I got the bends with my new protein skimmer... any suggestions?

C

crocodilhunter

New member
I bought "Remora Aqua C" protein skimmer for up to 75 gallons, put it on my tank and turned it on. Not long after my entire tank was covered in bubbles, all over my rock and sides of my walls. I then lost my lion fish, yellow tang, two damsels, and a few more before i was informed by my local fish expert that i had "the bends" so i immediately shut it off. I had another fish expert examine my protein skimmer and he made a few adjustments and told me it was working fine and ran it on his system for a couple of hours. I got the protein skimmer home and there are STILL microscopic bubbles being pushed down into the exit port and putting microscopic bubbles in my tank again. Ive tried adjusting the air intake on the top of the intake pipe (attached to the power head) but that didn't do anything. Any suggestions? Im at my wits end. My tank is lonely with only a couple fish left, I have perfect water chemistry, and im at my wits end with this skimmer. Any advise would help. Thanks,
Rich
 
Go ahead and just call Jason at AquaC he'll take care of you. I have the skimmer box on my Remora pro and I love it, its a must in my opinion.


Jason
 
Re: I got the bends with my new protein skimmer... any suggestions?

by crocodilhunter
I bought "Remora Aqua C" protein skimmer for up to 75 gallons, put it on my tank and turned it on. Not long after my entire tank was covered in bubbles, all over my rock and sides of my walls. I then lost my lion fish, yellow tang, two damsels, and a few more before i was informed by my local fish expert that i had "the bends" so i immediately shut it off. I had another fish expert examine my protein skimmer and he made a few adjustments and told me it was working fine and ran it on his system for a couple of hours. I got the protein skimmer home and there are STILL microscopic bubbles being pushed down into the exit port and putting microscopic bubbles in my tank again. Ive tried adjusting the air intake on the top of the intake pipe (attached to the power head) but that didn't do anything. Any suggestions? Im at my wits end. My tank is lonely with only a couple fish left, I have perfect water chemistry, and im at my wits end with this skimmer. Any advise would help. Thanks,
Rich
Click to expand...

First,

[welcome]
 
While I am not a fan of the Remora, I do feel your pain. I take it you do not have a sump?? This would help to eliminate many of the micro bubble issues. I wonder if you could seclude the output of the skimmer to a back corner some how?!? This would keep it from spreading all over the tank.

I agree with a different skimmer for a 75g FO tank, something bigger and less of the issues with micro bubbles. But that solution isn't always feasible.
 
thank you very much for all the advise. I contacted AquaC and they are going to send me a piece of netting that will trap the bubbles before they are put into my tank. I will let you know how it goes. thanks again.
 
To anybody who kept up with this i have one thing to say about my skimmer.... WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK AND A WASTE OF MONEY! i have tried everything to prevent the micro bubbles from using a sponge (soon got blocked and clogged the exit port) i put a ball valve on the pump to control the pressure to see if i could prevent so many micro bubbles... nope! as low as the pump would have to be to stop micro bubbles from escaping into the exit port there was not enough foam for the skimmer to work properly. im awaiting this miraculous "mesh" to catch the micro bubbles before they go into the tank but im skeptical. i tell you i will never purchase from AquaC again. Terrible design, terrible skimmer, killed over $200 worth of fish.
 
Skimmer micro bubbles

Skimmer micro bubbles

Wow. Really too bad. I have a Remora C on my 75 and have never had any issue w/ micro-bubbles. I do not have the overflow box either. Sorry about your fish. Id be skeptical about using a Remora C after that as well.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15399139#post15399139 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crocodilhunter
Terrible design, terrible skimmer, killed over $200 worth of fish.
Click to expand...
How did the skimmer kill your fish?
 
i never like that skimmer when I had it, but when I added the prefilter box, it surface skimmed better, looked better, and with the sponge in the box, no micro bubbles.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15400548#post15400548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by addicted2reefin
for ur aqua-c ur not supposed to use a pump w/ a air intake. try to push only water in the skimmer and see if that helps any
Click to expand...

This is what I saw as well.

I have that skimmer and while it is not my favorite because its LOUD it is ok. The aquaC relies on its water jet to mix the water and air, not a venturi. What pump are you using?
 
also the skimmer cant kill ur fish. microbubbles wont kill ur fish, its not great for them but they would have to be exposed for a long peroid of time to do any damage. aqua c skimmers arent the best but they do work. also once the skimmer breaks in it wont put out as many microbubbles. and if u attatch the prefilter/wetside on a overflow box to the skimmer outlet it will stop ur bubbles.
 
The prefilter box is a must with those skimmers, and IMO should be included from the mfg with the damn things. Aqua C makes some really good products, and even the Remora is a fair skimmer once you get the bubble issue fixed, and as has been said the prefilter/top skimmer bubble catcher box will do that.
The absolute #1 best way to keep bubbles out of your display though is to get a sump, it gets all the equipment like skimmers, heaters, and junk out of the display and if baffled right does not allow bubbles to get near the return pump.
 
Every reef store ive been to has told me that micro bubbles CAN kill your fish. What they have told me is that with the micro bubbles and the skimmer, it is forcing too much air into the tank which is putting too much oxygen in the water and my fish are getting the bends so Micro bubbles and a bad skimmer can kill your fish and in turn your fish get "the bends" just like a scuba diver that comes up too fast (plus you can clearly see the effect on your fish prior to them dieing with microbubbles forming on the fins and their skin goes pale... if you don't believe me look in my freezer at the $200 worth of fish ive lost since i added that skimmer and yes my water has been tested at two local reef shops and both have said the same thing "perfect water chemistry". You tell me...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15402698#post15402698 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crocodilhunter
Every reef store ive been to has told me that micro bubbles CAN kill your fish. What they have told me is that with the micro bubbles and the skimmer, it is forcing too much air into the tank which is putting too much oxygen in the water and my fish are getting the bends so Micro bubbles and a bad skimmer can kill your fish and in turn your fish get "the bends" just like a scuba diver that comes up too fast (plus you can clearly see the effect on your fish prior to them dieing with microbubbles forming on the fins and their skin goes pale... if you don't believe me look in my freezer at the $200 worth of fish ive lost since i added that skimmer and yes my water has been tested at two local reef shops and both have said the same thing "perfect water chemistry". You tell me...
Click to expand...

im thinking your lfs's are a bunch of idiots....
with all the turbulence and micro's out on the fore reef, which is what most our tanks are mimicing, there is massive micro's and I dont think fish are dying because of it...lol

and last I checked a powerhead aimed at the water surface puts more oxygen in the tank via gas exchange than any skimmer bubbles...
 
With fish and "the bends", you can get that from supersaturation. Such as using pure oxygen at higher than natural DO levels, and having bubbles under great pressure. I have seen it when using pool filters with fish which run at 30psi and have a plumbing leak allowing air to be trapped under the high pressure. Without the high pressure I would be surprised if supersaturation was the issue. Without the high pressure you can only get to 100% saturation of gasses in the water (equal to the air). Think of it like the CO2 in soda, if you leave the soda out, it goes flat, it can only hold the supersaturated CO2 for any considerable time while under pressure in the bottle.

That being said, supersaturation problems can be seen in the fish as bubbles inside the blood vessels in the fins and gills. This is under the skit of the fish, not on the outside. I have never lost a fish due to excessive micro bubbles.
 
^^ one of my tanks is over at my parents house since im moving. i dont have the time to get over and top off but once a week or so and bubble are in the tank for days since the pump runs 1/2 dry. bubble never killed any of the 5 fish in there
there may have been some kind of pollutant on the skimmer... which may have killed the fish tho,
 
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