surface foam

[Fish_fanatic]

My tank keeps on getting a ton micro bubbles on the surface of the water, it looks like white foam. what Causes this and how do I get rid of it? i have just been scooping it out but it builds up quick. There are no fish or inverts in the tank yet, only LR and LS.

 

[RMPD109]

Do you have a skimmer?

 

[Bearfan]

That was my question too.

 

[swissfish]

a surface skimmer, right?

 

[RMPD109]

yes a protien skimmer

 

[easyian]

my tank used to do the same thing until i got a skimmer

 

[daveNandi]

One of my tanks (seahorse tank that is high in nutrients) gets that every time I clean my remora HOT protein skimmer. The LFS explanation that makes sense to me is that more bubbles make it through the skimmer and into the tank after I break up the biofilm that coats the inside of the skimmer. I siphon it when I do a water change and in a week it goes away.

 

[Fish_fanatic]

Yes I have a Prism Skimmer. So why am I getting these tiny bubbles?

 

[RMPD109]

what does your skimmate look like and how much of it?

 

[Fish_fanatic]

ummm... skimmate?? Not quite sure what that is.

 

[RMPD109]

brown goo from the skimmer

 

[Fish_fanatic]

ohhh... its basically brown water. It isnt thick and I have gotten about three quarters of an inch in a week and a half.

 

[Bearfan]

Sounds like your skimmer isn't set up properly.

 

[kckreefer]

Is thiis a new tank setup? How long has your skimmer been up and running?

 

[schoeplein]

Skimmate is the gunk your Prism Protein Skimmer should be collecting if it is setup right....the bubbles should be working their way up into the collection container at the top of the skimmer.

 

[seaham358]

the crap that ends up in the collection cup....

 

[swissfish]

do you have the intake hooked up to a surface skimmer? ( i don't know the prizim set up)
If not a smal film can build up on the watersurface and bubbles will stick to it.

 

[Fish_fanatic]

The tank has been running for 3 weeks with the skimmer running the whole time. So i guess i just have to play around with it some more. Do these bubbles or foam, in any way be dangerous to fish? Sounds like a dumb question but I just want to make sure.

thanks