Protien skimmer seems to stop working . . .

[toddwess]

I clean out my protien skimmer and place it back on it's base, clean as a whistle (drain tube is clear).

I turn the bubbles to what looks like the tinyest bubbles.

White bubbles start to form and rise up the pipe.

I close the door on the cabinet, and go to work.

When I get home, the collection cup has black (not light brown - black) liquid in it, and seems to have stopped working. No liquid in the over-flow container at all. (I use an old Coka-Cola bottle)

I wait overnight, and check it the next morning. No change. No fluid in the overflow container. I decide to wait till after work on that day.

Look at it again - no change. I clean out the Protien Skimmer, and try again.

Same thing - collects about 1/4 inch of black fluid, and then doesn't seem to collect anymore.

I've checked the drain tube for clogs, but test water flows through it perfectly.

Anyone else have this happen???? Why is the Protien Skimmer removing so much filth?? Should I change the size of the bubbles in the riser tube?

Thanks - and more questions are in the que!

Todd

[fishfreek]

When I get home, the collection cup has black (not light brown - black) liquid in it

GOOD

Its removing the filth cuase there is an abundance of disolved proteins in the tank. If you had low amounts of disolved proteins your water in the cup would be less dark or would not collect at all.

Whats the make/model of the skimmer? When it stops collecting do you still have a good injection of air into the reaction chamber?

[reefrunner69]

What skimmer is it? Some skimmers will start up just fine but after a few hours of skimming, the interior surfaces are coated and the pump has slowed down a hair and the venturi needs to be turned up a bit. When I was using my RedSea berlin skimmer, I had to make small adjustments to the venturi on almost a daily basis. Probably wasn't necessary to do it everyday, maybe could have gotten away with evert other day or every couple days, but I was always messing with the tank anyway