This can't be normal!

[Ratbrow]

I've done a search on Skimmers and have found some good threads regarding noise. I have also been given some great ideas in ways to reduce noise with my skimmer...which have worked. So thanks to those of you that helped with that.

This next questions has to do with Microbubbles. Now before you roll your eyes and click off this thread, please help me to understand because maybe I just need 50 of you to tell me the same thing. I've searched on the microbubbles and most of the threads do not give really much good advice other than "to wait it out".

My skimmer is 6 weeks old (HOB Reef Octopus 2000). The first two days (during the break in period) it ran wild. Ever since it worked and ran like a charm. This past Saturday I used some Epoxy (very little) to secure some rock and now the thing has gone bonkers and is still going bonkers for three days now.

I understand they are sensitive, and will go hard for a while when they detect something in the water they don't like. But I simply can't believe that everytime I use apoxy that this is going to happen? My tank is new so I haven't put in any corals yet, but when I do I just don't see how they will be liking this type of environment.

So, do I need meds because this is "the way it is" for a skimmer everytime something new is introduced to a tank...or is something else going on here?
Adjusting the air intake is basically useless so I simply at am a loss. I'm to the point where I'm going to take it out all together and just "take my chances"...but seeing as how I don't run a fuge, I think my skimmer is a key part to my set-up and my future success. It's literally making me crazy to look at my tank. I know, meds...right?

[Uncle Salty 05]

Try putting a SMALL amount of filter floss inside the discharge chamber.
Not enough to clog it, but enough to stop the bubbles.

[thegrun]

...but yes anytime you add a pollutant like epoxy that acts as a surfactant, your skimmer is going to produce a lot of bubbles until the offending pollutant is removed or neutralized. Most of us simply adjust the foam production down and then gradually increase it as time goes by.

[Ratbrow]

Try putting a SMALL amount of filter floss inside the discharge chamber.
Not enough to clog it, but enough to stop the bubbles.

The model I have comes with a sponge in the discharge chamber. I can see all the bubble flowing through it. I also put one myself on top of the returen to stop the "gurgling" noise. Bubbles are still out of control.

[Ratbrow]

...but yes anytime you add a pollutant like epoxy that acts as a surfactant, your skimmer is going to produce a lot of bubbles until the offending pollutant is removed or neutralized. Most of us simply adjust the foam production down and then gradually increase it as time goes by.

So adjusting the foam production you mean chocking the air intake...correct?
When I do that, the systm basically doesn't do anything. When I gradually turn the nob slowly to incrase air flow, when it finally get's to a point where it is happy, the foam starts up again and it's micro bubble time. There is no "gradual" with this thing. New skimmer, new tank, just introduced apoxy...I'll give it some more time and see what happens. I guess I need to get used to "tweaking" things in my tank. I consider myself somewhat intelligeant, and this thing has got me baffled. Frustrating.