Bad sump design???

[rjs5134]

Since setup, I've had a problem with the in-sump protein skimmer. It works great for a few days after cleaning, but then stops producing skimmate. This morning it dawned on me that the water may not be recharging in the skimmer column. The overflow dumps the water into the first chamber, almost on top of the pump generating the bubbles. The pump has a small pipe that flows out the side, makes a 90 degree turn upward into the column and another 90 degree turn so that it ejects the water at the side wall of the skimmer column. The air intake extends from the cap on top of the skimmer column down the column and into the side of the outflow pipe on the pump. The pump appears to be generating fine bubbles and when I look down into the skimmer column the surface is being disturbed by the fine bubbles, but no skimmate is being produced. I'm certain from the algae bloom that I have a nutrient problem, but since inception have never had good skimmate production. Any suggestions???

PS. The nutrient problem will be solved shortly by frequent water changes which haven't been done recently due to innefective RO/DI filter inserts. UPS just delivered the replacements.

Thanks

[smidoid]

Sounds (horribly) like a Seaclone. Can you supply the detail of which skimmer it is and the capacity of your tank? Also have you got a recent set of Ammonia, Phosphate, Nitrite and Nitrate tests.

[rjs5134]

Marc,

The tank is a 65 gallon wanna-be reef. I'm not sure if it is a Seaclone, hopefully not I guess. I don't have recent test results, I've been afraid to see what they may be. The RO membrane cracked a few months ago and I haven't been able to make new water. Tomorrow will be my first water change in a couple of months. Everything seems to be handling it well, fortunately I only have 2 perculas, a small snowflake eel, sebae anemone and 2 or 3 corals, not much bio-load.

I don't think it is a seaclone after reviewing them on Marine Depot. It was sold as a built-in component of the sump, both made of plexi-glass and the sump has a white plastic cover.

[smidoid]

My sump works like yours: although mine is a home-grown with a Seaclone 100 (ouch!). The bio load comes from how much you feed - not how much you have in the tank!

If you overfeed (most of us do) then the bioload rockets; if you underfeed, eventually the fish (usually largest organisms in the chain) perish. Either way, the nitrates/nitrites will be up there and I wouldn't be too surprised if they fish aren't that happy. Someone else will be able to confirm how much these fish can tolerate.

If the skimmer came with the sump, then you probably have to treat it with a bit of skepticism - it's an unknown unless someone can ID it from the sump itself - can you tell us what that is? Call me a cynic, but it's probably not up to much! Do you have any idea as to it's claimed rating? The Seaclone 100 for example is supposed to do 100 gallons; most people won't use it in anything exceeding a nano - if at all. (The problem with the XXX gallon argument is they don't state the bioload!)

Don't be afraid of testing mate, testing is your friend! Would you get into a bath without testing the temperature of the water first (if only with your toe)?

If you can get pictures of your sump, that might help others ID it all too.

[rjs5134]

Hopefully this pic helps to explain. In obvious need of upgrade, but that won't happen til at least the fall.

[smidoid]

Well, you're right, it isn't a seaclown! Have you done the water change yet?

Skimmers are funny things- they go from very good to very bad. The worst are usually air driven, beyond that, they go through some smart venturis and into ETS which require very powerful pumps to blast water over bioballs!

If you have a venturi type (and I'm guessing you have since you don't mention an air pump) there are a couple of things that could cause this that spring to my mind.

Skimmer tuning is critical. Mine has be adjusted every day or so (but that's because it's cheap crap!) It will have to do me for now.

Water additives. Are you putting fish conditioner in the water? This stuff coats the fishes, but also coats the skimmer (presumably) making the bubbles slip back down.

Is the skimmer clean? They take a few days to a week (some people say longer on new tanks) to start. It should be cleaned thoroughly with water and nothing else; chemicals can leave a film on the surfaces that reduces skimming ability.

Give than yours works AFTER being cleaned, that points to something in the water "killing" it by coating the working surfaces. Look at what chemicals additives you're putting in the tank - might give you a clue.

There are probably some other explanations, but these seem the
most likely ones to me.

You could always go European and go topless. No wait, I mean skimmerless or skimmer partial by adding some plant filtration (vegetable filter) to the sump. There are a couple of good articles in RHO by Antony Calfo here:

http://www.reefland.com/rho/1104/main.php

and part 2:

http://www.reefland.com/rho/0105/main2.php

[rjs5134]

I guess it's a venturi type, driven by a pump with an air intake hose to produce the bubbles. I haven't added any water conditioner, just the usual, Calcium, Stontium/Molybdenum, Iodine, Coral-vite, etc. I'd love to go "topless" and filter with vegetation, but currently don't have the room and the existing sump is not large enough, well lit enough or in an easily accessible location. In the future, I hope to upgrade to a larger tank, maybe a 110 and move the 65 to the cellar and pipe it to the new and use it as my sump.

[smidoid]

Sounds like a venturi - better than an airstone, anyway and it's what most of us use (even though some are better than others).

What sort of skimmate does it produce when it is working. My favourite idea is something in the water, but what it might be eludes me. Is the skimmate (when produced) nasty, smelly, brown stuff or milky watery stuff?

BTW - You're making me jealous talking about a 65 gln sump. <Drools>!

[rjs5134]

Don't get jealous yet, I'm only talking right now. The skimmate is watery and brownish/green. Stinks like hell. I have not figured out how to adjust to change it's consistency, I've been lucky to adjust and get product.

[smidoid]

Don't get jealous yet, I'm only talking right now. The skimmate is watery and brownish/green. Stinks like hell. I have not figured out how to adjust to change it's consistency, I've been lucky to adjust and get product.

That sounds like skimmate produced in a new system. I'm guessing the greeny stuff is floating algae but you won't get anything much until water matures. I've noticed my skimmate vanishes whenever I top off. You won't get very much skimmate until there is sufficient DOC to make it. Adding new saline makes it even worse since some (if not all) salt mixes contain additives to rid the system of heavy metals.

http://www.deltecaquariumsolutions.c...ariumSetup.htm

If the skimmer is working properly, you should see that it's full of tiny bubbles. Good skimmate is brown, dryish and stinks even worse than the greeny stuff!