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Unread 02/20/2017, 07:03 PM   #1
f3honda4me
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Skimmer is just fizzing - no foam

The last couple days I have been fighting with my skimmer. It's just fizzing, and rarely produces the "foam" like it should. Here you can see pics of where I have the "fizz" line, near the top up in the big cup, and the water line you can see is near the bottom of the main body, with lots of bubbles in between. Any ideas why it's just fizzing?

It's a simplicity DC120 skimmer.






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Unread 02/20/2017, 10:47 PM   #2
windlasher
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Whats the salinity?


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Unread 02/21/2017, 04:14 AM   #3
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Like always parameters of your tank help. Im sure you probably checked but, possible obstruction (venturi, piece of lint from sock in needle wheel/impeller...etc). Also, have you had your hands in the tank a lot lately? Oils in the skin can effect the elasticity of the foam in a skimmer, same thing if you were eating or cooking and then put your hands in the tank. Smaller the tank the more susceptible it can be to that kinda problem. A regular water change can help depending on problem. Ooo, lol... if you can use a small, soft bristle, old (cleaned) tooth brush or aquarium safe sponge and clean out that skimmer throat a bit. Help keep the efficiency of that cone up. Good luck!


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Unread 02/21/2017, 07:12 AM   #4
f3honda4me
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Quote:
Originally Posted by windlasher View Post
Whats the salinity?
1.024 per refractometer. Skimmer is 3 weeks old and has been pulling skimmate until now. I cleaned it yesterday with vinegar. No change.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 07:13 AM   #5
f3honda4me
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Quote:
Originally Posted by z3r0ko0l View Post
Like always parameters of your tank help. Im sure you probably checked but, possible obstruction (venturi, piece of lint from sock in needle wheel/impeller...etc). Also, have you had your hands in the tank a lot lately? Oils in the skin can effect the elasticity of the foam in a skimmer, same thing if you were eating or cooking and then put your hands in the tank. Smaller the tank the more susceptible it can be to that kinda problem. A regular water change can help depending on problem. Ooo, lol... if you can use a small, soft bristle, old (cleaned) tooth brush or aquarium safe sponge and clean out that skimmer throat a bit. Help keep the efficiency of that cone up. Good luck!
I did have my hands in the tank a few times without gloves which I normally don't do.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 07:14 AM   #6
f3honda4me
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Parameters:
0 ammonia 0 nitrite 20 nitrate
Phosphate 1.06 (high)
Calc 380
Mag 1340
Alk 9.6


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Unread 02/21/2017, 11:07 AM   #7
marioensf
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how high is the water in the skimmer area? Normally adjusting the skimmer output will shoot the foam up, in your case the water line of the skimmer is way low IMO.
drop some RO water in the air line, I doubt there's blockage there since you have a nice mixture of air/water by the images


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Unread 02/21/2017, 11:23 AM   #8
gcarroll
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It's possible there is an issue within the water. Run some fresh carbon. You might want to inspect your aquarium products to verify that they are in good working order and not leaching anything into the tank. If all is well, I would sit back and enjoy. The skimmer seems to be working nicely.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 11:23 AM   #9
Potatohead
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Skimmers will act this way after your hands have been in the tank, or the neck has just been cleaned, etc. Assuming you have made sure there is no air blockage or anything all you can really do is set the level and wait it out, it may take 1/2 day or something to settle in. It's also possible there is nothing much left to skim if you have a light bioload.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 12:30 PM   #10
f3honda4me
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Thanks for the advice all. I did not feed the tank much the last 2 days, there are 3 fish plus CUC, coral, nem, etc. It's a 43 gallon reefer 170. I also cleaned out the neck really good as advised. The water line is in the picture, and yea it's pretty low. I can also try to raise the water line and see if that helps. I'll report back how it goes! I just fed the tank frozen foods and reef roids so the skimmer should pull something now when it turns back on.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 02:13 PM   #11
ScuderiaDavis
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How does your water look? It could be that it's just pretty clean water and nothing to make it skim


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Unread 02/21/2017, 03:40 PM   #12
windlasher
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How does your water look? It could be that it's just pretty clean water and nothing to make it skim
I agree. I just made a new sump and the configuration is so much better than the old one. My water is cleaner than it has ever been and my skimmer pulls out stuff when I feed and "fizzes" the rest of the time. Maybe you just have really clean water.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 04:31 PM   #13
f3honda4me
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I mean I guess it's possible? With 20 nitrate and 1.00 phosphate though I guess I was expecting there would be more in the water column for the skimmer to pull. I made adjustments and no change so far. After I fed the tank today, the skimmer pulled a bit of foam for a while but is back to fizz again.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 04:42 PM   #14
j_mazzy
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I made a new food that added fish oi into it, it leaves a light film and ever since no foam..... Gotta figure that out.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 05:28 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScuderiaDavis View Post
How does your water look? It could be that it's just pretty clean water and nothing to make it skim
Quote:
Originally Posted by windlasher View Post
I agree. I just made a new sump and the configuration is so much better than the old one. My water is cleaner than it has ever been and my skimmer pulls out stuff when I feed and "fizzes" the rest of the time. Maybe you just have really clean water.
I third this. I think I'm having the same issue with Bubble Magus Curve A5 on my Red Sea 170. I feel the neck size is too large for the amount of fish I have in there (2 clowns and a psuedochromis).


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Unread 02/21/2017, 05:51 PM   #16
Potatohead
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This is why I believe a skimmer can be too big.

Once it settles in and the tank gets some filth going, it will be better. I have found carbon dosing even a little bit helps with skimmate production also.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 05:57 PM   #17
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Quote:
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This is why I believe a skimmer can be too big.

Once it settles in and the tank gets some filth going, it will be better. I have found carbon dosing even a little bit helps with skimmate production also.
Funny! Of course carbon dosing increases skimmate!


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Unread 02/21/2017, 07:15 PM   #18
f3honda4me
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Yea it's a light bioload so far. I have an orchid dottyback in QT that will be a 4th fish.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 09:45 PM   #19
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As others noted, your load is really low (virtually non existent) plus that skimmer is way oversized for your tank and load. There isn't enough dissolved organics left in the water for the skimmer to generate enough foam to fill the neck. In the absence of DOC's, the skimmer can't make foam since there aren't enough proteins to bind the bubbles together. Instead the skimmer will generate bubbles that burst at the surface just as it's doing now. That skimmer will never be very consistent on your tank and it won't skim well until the dissolved organics build back up at which point it will skim for a few days and then drop off again just as it's done now. Unfortunately it's not an ideal ideal skimmer for a tank the size of yours especially with such a low load unless you like your dissolved organics to be all over the map and elevated more than they should be. You will need upwards of 10x the fish in that tank to have it reasonably consistent based on it's specs which would be overstocking the tank. Your best bet would be to get a skimmer that is more appropriately sized for your display.


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Unread 02/21/2017, 10:08 PM   #20
windlasher
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Quote:
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As others noted, your load is really low (virtually non existent) plus that skimmer is way oversized for your tank and load. There isn't enough dissolved organics left in the water for the skimmer to generate enough foam to fill the neck. In the absence of DOC's, the skimmer can't make foam since there aren't enough proteins to bind the bubbles together. Instead the skimmer will generate bubbles that burst at the surface just as it's doing now. That skimmer will never be very consistent on your tank and it won't skim well until the dissolved organics build back up at which point it will skim for a few days and then drop off again just as it's done now. Unfortunately it's not an ideal ideal skimmer for a tank the size of yours especially with such a low load unless you like your dissolved organics to be all over the map and elevated more than they should be. You will need upwards of 10x the fish in that tank to have it reasonably consistent based on it's specs which would be overstocking the tank. Your best bet would be to get a skimmer that is more appropriately sized for your display.
See... ya just got permission to go buy a bunch of new fish. Go Nutz...


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Unread 02/21/2017, 10:34 PM   #21
f3honda4me
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slief View Post
As others noted, your load is really low (virtually non existent) plus that skimmer is way oversized for your tank and load. There isn't enough dissolved organics left in the water for the skimmer to generate enough foam to fill the neck. In the absence of DOC's, the skimmer can't make foam since there aren't enough proteins to bind the bubbles together. Instead the skimmer will generate bubbles that burst at the surface just as it's doing now. That skimmer will never be very consistent on your tank and it won't skim well until the dissolved organics build back up at which point it will skim for a few days and then drop off again just as it's done now. Unfortunately it's not an ideal ideal skimmer for a tank the size of yours especially with such a low load unless you like your dissolved organics to be all over the map and elevated more than they should be. You will need upwards of 10x the fish in that tank to have it reasonably consistent based on it's specs which would be overstocking the tank. Your best bet would be to get a skimmer that is more appropriately sized for your display.
Yes I'm going to have to agree with you as that seems the most likely culprit at this point. Would something like the reef octopus 110 space saver be small enough? I'm not sure what else I could find in sump that's smaller than that.


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Unread 02/22/2017, 10:30 PM   #22
f3honda4me
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I ordered an icecap k2-50 today. Seems like a popular choice for the reefer 170. It also has a tiny footprint so it gives me more flexibility in my sump.


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Unread 03/12/2018, 03:33 PM   #23
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How do u like the k2-50. How good is it performing


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Unread 03/13/2018, 06:21 PM   #24
windlasher
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Little Help: My skimmer on my dc120 just went out and I cant read the label on the top of the skimmer. Would you mind taking a look? Whats the model number? is it the vsc1200 or the vsc2000? I would really appreciate it.


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Unread 03/14/2018, 09:49 PM   #25
thomashtom
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there is an air intake on it Looks like a white screw. make sure its not turned down(closed). If it is slowly open until optimal height and consistency. Thanks


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