Thick, Dark Skimmate?! Yuck!!!!!

[higorc]

Have you ever got yelled at when cleaning your Skimmer’s collection Cup? I have. As a matter of fact, now more than ever…. My wife went off at me last night for “Stinking up” the whole apartment :lmao:.


I guess she doesn’t get as excited as I do when I see a Dark, Thick and Stinky Sludge in the Skimmer Cup LOL.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k141/higorc/20131129_123514_zps0b75cc02.jpg (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/higorc/media/20131129_123514_zps0b75cc02.jpg.html)

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k141/higorc/20131129_123529_zps05db44b5.jpg (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/higorc/media/20131129_123529_zps05db44b5.jpg.html)



Joking aside, I have had to empty the Skimmer cup more often now since I upgraded from my Vertex IN-100 (Which was way under powered to my 120G upgrade tank) to a Super Reefer Octopus SSS5000. The Skimmer is a lot bigger, so I thought I wouldn’t have to empty it as much… WRONG!!!! The Skimmate is so much thicker/stinky I have to do it every 3-5 days or my living room smells like Sewer/Poop! Good stuff :thumbsup:.


http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k141/higorc/20131129_124222_zpsf2bafc2e.jpg (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/higorc/media/20131129_124222_zpsf2bafc2e.jpg.html)



How often do you have to empty your Skimmer Cup before somebody complains?


Higor

[thebanker]

I like to mask it by laying down a cloud of my own "skimmate fumes".

In all seriousness, that's good quality skimmate you got there.
/swirls it around in a wine glass

[higorc]

LOL

I like that... She does ask if I did something from time to time... now I just tell her "It's the Skimmer Honey..." :spin3:

[thebanker]

My method is this:

Get the water running COLD, dump the skimmate down the drain as quickly as possible with the garbage disposal on, then rinse off the stinky surfaces in the skimmer cup. Then I get the bottle brush and go to town. There is a cloud of stink, but it goes away quickly if you have the water running.

If you use hot water, it will definitely stink up the room. In my experience, there is no need to use hot water until you're giving it the final rinsedown.

[tekjunkie28]

Haha I got a 75 gallon in my living room and I have an apt. How noisy is that skimmer?

[higorc]

Not noisy at all... My Vertex IN-100 was a lot noisier than the SRO 5000SSS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bi07BCtY6k


I can't hear anything once I close the doors. And I hear water from the overflow drain more than the Skimmer when the stand doors are opened...

Higor

[campos]

My method is this:

Get the water running COLD, dump the skimmate down the drain as quickly as possible with the garbage disposal on, then rinse off the stinky surfaces in the skimmer cup. Then I get the bottle brush and go to town. There is a cloud of stink, but it goes away quickly if you have the water running.

If you use hot water, it will definitely stink up the room. In my experience, there is no need to use hot water until you're giving it the final rinsedown.

that's what I do. I definitely notice the running water helps with the smell

[higorc]

My method is this:

Get the water running COLD, dump the skimmate down the drain as quickly as possible with the garbage disposal on, then rinse off the stinky surfaces in the skimmer cup. Then I get the bottle brush and go to town. There is a cloud of stink, but it goes away quickly if you have the water running.

If you use hot water, it will definitely stink up the room. In my experience, there is no need to use hot water until you're giving it the final rinsedown.


I will try this method... I usually use Hotwater and leave it running the whole time...

[Mark9]

I do it every Saturday.
If I don't, it starts to get stinky.
Pour the crap down the daring, wash the cup in hot water and vinegar.

[LeslieP]

Avast Marine makes a skimmate locker with a carbon chamber that helps with the smell and you don't have to empty the cup as often. They also have a Swabbie which is a motorized squeegee blade that cleans the skimmer neck. They rock.

[higorc]

Avast Marine makes a skimmate locker with a carbon chamber that helps with the smell and you don't have to empty the cup as often. They also have a Swabbie which is a motorized squeegee blade that cleans the skimmer neck. They rock.

I was just going to ask if anyone had any feed back on something like that!

I have thought about getting an Avast locker but wasn't sure if it would help keep the smell away...

Higor

[LeslieP]

Here's the locker when I first set it up and it wasn't that nasty yet. Really, the stuff in there is black.

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj550/lrpustilnik/null_zps11105d99.jpg

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj550/lrpustilnik/null_zpse6104e72.jpg

I really don't smell anything at all and I've been getting some nasty stuff out of there. Now cleaning the locker is another story - that's nasty sulfurous malodorous mess!

[d2mini]

I dump mine in the rose bed and then hit the cup with the garden hose. Easy peasy. :)

But that's only when cleaning it cleaning it every couple weeks or so. Every few days i just open the valve and let the gunk flow into another container which i then dump down the utility sink.

http://bluelemonphoto.smugmug.com/Aquariums/200g-Reef-Aquarium/i-vfGJvBJ/0/XL/20130711_7110829_200gReef-XL.jpg

http://bluelemonphoto.smugmug.com/Aquariums/200g-Reef-Aquarium/i-BtLhcLZ/0/O/20130711_7110832_200gReef.jpg

[fijisrfr]

Get a dog & blame it on it!

[thebanker]

I dump mine in the rose bed and then hit the cup with the garden hose. Easy peasy. :)

Have you noticed that area of the garden developing a smell at all? Just curious. Skimmate is a nasty way to fertilize.

[Touring]

Those pics are nothing, beat this!!!! i can hold it upside down and it wont move!!!

