Help with Skimmer.

[tat2z_21]

So here is the scenerio. I had a little bit of a red slime. I did what I did to get rid of it before. I went down and bought some red slime remover. The last time I had an out break of red slime was almost 2 years ago and did not want to go through that again. So I siphoned out as much as I could out of this one area. I turned off my filtration and changed the carbon in it. Then I turned off my Euro reef Skimmer. Waited the 24 hours went back and turned everyhting back on. Well my skimmer went into over drive and is now pouring bubbles out of the outlet. I figured it would run a little heavy for a bit but this is rediculous. It filled my sump and then filled my tank instantly with micro bubbles. So I turned it off and waited another 24 hours. Turned it back on and same thing. I took the entire thing apart and cleaned it out pump and all. Thought I had it put it back in and turned it on. And what would you know it still does it. I have no Idea what to do. I did 2 water changes which is about 20 gallons on the tank thinking that it is something in the water and this may dilute it. Nope still does it. All of my corals are opend and looking healthy, my fish are swimming around happily and all of my hermits are still there. Can not guess what it could be. So I tested all of my water. Ph is 8.3 ammonia is 0 nitrates are below 20 and my nitrites are zero. Water temp is stable at 80. Any one out there have any help. Where oh where is the skimmer whisperer when I need him. Hello are you out there. (expecting him to show to the door with a cape and a collection cup drawn on his shirt). If there is any guesses out there I would appreciate it.

 

[aquariumdebacle]

The problem is not with your skimmer allthough you could probably tweak it a little to take more stuff out. The problem is an accumulation of organic molecules. the skimmer is playing catch-up. Don't leave it off unless you are working on it and then turn it back on after you are done. It removes that crud from your system.

What the underlying problem probably is occuring is that you have too many organics in your system. A sandbed will accumulate them and re-release them to the water column after it can no longer accumulate organics. This is a classic sighn of red algae. If you have it on spots of your sandbed that is a sign. What you need to do is to get a good (=expensive) phospjhate test kit and test for phosphates. A system with sps corals should have unreadable amounts of phosphates.

Agressive water changes and repalcing 1/3 of your sandbed with fresh new dead sand every year will help this situation.

 

[tat2z_21]

I do appreciate your answer but how do I keep it on it fills the collection cup in about 2 minutes and that is even with it running wide open no restriction on the output. So I do agree with you and before I added the red slime remover the skimmer was running normally. I would get a good dark green skimmate and would have to dump probably every three days. So I agree that I probably have something in the water and now I have to be aggressive on the water changes. I will keep you guys updated. So should I just turn the skimmer on and have it run into a tub.

 

[Skimmy]

this is par for the course when using oxidizing powdered slime removers...
they usually suggest a 25% w/c after 48hours, but that isnt enought to remove the left over oxidizer in your tank so that the skimmer goes back to normal... if you've already done a 20g w/c and replaced the carbon once, i would do it again..and of coarse adjust the skimmer to it's lowest position.

after this, I would just let the skimmer keep taking out the crap and replace it with fresh saltwater....it might take a day or 2 to get back to normal...
lmk what happens...

 

[Darthv247]

yeah my skimmer went bananas after using red slime remover. pulled out red gunk ! but i never turned it off and left the tank how it was. didnt even require a water change but i did one anyways after 3-4 days and the problem went away.(i did wait until all the cyano was gone)

 

[tat2z_21]

I will continue to do my water changes. And see where that gets me. Thank you for all of your help you guys and the speedy response's.