Skimmate Attributing to Top Off/Evaporation

OCCFan023

OCCFan023

Superstar Fish
#1
Jul 29, 2004
1,817
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New Jersey
#1
Recently the new skimmer has been producing a very lite almost pure water skimmate that is comming out at a rapid rate (I know what the cause of this is and will be fixing it soon, I was adding to much dechlorinator to top off water and it says this can cause a wet skimmate)

Anyway this isnt the problem, the loss of tank water is. When I am removing skimmate from the tank (or even the very light skimmate) I am assuming that salt can travel ont he microbubbles as well so that I am also taking out saltwater form the tank. Now this has me worried because I can judge the top off amount to be from evaporation or the skimmer...

I just wanted to make sure that the skimmate does in fact contain salt (I would love it if it was just fresh water) but I need to make sure before next top off.
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#3
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
3
0
#3
Recently the new skimmer has been producing a very lite almost pure water skimmate that is comming out at a rapid rate (I know what the cause of this is and will be fixing it soon, I was adding to much dechlorinator to top off water and it says this can cause a wet skimmate)

Anyway this isnt the problem, the loss of tank water is. When I am removing skimmate from the tank (or even the very light skimmate) I am assuming that salt can travel ont he microbubbles as well so that I am also taking out saltwater form the tank. Now this has me worried because I can judge the top off amount to be from evaporation or the skimmer...

I just wanted to make sure that the skimmate does in fact contain salt (I would love it if it was just fresh water) but I need to make sure before next top off.


Yes it does contain salt.

I would not be content to blame dechlor for having a very wet skimmate if it is happening all the time. It sounds to me like you either need to back off the water flow into the skimmer or raise the collection cup (wheich ever is easier). the dechlor effect should be very temporary.

Corallife needle wheel skimmer ? - will also be affected by temperature, salinity, pH,redox, feeding (oily foods put oil in water, affects surface tension, thus no bubbles), and about a million other things. I have a needle wheel skimmer and it does a great job, but they can be awful fiddly, sensitive
 

OCCFan023

OCCFan023

Superstar Fish
#4
Jul 29, 2004
1,817
5
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New Jersey
#4
Naw right now its the aqua c remora (until I upgrade to hopefully a eruoreef but for now the aqua c)

I had been collecting a very slow and bery dirty skimmate for a good time until my last top off. Aftert he last top off is when I started experience this problem again, but it doesnt seem to be letting up (empyting a collection cup of pretty pure water every 10-12 hours or so..

I havent been feeding oily foods as I have no fish atm but throw in some pellets for my shrimp everyother day or so. Collection cup is as high as possible. Ill hope that follow another day or two and my next w/c it will help and then I can be more dilligent on top offs (Im hoping this is the problem as I dont really want to adjust the flow on the maxijet 1200
 

W

wayne

Elite Fish
#5
Oct 22, 2002
4,077
3
0
#5
Oh , I thought you might have had one of the Corallifes - i would well expect them to do this....

Hmm, wait and see I guess. The remora should be more resistant than a needle wheel. Foods normally stop a skimmer foaming, it sounds like yours is overfoaming. Has anything blocked the air supply. A very remote chance is that of the power supply has been increased thro' your mains it would mean your pump is running a bit faster.

Wit the best will in the world, why are you adding dechlor? Do you have chloramines in your water. If it's only chlorine, then why bother - the water is full of Cl- ions anyway once you add salt.

If it's to remove heavy metals, shame on you for using trashy water anyway.
 

OCCFan023

OCCFan023

Superstar Fish
#6
Jul 29, 2004
1,817
5
0
35
New Jersey
#6
wayne said:
Wit the best will in the world, why are you adding dechlor? Do you have chloramines in your water. If it's only chlorine, then why bother - the water is full of Cl- ions anyway once you add salt.

If it's to remove heavy metals, shame on you for using trashy water anyway.
Click to expand...


I just use it for the chloramines, I always was under the impression that straight tap would basiccly like commiting suicide to anything biologically filtering in the tank (impression from my fresh days.. that carried over I guess.) Never has been an issue for heavy metals just the chorline. So you guys dont use a dechlor for top offs and mixing new salt water (when not using a Ro?)
 

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