water looks dirty

tangov559 · 02/04/2006, 01:51 AM

in my 55gallon, up for about a year...using a HOB red sea prism skimmer. When you look at the tank from the bottom to the top of the water. the water looks like it's oily. or there are thing floating at the water. what can i do to get rid of this. iv done water changes. its not oil though..............also there are alot of little bubbles all of my rocks too... when you touch them.. they go to the top and dissappear. any help?

dchao · 02/04/2006, 02:01 AM

you need a surface water pre-skimmer like this one:

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=RS1231

It's similar to oil, but it's actually the protein layer, the exact stuff what your skimmer is trying to get rid of.

However, Red Sea Prizm is way under-power for your 55 gallon tank.

shag26272 · 02/04/2006, 02:10 AM

If you can get something like a remora, your tank will thank you for it

auto_loader · 02/04/2006, 07:29 AM

You can put a powerhead or 2 at the surface to agitate the surface and suspend the particles in the water column so your skimmer can take them out too.

Cutiewitbooty · 02/04/2006, 09:53 AM

or you can float a papertowel on the surface to soak it up, but a surface attatchment would be best, powerheads also work pretty good.

tangov559 · 02/04/2006, 04:34 PM

is that upgrade, just the parts that come with the pro red sea skimmer...i think i bought that too, but i gotta look for it

piranhaking · 02/04/2006, 04:45 PM

one way to take care of it that i have heard from people with nanoreefs is to put a bowl on the top of the water and gently push it down only allowing the water to barely flow over the side into the bowl. That will skim and junk off of the top of the tank. A good way to do that would be to do it as the start of a waterchange that way the water that you remove in the bowl can be part of the change.

tangov559 · 02/04/2006, 06:51 PM

okay..thanks..what about the bubbles?

02/04/2006, 01:51 AM	#1
tangov559 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: 559 California Posts: 259	water looks dirty in my 55gallon, up for about a year...using a HOB red sea prism skimmer. When you look at the tank from the bottom to the top of the water. the water looks like it's oily. or there are thing floating at the water. what can i do to get rid of this. iv done water changes. its not oil though..............also there are alot of little bubbles all of my rocks too... when you touch them.. they go to the top and dissappear. any help?

02/04/2006, 02:10 AM	#3
shag26272 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 3,088	If you can get something like a remora, your tank will thank you for it __________________ .

02/04/2006, 09:53 AM	#5
Cutiewitbooty Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alaska For 18 Years, Now Cape Coral, Florida Posts: 2,795	or you can float a papertowel on the surface to soak it up, but a surface attatchment would be best, powerheads also work pretty good. __________________ WARNING: Taking my advice may result in personal injury and/or jail time. ~Amber~

02/04/2006, 02:01 AM	#2
dchao Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: San Francisco Posts: 910	you need a surface water pre-skimmer like this one: http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=RS1231 It's similar to oil, but it's actually the protein layer, the exact stuff what your skimmer is trying to get rid of. However, Red Sea Prizm is way under-power for your 55 gallon tank.

02/04/2006, 07:29 AM	#4
auto_loader Premium Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Rochelle, IL Posts: 585	You can put a powerhead or 2 at the surface to agitate the surface and suspend the particles in the water column so your skimmer can take them out too.

02/04/2006, 04:34 PM	#6
tangov559 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: 559 California Posts: 259	is that upgrade, just the parts that come with the pro red sea skimmer...i think i bought that too, but i gotta look for it

02/04/2006, 04:45 PM	#7
piranhaking Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 321	one way to take care of it that i have heard from people with nanoreefs is to put a bowl on the top of the water and gently push it down only allowing the water to barely flow over the side into the bowl. That will skim and junk off of the top of the tank. A good way to do that would be to do it as the start of a waterchange that way the water that you remove in the bowl can be part of the change.

02/04/2006, 06:51 PM	#8
tangov559 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: 559 California Posts: 259	okay..thanks..what about the bubbles?