Intriguing observation - skimmate settled in to detritus on my desktop

toothybugs · 04/18/2016, 09:06 AM

Here at work, I recently drained my skimmer cup of some very wet skimmate in to a plastic cup to be disposed of later. I got laz... busy and ignored it for a while, about a week. I watched it get progressively more and more clear as the week went on. What surprised me this morning: I noticed that all the color in the water has agglomerated itself in to detritus particles. Not something that I ever expected to happen.

Any of you ever observe this, or something similar to it? In hindsight I guess it makes sense but I found observing the process to be intriguing.

CStrickland · 04/18/2016, 09:13 AM

That is interesting. Post a pic!
I would expect the oils to rise to the surface, does it have any shine on top?

ca1ore · 04/18/2016, 09:49 AM

Skimmers will remove fine particulate matter as well as proteins, so not unusual to see darker stuff on the bottom of the container. Don't know that I have ever noted a gradation of color though.

toothybugs · 04/18/2016, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CStrickland

That is interesting. Post a pic!
I would expect the oils to rise to the surface, does it have any shine on top?

I will when I get home tonight. I took a couple pics this morning but my phone hates uploading and Flickr; it's far easier off my laptop.

04/18/2016, 09:06 AM	#1
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	Intriguing observation - skimmate settled in to detritus on my desktop Here at work, I recently drained my skimmer cup of some very wet skimmate in to a plastic cup to be disposed of later. I got laz... busy and ignored it for a while, about a week. I watched it get progressively more and more clear as the week went on. What surprised me this morning: I noticed that all the color in the water has agglomerated itself in to detritus particles. Not something that I ever expected to happen. Any of you ever observe this, or something similar to it? In hindsight I guess it makes sense but I found observing the process to be intriguing.

04/18/2016, 09:13 AM	#2
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	That is interesting. Post a pic! I would expect the oils to rise to the surface, does it have any shine on top? __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

04/18/2016, 09:49 AM	#3
ca1ore Grizzled & Cynical Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 17,319	Skimmers will remove fine particulate matter as well as proteins, so not unusual to see darker stuff on the bottom of the container. Don't know that I have ever noted a gradation of color though. __________________ Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs