skimmer collection cup guck

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

e-cat

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Aug 21, 2003
Messages
1,131
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
i can belive what was in my skimmers collection cup , i installed my skimmer yeasterday and today it had this brown sludge that stunk! i was surprised too see that in there as my water looked crystal clear, for those of you that dont use a skimmer take a look in a collection cup at an lfs and ill bet you will walk out of the store with a skimmer.
 
Way to go e-cat. If you look at your tank thru the LONG side of the tank your water might look more clear/yellow than crystal clear. Take a white 5 gal bucket and fill it with tank water and you will definatly see a yellow tint compaired to a fresh 5 gal bucket of saltwater.

The tank looks clear because all those disolved solids are diluted in the water. (this is why we say larger tanks are better). When the skimmer concentrates all those solids into the skimmer cup you end up with that dark brown/black sludge.

Think of your skimmer as a kind of home sewage processing plant for your tank.

:)
 
Doesn't it just bother the heck out of you when you pull that gunk out of the cup, and realize that was just in your beautiful fish tank? :hat:
 
I have that yellowish tinge to my freshwater tank Fishfreek.

Think a skimmer would be any good on a FW tank?
 
Think a skimmer would be any good on a FW tank?

No.

The reason is that in a saltwater tank the surface tension of the water molicules is higher allowing for this type of filtration. I have heard of skimmers on FW systems but they are HUGE. Like a 10' tall 5" diamater skimmer and they are still less efficent than a smaller skimmer on a saltwater setup.

To rid a FW tank of yellowish water use fresh AC and change it out on a regular schedule.
 
fishfreek said:
Way to go e-cat. If you look at your tank thru the LONG side of the tank your water might look more clear/yellow than crystal clear. Take a white 5 gal bucket and fill it with tank water and you will definatly see a yellow tint compaired to a fresh 5 gal bucket of saltwater.

The tank looks clear because all those disolved solids are diluted in the water. (this is why we say larger tanks are better). When the skimmer concentrates all those solids into the skimmer cup you end up with that dark brown/black sludge.

Think of your skimmer as a kind of home sewage processing plant for your tank.

:)


iv noticed that when iv taken water out for a water change how its sort of yellow.
 
fishfreek said:
Think a skimmer would be any good on a FW tank?

No.

The reason is that in a saltwater tank the surface tension of the water molicules is higher allowing for this type of filtration. I have heard of skimmers on FW systems but they are HUGE. Like a 10' tall 5" diamater skimmer and they are still less efficent than a smaller skimmer on a saltwater setup.

To rid a FW tank of yellowish water use fresh AC and change it out on a regular schedule.


I have been...5gal a day for 2 weeks.

My arms hurt. :?
 
I just ordered an Aqua C Remora for my tank. Can't wait to get it, get it running and see what it pulls out.
 
Swishy,

Is that the little one you used to have as an avatar? Growing up fast! 8O
 
Back
Top Bottom