Help, my skimmer stopped skimming!

[wetjet43]

I'm not sure what's going on, but about 4 or so days ago, my skimmer, which is an aquac remora with the surface skimmer attachment, just stopped making foam. I've got a lovely oily surface on the top of my tank that is pretty nasty. I've got a power head at the top that is breaking it up pretty good so there is at least some o2 exchange going on, but the skimmer is just sitting there making bubbles, and none of them are building up into the collection cup. My nitrates are at about 5 - 10 ppm. I know that by doing a water change will stop it, but all I did about 3 days ago was a top off with about 1 - 2 gals of water.

Why do these things stop skimming if you add fresh water or food? I mean, if the gunk is in the water, shouldn't it still attach to the fine mist of bubbles that the skimmer produces and float to the top?

I guess I just don't understand them fully yet.

Thank you.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Is that skimmer a venturi skimmer? If so, check the air line, and where the airline meets the power head, for blockage. I have to clean mine out ( an ASM 1GX ) at least once a month.

 

[The0wn4g3]

When was the last time you gave the skimmer a good clean?
The best thing to do for the remora is take a q-tip or small brush (I used an old mascara brush) and clean out the injection area under the small screw. This will allow the remora to create MUCH more foam. It's also good to take the skimmer completely off and fill it with tap water and a cap full of clorox for a day, then rinse it very well. Also, it's good to clean out the impeller are of the injection pump periodically. The remora depends on very high amounts of flow to create foam.
Remoras are quiet sensitive, so it doesn't take much gunk build up to inhibit their performance.

 

[wetjet43]

No, it's just got a power heads with out the venturi line attached. It works like when you put your thumb over a hose when you are washing your car and point it into a bucket of water and soap. Same principle. It shoots water into more water via the power head, and it creates some massive amounts of bubbles! Way more than a venturi ever could.

Read up on it here:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~protein_skimmers_aquac_remora_information.html

 

[Ritorix]

I've got the same skimmer, its just touchy. The way it produces bubbles is sensitive to oils including that from fish food or your arm. Adding gallons of freshwater to topoff may cause it too, instantly lowering your salinity after it gradually got higher due to evap. It doesnt really need to skim 24/7, when conditions stabilize and it starts again it will remove whatever has built up in the water column.

 

[wetjet43]

I mean, it seems to be working fine, minus the nasty foam it isn't making. And the foam was always near white to begin with, but the liquid was sorta brown. I'm sure it will start again in a few days or whatever, I just want to know why it works then doesn't then works, then doesn't.... over and over.

 

[ser_renely]

too much oil? additives?

 

[The0wn4g3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13332525#post13332525 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wetjet43
I mean, it seems to be working fine, minus the nasty foam it isn't making. And the foam was always near white to begin with, but the liquid was sorta brown. I'm sure it will start again in a few days or whatever, I just want to know why it works then doesn't then works, then doesn't.... over and over.

Clean it
Usually oils, such as off silversides, will do the opposite and it will just start overflowing like crazy. A decrease in water level or salinity can limits the production of foam somewhat. When I ran my remora on a 46 gallon with a low bioload, there just really wasn't all the much to skim out. I only got about 1/4 cup for week, but the water was crystal clear and I had very few problems with algae (and the few problems i did have were due to bad 135ppm RO/DI water)
But when it comes down to it, they're just plain finicky....

 

[Raibaru]

I just had this exact problem.

Take it out of your tank and run some high pressure water through it. I used the hose from outside.

Solved the problem for me.

Here is the email I got back from AquaC on this issue:

Thanks for the message, I can help you out. It sounds like there's an obstruction either in the injector nozzle or somewhere in the intake arm. Run the brush all the way through the nozzle and scrub vigorously. You can also remove the black barb fitting where the pump connects to the skimmer to get better access inside the arm. You might try blasting it out with a garden hose or compressed air. You can also run the skimmer in a vinegar/water solution (1:1 ratio) if there are mineral deposits - the vinegar will loosen or dissolve the deposits. Also, check the pump to make sure that there aren't any clogs in the intake or output. If the pump is 2 years old, it could just be that it's wearing out, and it's time for a new pump.