Question about skimmate quality

[risin]

Hello,

I have a very cheap skimmer that I modded and tweaked until it started to skim pretty effectively. The problem I have is that it seems like the bubbles it produces are very thick. They fill up the container quickly, they don't break down into liquid, and seem to stop more bubbles from coming up. To keep it skimming well I have to empty the bubbles from the cup every other day. Is this a common occurance? if so, is there anything I can do aside from getting a higher quality skimmer? Thank in advance for the advice.

 

[DonW]

Hello,

I have a very cheap skimmer that I modded and tweaked until it started to skim pretty effectively. The problem I have is that it seems like the bubbles it produces are very thick. They fill up the container quickly, they don't break down into liquid, and seem to stop more bubbles from coming up. To keep it skimming well I have to empty the bubbles from the cup every other day. Is this a common occurance? if so, is there anything I can do aside from getting a higher quality skimmer? Thank in advance for the advice.

That is called dry skimming. You need to raise the water level in the skimmer.

Don

 

[MarineTeng]

some people do like try skimming, i let mine bubble out the top a little and then gets some liquid, though raising the level a bit will probably yield good dark skimmate, what skimmer did you modify and what mods did you do

 

[risin]

I can't remember the brand, but it was cheap, $35 brand new with pump... I added an air pump, wooden airblock, and stand to get it to perform, and it performs quite well, I can get about 1/4 cup a day of think nasty stuff from a 55gal tank, but after 1/4 cup is just fills with think bubbles and stops more from entering. I have plans to build my own skimmer, but I have a few projects ahead of that. i can't really buy a new skimmer cause I've done a lot of DIY and built my acrylic sump the absolute max size for the stand... 40gal sump (runs with 30gal) under a 55gal tank.

The worst feature about the skimmer is how many microbubbles make it out, that is why I had to use and air pump instead of the needlewheel venturi. It would cloud the tank with bubbles even after I installed my custom sump with 14.5inch tall bubble trap.

 

[MarineTeng]

sweet microbubbles are always annoying, i've heard filter socks help a lot with those when put over the output, and i'm thinking of making my own DIY skimmer right now, a recirculating nw venturi one

 

[james734]

Put a filter sock on the output and that should resolve the micro-bubbles. Works like a charm..

 

[risin]

I'll try lowering my skimmer and adding a filter sock, hopefully that will do it for now. but...

I thought about it before and found some people doing it... I'm gonna build a DIY skimmer that works off of the bubbles that come down my overflow. That will take some load off my filter sock, cut down on salt creep, and save time.