why would my scimmer stop scimming?

[keith sprague]

i dont think any matter got into my tank. my scimmer seems fine.so is there some kind of chemical reason it would stop scimming.makes bubbles just wont froth for two days now

[75gsalt]

Did you clean it recently, after I clean mine it takes alittle time and adjustment to get it skimming again.

[bertoni]

Oil can cause a skimmer to stop skimming, too. Maybe somebody fed some oily fish food?

[jeepguy242]

+1 on the oily food

[jason2459]

Oily foods and hands in the water? Did you just start feeding something different and have you been putting your hands in the tank more often recently? What has changed in the past week or two? Carbon dosing, supplements like selcon or fish oils, or adding Activated Carbon (GAC)?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Some skimmers are sensitive to cooking oils in the air. Here's an old thread:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6157036