probably a simple skimmer question

[seasalt101]

ok i hooked up my skimmer on wed. today i am seeing what looks like dishwater bubbles/foam in the collection cup is my skimmer skimming properly now? and also should i do a water test today or wait a couple of days did a water change 3 days ago any help greatly appreciated thanx tobin

 

[seasalt101]

anybody?

 

[hatessushi]

I'm not sure but I do know that it is suppose to foam. I just started mine up today and the foam moves up the tube into the collection container. When the bubbles dissipate it's leaving and brownish and a bit greenish water. After a few hours the liquid is about an inch deep so I can see why it would need to be cleaned once a day. Also, I haven't been able to bring myself to smell it cause it looks nasty!

 

[seasalt101]

yeah mine has been set up a couple of days and today was the 1st time i saw foam going into the cup so i am assuming i have it set up right now when should i check to see if my nitrares have gone down?

 

[cgrant]

I dont think a skimmer is going to make a huge difference for nitrates, From what I remember reading only thing thats gonna make a big difference in trates is water changes or a sulfer de-nitrifier, a fuge.
Ammonia turns to nitrites and nitrites turn to nitrates, Then most people do water changes to get rid of the nitrates, unless you have a sulfer de-nitrifier, but that does not eliminate the need for water changes either.
I am not sure how much a protien skimmer helps with nitrates, maybe someone else can chime in?
Also skimmers need to break-in, if its brand new give it a couple of days, my skimmer bubbles and gets the crap proteins out, I guess its all in what your perception is.
Does it look like small bubbles or like a watery film?

 

[seasalt101]

it looks kinda like dishsoap bubbles with a slight green tint to it hooked it up on wed.

 

[iluvreefs]

Originally Posted by seasalt101
it looks kinda like dishsoap bubbles with a slight green tint to it hooked it up on wed.
Mine did that in the beginning as well. All is good. The skimmer is doing what it's supposed to...that is skimming off the by products in the water. I waited 6-8 weeks with the skimmer running and water numbers stable before I introduced any fish to my tank.

 

[seasalt101]

well i already had my tank up 7 months when i added skimmer fish in lr in had cancer so i could not afford skimmer when i set up tank this i don't think would set off another cycle how soon should i do water test or just test on my regular schedule?

 

[cgrant]

What are you numbers?
Almost sounds like only your trates are up from your posts, not sure? Need the numbers to help more.

 

[seasalt101]

i'm not at home right now but will do water test tonight that is what i've been trying to figure out did water change on tues. added skimmer on wed. and it started foaming yesterday as all my previous test were good except my nitrates would run between 20-40 in a fish and invert only tank added skimmer to lower my trates

 

[wilsonreef]

Your skimmer sounds like it's working. Give it a couple of days and if you want test your water again. Are you doing any scheduled water changes? The answer to one of the other posts about the smell......It's hard to describe

 

[seasalt101]

well i did the water test like i previouly mentioned and to me they are a bit confusing, ph 8.2, amonia .50, nitrite 0, nitrate 40 sg 1.022, so i did a 10% water change the amonia number has me worried and no matter what i do i cannot get my nitrates to go down i guess i will have to add some plants in there since i do not have a fuge

 

[stanlalee]

Skimmer wont bring nitrates down, nitrates are a byproduct of organics that have already broken down. Skimmer removes organic matter before it breaks down. Does nothing for nitrates that are already there (organics that have already broken down). Once you get nitrates down by other means skimmer will help keep them low or help keep them low longer.

 

[hatessushi]

That's a little odd to me. I am hearing that when everyone first turns on the skimmer that it takes awhile to start working, like days or weeks. I hooked mine up and just adjusted the air suction to where the foam was pushing up to the cup and in within a few minutes the brown protein stuff was showing up in the cup. by the next morning is was over half full and I had to clean it out. Got my first smell of it and yuk

that stuff is nasty.

 

[seasalt101]

yeah i'm getting the brown stuff now sure is gross