Emergency! filter bags gone bad!

[Dr B]

Hey guys,
I got several filterbags fromAquaticEco and I put one of the 1micron in my tank as today I wanted to really strip the water down.

Well after a few minutes in, my skimmer went crazy. The output of the skimmer into my sump chamber created about a 3 inch layer of foam on the top! I got all kinda bubbles and crap that dumped into the display of my tank and everything. I took the bag out and turned the skimmer off.

About 20 minutes later several colonies are slimmed up, and a few almost look as if they are expelling their polyps(milli/tabletops). It doesnt look like the traditional slime.
I am running carbon, and I am doing a 20g waterchange(180g of water volume).
Any ideas on what i should do? Why did these bags do this, i know many of you have used these!
thanks
DR

 

[Witfull]

did you wash it with RO prior to use?

 

[NaH2O]

Hey Dr B - I experienced the same thing with the filter socks...except my tank is empty. Here is a thread where we discussed this....see the last two posts on this page, then it continues to the next page:

Wet vs. Dry Skimmate - page 3

 

[DonW]

Its called sizing. Its supposed to bond the fibers so that they do not get in to the substance being filtered. You are suppose to wash them in the washer in HOT water to remove the sizing. Wash until all the shine is gone usually take 2 times on short cycle. There should be a disclaimer or instructions when sold for reef's but no such luck. The stuff is not food safe and is not FDA approved.

Don

 

[DonW]

Forgot to add. Use Rowa or phosban with carbon to clean up the mess. Sizing has tons of phosphates.

Don

 

[Dr B]

Well thats great.
How do i remove it from my tank??
Is my skimmer just going to go nuts forever?

I dont have phosban/rowa... or a reactor for them.
Ima read that thread in a few minutes thanks...

 

[Ed Hahn]

Dr B,
Wow, I use poly filters when I have issues. Can you round one up close by from a friend or LFS? I hope this stops soon. Good luck..Ed

 

[NaH2O]

Don - great info!

I'd just keep doing water changes. My skimmer settled down, but I didn't have livestock in the tank. If you have a phosphate test kit, then run a test and see where you are at.

 

[Dr B]

Do you guys know where I can get smaller filter socks of 1 and 5 microns?
These things are 32'' long which is just too much in my small compartment. Takes up way to much room. I used to have a small one, but it was a 100micron.

It has been a few hours and skimmer is still crazy. Its not actually the skimmer even, its the bubbles comming out of the skimmer.
I will try my saliftert kit.
I need to get a reactor and run phosban I guess. Anyone have a reactor they are using and would recomend?
Thanks for all the info guys, I appreciate it. I will definitely add this to my thread once I get the time to write stuff up.
DR

 

[NaH2O]

I'm not sure where to get the smaller ones. I have a one micron I bought at Inland aquatics that is a short size. I was thinking about cutting mine and sewing it back together....then I'd have 2 for the price of 1

I had micro bubbles coming out of my skimmer as well - seemed to dissapate overnight. They, thankfully, didn't make their way to the tank.

As for a fluidized reactor, I have the two little fishes model - it is only for up to 150 gallons, though. I love it, and it brought my phosphates down in a matter of a couple of days. Thing is....now I wonder if my phosphates truely came from my uncured live rock, or the sizing on the filter socks....

 

[NaH2O]

Oh, and when you use your phosphate remover (rowa or phosban) make sure you either soak it or run the effluent into a container until it is clear. Your tank will turn rust colored if you don't. I also put the little filter sock that came with the product on the end of my effluent line just as a precaution.

 

[mojoreef]

Good Info Don. I have the 5 micron socks from aquatic, but they never did that. I rotate new ones all the time. Is it on just certiain types or sizes???


Mike

 

[NaH2O]

I don't think so, Mike. I suspect with your water volume, you wouldn't see the issues that we had. Mine occurred with the 5 micron socks (felt) from aquatic. Either your water volume, or our skimmers are more efficient (which I don't think is the case).

 

[DonW]

Good Info Don. I have the 5 micron socks from aquatic, but they never did that. I rotate new ones all the time. Is it on just certiain types or sizes???


Mike

Mike I think it is on all of them that are not food grade. The low micron ones we use are not used in the food industry. The ones we use are to filter chemicals in a presurized vessel and a pushed through the sock. I believe the 1 micron socks are used to filter non medical gasses.
The ones I use are from www.fsifilters.com and I buy them from Shark Reef.
I had a long phone conversation with these people, they are the ones that told me about the phosphates that derive from starch.

Dr. B Your skimmer will calm down on its own, just turn it off for a day. Throw bags of phosban and carbon in your sump for now, this will help quickly. If I remember right you have a new good size tank and will need alot of phosban. I would not use Rowa for a quick clean-up just because of the drastic orp increase it may cause. Nikki is correct the Two Little Fishes reactors are great you just may need to buy two of them $39ea and split the input between the two. You could probably overnight them from North Coast on the sponsers page.

Hope this helps
Don

 

[Dr B]

DonW are you using 100micron or what size are you using?
I know Mike is running 5micron 24/7 right?
I was going to use 1micron every couple weeks when dusting the rocks off and such to try to collect everything I can.
My detritus cant settle on the bottom, so it tends to settle in the rock... or my rock is still shedding a ton.

 

[Dr B]

Also, does anyone know about www.filterbag.com?
I was thinking about ordering there... there is a 10piece minimum however on each size and in the FAQ it says that washing them and such can change the pore size and such so they are meant to be used as a onetime use.
Do you think they are saying this because it is of inferior quality, or because they just feel that ANY sock should be a onetime use?

 

[DonW]

DonW are you using 100micron or what size are you using?
I know Mike is running 5micron 24/7 right?
I was going to use 1micron every couple weeks when dusting the rocks off and such to try to collect everything I can.
My detritus cant settle on the bottom, so it tends to settle in the rock... or my rock is still shedding a ton.

Mine are 5 micron when new. I run it 24/7, and do not believe the 1 micron is necessary. I also use them to vac and nothing that you can see with your eyes get through. Ive washed them in the washer many times (100+), although they look a bit ratted they still work great.

These http://www.filterbag.com/items/PONG5P1P.html

Don

 

[Dr B]

Don, youve been a great source of info. If you dont mind a little more id appreciate it =)

How often do you clean your 5 micron bag?

And also do you think that www.fsifilters.com and www.filterbag.com have the same quality? You said your bag was 10 bucks, however on filterbag they are like 2 dollars! Also fsifilters says nothing about not washing them, and filterbag says not to.
There is only one place that carries fsifilters in town, and they are closed up. I suspect that they are not going to have in supply the ones I want however.

 

[DonW]

Don, youve been a great source of info. If you dont mind a little more id appreciate it =)

How often do you clean your 5 micron bag?

And also do you think that www.fsifilters.com and www.filterbag.com have the same quality? You said your bag was 10 bucks, however on filterbag they are like 2 dollars! Also fsifilters says nothing about not washing them, and filterbag says not to.
There is only one place that carries fsifilters in town, and they are closed up. I suspect that they are not going to have in supply the ones I want however.

DrB fsi is the maker you cannot buy direct. If you look at the pn# from filterbag.com they are the same as fsi. I suspect they are fsi bags. I pay $10 per bag from Shark Reef (sponser) for an excuse to go there and support there small business.
I change out the bag every third day if it needs it or not. Over time i've collected a number of bags. I wash them 5 or six at a time in hot water on a short 10 min. cycle.

Don

 

[DonW]

DrB this bag is about 6mo old. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1172

Don