New protein skimmer questions

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Reefaddict

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
201
Location
California
I have been having trouble while testing my new skimmer. The reaction chamber or middle of the skimmer isn't solid white with bubbles, theres is only small bubbles. Could this be because it is in tap water, Do skimmers need to be in salt water with a bioload of some kind to bubble properly, or foam, pertaining to the bubbles in the middle only. Not the skimmate, I know its not going to produce foam in the collection cup in tap water, this is only a test.

Thanks
 
Do skimmers need to be in salt water with a bioload of some kind to bubble properly,

Yep. For a skimmer to work in FW, it has to have a tremendous amount of dissolved organics in the water. The SW and/or organics give the bubbles surface tension which allows them to hold their shape and size, this doesn't happen in FW and the bubbles all mass into large bubbles.
 
Thanks R.R.!!
So thats been the problem the whole time!! Here I thought it wasn't sucking enough air or the pump wasn't working!
So if I add some salt to the test tank and then run the skimmer it should work, and the middle will be white with bubbles like a skimmer supposed to look like ...right??

Thanks much for all your help!! :lol:
 
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