Skimmer Foam too Wet?

[unwritten law]

So I got a aquaC remora skimmer and its been running on my 20 gallon for a few weeks... My skim is still almost water. Its raised all the way up to hopefully get dry foam but no luck... it fills with basically water after 3 days.... Any reason why this is? Do I mess with my tank too much so the oils from my skin, the food I add make the skimmer not work as well?... I think I've read this before in the manual.

 

[Lotus]

It sounds like it needs some adjustment. Is the water it collects clear, or is it brownish?

I have no idea how that model works, but hopefully, someone can give you some guidance.

 

[unwritten law]

its plenty brown and there is a film on the collection cup plus brown particles in the water... sometime a foam at the top.

 

[Lotus]

Well, if you're getting brown icky stuff, it sounds like it's working. Usually, skimmers work more just after feeding. So, you may see the brown foam after you've fed, but nothing before you feed.

 

[unwritten law]

Yeah.. its working but I was wondering if it was working the best it could... Ill check out that feeding idea.

 

[Lotus]

A lot of reefers say that wet skimming is better. I suppose it pulls out more stuff from the water. Dry skimming doesn't pull out as much, but you don't need to empty as often.

 

[unwritten law]

Alright, we'll I'll go with that philosophy... It means that I'm doing something right.... Maybe 6 months with out a skimmer means that it has some catching up to do... who knows.

 

[unwritten law]

It seems that "wet skimming" restricts the water from flowing out, increasing the amount of water in the skimmer at one time and producing a more wet foam... makes sense... or by decreasing the amount of air in the skimmer making it more wet...

I made a piece of plastic fit directly over my injection tube to make it quieter the first few weeks and it has worked. I left it on there cause it didnt seem to do any harm and other people suggested it. Now I am thinking that it has restricted air flow in the skimmer making it more wet?...

any ideas on this hypothesis before I take it out and see how loud the skimmer really is, even with a towel laying over the top of it..... (and this towel also could restrict air since it covers a small hole in the collection cup... hmmm)


I have read that wet skimming does seem to be better although you loose more water (about a cup a day for me so barely anything) but I also want to see if I could make it a bit more dry... somewhere in the middle.

 

[TRe]

watch your salinity with wet skimming

 

[unwritten law]

I guess it will rise just like evaporation?..... I think it was a little higher than usual but by that I mean .001 more

 

[TRe]

not no rise but drop... its not like evaporated water where only the water and no salt exits the tank

 

[unwritten law]

hmmm... okay, then I guess I just evaporated off more than I skimmed... But I'll definitely check it more often. Thanks.