well water causing skimmer not to produce foam???

[ohbubbles!]

My sister built me a protein skimmer but it won't work on my tank. She tested it with the same pump same everything blah blah.... the only variable seems to be the water. She suggested I posted my water quality report and see if anyone here can think of whatever reason that this skimmer won't work on my tank. It just won't produce foam as the bubbles are large.

first off the tank is 29 gallon bowfront with 30lbs live rock, biowheel filter running carbon, there are no inhabitants and nothing has ever been dosed into the tank other than phytoplex. SG is 1.024 temp 78.

well water:
total coliform absent
fecal/E. coli Absent
sodium 9.3 mg/l
potassium 0.78 mg/l
copper 0.05 mg/l (is this a problem???)
iron absent
manganese absent
magnesium 0.95 mg/l
calcium 17.0 mg/l
arsenic absent
lead absent
pH 7.71 SU
turbidity 0.12 N.T.U
color absent
odor absent
conductivity 189.0 umhos
T.D.S. 113.4 mg/l
sediment absent
alkalinity 65.0 mg/l
chlorine absent
chloride 12.8 mg/l
hardness 46.4 mg/l
nitrate absent
nitrite absent
ammonia absent
sulfate 14.4 mg/l

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The well water won't be impacting the skimming unless there are oils or other organic molecules in it at high levels.

More likely, the tanks themselves are different in terms of organic levels. If there are no organisms in the tank, then perhaps the organic levels are fairly low.

[ohbubbles!]

So, it's possible that I have nothing to skim? Interesting...

Do you think that my copper levels will pose a problem?

Thanks Randy

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, I didn't look at the copper. That is likely too high for inverts, IMO.

I discuss it here:

Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm