2007, 02:37 PM

The box says the salinity varies from 1.023 to 1.027 because it's "Real Ocean water". It says PH is at 8.3. 0 Trates, 0 Trites, 0 Ammo, and 0 Phosphates.

My LFS sells RO premixed saltwater with Instant Ocean for $1.50 a gallon, so I think I will go that way in the future. I just can't figure out why my skimmer would act up. The only thing I can think of is that they would have added some type of chemical to the water.

The only other time a skimmer of mine has acted up is when I put AmQuel into the water, but I won't do that any more now because of what it did to the skimmer (same type of thing this water did).

fuzzyt · 01/05/2007, 02:42 PM

$1.50 / gal ?!? Wow, may want to check into buying RO / DI and mixing it yourself. That way you can either top off or water change when you need. Just a suggestion.

Best of luck!

rreddick · 01/05/2007, 02:46 PM

in just 100G of LFS water you can get a good RO/DI unit. I would invest in the futre now

Ron

BillyJoeJimBob · 01/05/2007, 02:48 PM

Bad thing is it still needs poured out of it's container into another container and heated up before adding it, at least if you do it the right way. So it really only saves the step of mixing it up. Yeah, I'd go for an RO unit too. Lugging water is a pain. I bought distilled water before my RO unit. It was a pain lugging those jugs from the car.

steri · 01/05/2007, 02:54 PM

Well, I can also get RO/Di water I have to mix myself for 40 cents/gallon. I just prefer the mixed stuff so I don't have to worry about it. It's lazy I guess.

Anyway, anone have thoughts about the skimmer or is the concensous that it's the water that's causing it, or something in the water?

01/05/2007, 02:16 PM	#1
steri Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aurora, IL. Posts: 2,361	Skimmer is acting strange??????? When I add water to my tank or do a water change, for the next day or so, my skimmer really acts up. I don't really know why. This has happened twice. The skimmer is working great, pulling out a bunch of skimmate very consistently at about 1/4-1/3 cup a day. Then I add some water, then all the sudden, the skimmer kinda stops pulling out skimmate and adds more microbubbles to my tank. Then, maybe about 12-16 hours later, all of the sudden, in about 10 minutes, I will go from having nothing in my skimmer cup to having water overflowing out the top of the skimmer cup and onto my floor. What the heck is going on? I have a seaclone skimmer. This is the water I use to fill my tank during water changes or when the tank is a little low. It says it's Real Ocean water taken from the ocean with no additives. Has anyone else use or had problems with this product before? http://www.petco.com/Shop/Product.as...amilyID=11884& Should I not be using this water? Or should I turn off the skimmer for a day or 2 after doing a water change? What is causing my skimmer to act up like this? Any advice you guys can give would greatly help this confused smilely face

01/05/2007, 02:31 PM	#3
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	I would save the money on products like those, invest in a good RO/DI, and use a trusted brand of salt like Instant Ocean. Those types of products are marketing gimicks, imo. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

01/05/2007, 02:37 PM	#4
steri Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aurora, IL. Posts: 2,361	The box says the salinity varies from 1.023 to 1.027 because it's "Real Ocean water". It says PH is at 8.3. 0 Trates, 0 Trites, 0 Ammo, and 0 Phosphates. My LFS sells RO premixed saltwater with Instant Ocean for $1.50 a gallon, so I think I will go that way in the future. I just can't figure out why my skimmer would act up. The only thing I can think of is that they would have added some type of chemical to the water. The only other time a skimmer of mine has acted up is when I put AmQuel into the water, but I won't do that any more now because of what it did to the skimmer (same type of thing this water did). __________________ 220g: French Angel, Emperor Angel, Passer Anger, Blue Tang, Yellow Tang, Snowflake Moray Eel, Lunar Wrasse Current Tank Info: 220 with T5HO lighting. ETSS skimmer.

01/05/2007, 02:54 PM	#8
steri Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Aurora, IL. Posts: 2,361	Well, I can also get RO/Di water I have to mix myself for 40 cents/gallon. I just prefer the mixed stuff so I don't have to worry about it. It's lazy I guess. Anyway, anone have thoughts about the skimmer or is the concensous that it's the water that's causing it, or something in the water? __________________ 220g: French Angel, Emperor Angel, Passer Anger, Blue Tang, Yellow Tang, Snowflake Moray Eel, Lunar Wrasse Current Tank Info: 220 with T5HO lighting. ETSS skimmer.

01/05/2007, 02:21 PM	#2
BillyJoeJimBob Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 174	I have never seen that water before. What is the salinity out of the bottle? The description doesn't say.

01/05/2007, 02:42 PM	#5
fuzzyt Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 250	$1.50 / gal ?!? Wow, may want to check into buying RO / DI and mixing it yourself. That way you can either top off or water change when you need. Just a suggestion. Best of luck!

01/05/2007, 02:46 PM	#6
rreddick Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brewster, MA Posts: 224	in just 100G of LFS water you can get a good RO/DI unit. I would invest in the futre now Ron

01/05/2007, 02:48 PM	#7
BillyJoeJimBob Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 174	Bad thing is it still needs poured out of it's container into another container and heated up before adding it, at least if you do it the right way. So it really only saves the step of mixing it up. Yeah, I'd go for an RO unit too. Lugging water is a pain. I bought distilled water before my RO unit. It was a pain lugging those jugs from the car.