Brown foam on top of water.

[rkm]

I just got brown foam on the top of the water in my tank. I have a skimmer, and i am agitateing the top of the tank with my mag 350 and 2 bio wheels. This has started within 2 days. Any ideas?

 

[richard rendos]

I had the same problem with one of my tanks before adding a sump and overflow. Nothing was skimming the surface. You can add a surface skimmer to a hang-on skimmer. I think all hang-on skimmers should come with a surface skimmer because the best water to skim is the water off the top. I made a couple for friends out of acrylic but you could probably make them out of a small tupperware container. You need one just slightly larger than your skimmer pump. Cut slits in the top for the water to drain through. Cut a small hole in the center and use a nylon screw (from lowe's/HD) to tighten the box to the skimmer pump. Instant skimmer box and no more ugly brown film on the surface.

 

[rkm]

You wouldn't happen to have a pic. of that would you.
This tupper ware item goes to the inlet side of my skimmer?
Thanks for the help. The both of you!!

 

[ijeh99]

I am wondering if I should get a skimmer. I do not have any brown bubbles on top of my water for over three months. Will this change? My aquarium is FO.

 

[rkm]

I found the source of my air bubbles. It is my bio wheels. One stopped spinning. They still seam to put bubbles in the water though. Can i just get rid of them. I am starting a reef tank. I have half of the LR that I need. I add LR almost every wheek. any ideas.
For the bio wheels. I have my sprayers squirting over the tops of the wheels so the water goes down the front. Is that the correct way? Or just a pref? When i had the water going down the back side i had salt build up forming on my food infront of the waterfalls. Maybe i had the wheels spinning too fast. Ant ideas
Thanks

 

[richard rendos]

I will try to find a pic for you today. What kind of skimmer do you have? They may make a skimmer box for your model.

 

[rkm]

Don't laugh. Prizm by red sea. I have had good luck with it. everyone else seems to think its junk.

 

[richard rendos]

This product is made by Hagen. Perfect for your tank.

You can find them here...
Buy it online
This will get rid of your brown scum and make the skimmer more efficient.

 

[rkm]

I just bought the same thing... It is buy aqua clear. It will work on my prizm with a small mod. Thanks

 

[richard rendos]

Glad to hear you found one. It should solve your problem.

 

[rkm]

Richard,
I have a question on this surface skimmer. The directions suck they only have pictures. The clear tube that does the skimming. Does it connect to the pipe its in or does it simply slide up and down the way it is now?I have 2 reducers in the pack. Are they for different applications? (pending on the intake size of the skimmer) The long stick kinda regulates the water flow correct.
Thanks

 

[richard rendos]

I hate to say, I do not have one of these myself. I only know about them from seeing them on a friend's tank. I wish I could help more. Sorry!

 

[rkm]

I figured it out. The clear tube kinda floats(pending on water level self adjusting. These skimmers should come with this system. It literaly makes no sence how much improvement it has made within 30 min. I can look strait down into my tank and the top is crystal clear..Thanks
How about those bio wheels. Do I realy need them?
Here is some pics of what i have. Got a camera yesterday.

 

[rkm]

Cant post a pic. Files too big

 

[richard rendos]

How much live rock/sand do you have? If you have near 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of live rock per gallon of water, I would say you don't need the bio-wheels. But they won't hurt anything. Extra circulation and bio material. Plus a place to run carbon if you desire. Glad the surface skimmer worked.