Miss cleaning skimmer = unhappy wife

Mark9

New member
I tell you, there is so much to learn in this hobby, it's incredible.
For all you new people out there, don't miss the regular skimmer cleanings, or the wife will notice, and that's never a good thing.
I have to agree with her though, the smell was real funky.
 
I just did a full breakdown and cleaning of mine yesterday. The wife gagged when she walked into the kitchen! LOL
 
LOL when we moved and bought the new house, a deep sink in the utility room was a must have for Mrs. Fishin just for this reason.
 
Unique is an understatement. It is so awful! I usually do the cleaning when the wife is not around or she is in another room. I just cleaned mine this morning.
 
Unique is an understatement. It is so awful! I usually do the cleaning when the wife is not around or she is in another room. I just cleaned mine this morning.

I try to feed my fish when she's not around, as she complains about the smell from the food (Larry's reef frenzy or frozen mysis).
None of this stuff really bothers me.
Well, to a point, i'm NOT sniffing the skimate again.
 
This is why you never run through the foam on the beach after a storm.........

And for those that have (you know who you are), you can now chuckle at the uninformed the next time you see it. Or just mess with the wife if she is also a guilty party. :D
 
I tell you, there is so much to learn in this hobby, it's incredible.
For all you new people out there, don't miss the regular skimmer cleanings, or the wife will notice, and that's never a good thing.
I have to agree with her though, the smell was real funky.

cleaned mine for the 2nd time when it was full last week, roommates almost threw up XD
 
Is it a guy thing or what when we say dude this stinks and gag when smelling it then turn to our buddy and say man smell this. And guess what he comes right over and gives it a big sniff.
 
I did have a technique that if used with extreme caution can be very effective. First, it only works if your skimmate is collected in a separate container that is located somewhere it couldn't possibly spill into the tank (or sump). I would add about a quarter cup of bleach to my skimmate (yes, bleach and aquariums don't normally mix, hence the above cautions). Not only did it almost completely eliminate the smell, but it was also no longer that funky green color.

Oh, did I mention. . .DO NOT do this if there is any chance your skimmate collection container could spill or overflow into your tank.
 
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