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i200/ggchula/A2B3FA14-4CDA-4BE8-896F-25219E7D9622-11845-0000043A5EEA00EC_zpsef91d767.jpg (http://s72.photobucket.com/user/ggchula/media/A2B3FA14-4CDA-4BE8-896F-25219E7D9622-11845-0000043A5EEA00EC_zpsef91d767.jpg.html)

[higorc]

OMG!!!! U guys r crazy!!! :fun2:

I thought I had good "Skimmate"!!!!:p

[Joe0813]

I would think you would kill a garden with skimmate. Only because of the salt

[KyleO]

I would think you would kill a garden with skimmate. Only because of the salt

I don't know about a garden (flowers, vegetables, etc.) but I have a row of 4 Giant Bird of Paradise in front of my house (large leaf moderate climate plants). During the summer months I pour out my skimmate on the one closest to the door of my fish room.

That Giant Bird of Paradise is twice the size of the others and puts out twice as many blossoms.

Coincidence? I don't think so..............

[Badfish_Reefer]

I don't know about a garden (flowers, vegetables, etc.) but I have a row of 4 Giant Bird of Paradise in front of my house (large leaf moderate climate plants). During the summer months I pour out my skimmate on the one closest to the door of my fish room.

That Giant Bird of Paradise is twice the size of the others and puts out twice as many blossoms.

Coincidence? I don't think so..............

Oh ya, it's probably great for plants, tons of nutrients. I knew someone who went around his garden peeing everywhere and swore that helped. Basically the same thing.

All I can say is he had an amazing garden, but I wouldn't eat from it.

[slgcmg]

Ever since I hooked up my bio reactor my skimmer has been pulling out tar like substances and has been smellier than ever. Usually flush it down the toilet first. She will not allow me to clean it in the sink at all

[Allentown]

Oh ya, it's probably great for plants, tons of nutrients. I knew someone who went around his garden peeing everywhere and swore that helped. Basically the same thing.

All I can say is he had an amazing garden, but I wouldn't eat from it.

Wrong kind of waste. Ammonia, creatinine, uric acid, all bad for plants. Only urea nitrogen that's in the blood (referred to as BUN) might help.

Tell your friend to fertilize out off the other end.

[higorc]

Wow, this went some where I never even imagined... I had no idea some of you were using skimmate as fertilizer!!!! Interesting...We learn something new everyday about this hobby don't we?! :eek:

[higorc]

I dump mine in the rose bed and then hit the cup with the garden hose. Easy peasy. :)

But that's only when cleaning it cleaning it every couple weeks or so. Every few days i just open the valve and let the gunk flow into another container which i then dump down the utility sink.

http://bluelemonphoto.smugmug.com/Aquariums/200g-Reef-Aquarium/i-vfGJvBJ/0/XL/20130711_7110829_200gReef-XL.jpg

http://bluelemonphoto.smugmug.com/Aquariums/200g-Reef-Aquarium/i-BtLhcLZ/0/O/20130711_7110832_200gReef.jpg

Man, that is One full cup of Skimmate!!! U must smell that from across the house! :rollface:

Higor

[ggsteve]

I clean my skimmer cup and filter socks as part of the normal Saturday morning chores before she gets up (after I clean the pots in the sink for a little good will!)

Now a question. I find the best tools for cleaning the grime out of the skimmer cup are my hands. I've been cleaning fish tanks since I was 8 years old, so the stuff really doesn't bother me, how about you?

[higorc]

(after I clean the pots in the sink for a little good will!)

HAHAHA! I do the same thing! ;)

[d2mini]

Man, that is One full cup of Skimmate!!! U must smell that from across the house! :rollface:

Higor

LOL, I dunno if it's the design of the LifeReef skimmers or what but unless I open the cup, i don't smell a thing. It's in my garage, but I'm always in there fiddling around and we still park both cars in there so we are constantly walking by. The only time the wife says anything is if I dumped some down the utility sink. I run ozone in the skimmer too, and no carbon or anything is needed. This skimmer completely recycles the ozone so none is lost into the air. :beer:

[Palting]

I can only smell the stink when I open the container, but I have to hold my breath every time I do it! The skim is so dark and thick, there is mud at the bottom of the cup and on the reaction chamber.

Here's 5 days worth of skim from my Marineland skimmer:
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium/IMG_0564.jpg

[Mrs. Music]

I don't think the salt in the skimmate would be good for roses or any garden? I am betting she also does not like that nasty thing setting on the counter either:). No amount of crop dusting can improve that, Banker.

[Palting]

LOL!! That sink counter is by the toilet, and that bathroom is in the basement where the fishroom is. Exhaust vents go on and stay on for an hour after I open the canister. When I leave that room I go "WHEW!!!", fan my hand across my face a few times. If any member of my family fail to heed those signals, they can go into that bathroom at their own risk!!! LOL!

[Timber77]

Well for emptying the cup, thats always gonna smell
one thing you can do is put carbon on top of your skimmer cup to keep it from leaching out the bad smell 24/7 or the skim mate locker idea. when emptying out the cup... i dump mine down the toilet , flush twice then go to the sink and hose it off. I try to dry skim so I don't have to smell it as often, easy with my aqua medic, not so easy with the atb

[higorc]

I think I might seriously consider Avast Locker. It sounds like it would be a good investment...

Higor

[LeslieP]

I love mine, with the Swabbie, I only clean the skimmer about every 2 weeks. But it still smells once I open it up. I think many customers are happy with it and Avast has great customer service. GL