Protein skimmer not skimming

[L0b0sa08]

Hey everyone!
Need some help. I have a reef octopus bh-100 on a 56ga tank.
It has been skimming great ever since I got it a few months ago. Until about a week ago. I don't know what's wrong. It won't seem to skim anything. I cleaned the collection cup and even tried cleaning it again yesterday because I thought it could still be dirty inside. I even tried adjusting it up and down to see if the foam/bubbles would make their way up and no dice. I did recently add a in the tank refugium with a good chunk of macro algae. I don't think that would make a big difference but I'm not sure. I also did a 5ga water change the day after I added the in the tank refugium. Any advice anyone? Thank you all!

 

[backdraft]

When you cleaned the skimmer did you clean the body also?
if so it may need to "break in" again

 

[Fish Keeper82]

When you cleaned the skimmer did you clean the body also?
if so it may need to "break in" again

Agreed.
My skimmer takes about a week to break in again after a full cleaning.

 

[L0b0sa08]

Thank you guys for the quick response! I cleaned the top cover. The whole collection cup (inside and out including the neck where the foam travels up. I'll definitely wait to see if it will finally skim. Probably is going through a break in period like you are suggesting. I am just freaking out since it usually skims right away. But I'll re adjust it and keep and eye on it. Thanks again!

 

[BlueRoofTang]

You are getting the same amount of bubbles in the water as before, just no foam on the surface? If not, you could have something going on with the flow rate of the pump or a clog in the air suction line.

 

[L0b0sa08]

Do you know how I would fix either problem or know what to look for? I'm getting a good amount of bubbles just nothing seems to foam up and go up the neck into the collection cup. Thank you for your response!

 

[Betaktical]

Don't clean the inside of the neck in the collection cup until it actually needs it. It won't foam over the top till it makes the brown film develops in the neck again. Once it does it will make skimmate again


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[xCry0x]

Some skimmers develop issues w/ salt creep clogging the air line, typically where the air line connects to the venturi.

If you are concerned you can take the skimmer out and check. I know some people make a point of running some fresh RO water through the air line every now and then to help clear out any salt creep. I don't know if it helps or hinders but I sometimes will just stick the airline in the tank for an hour or two and let it run water through it for a while - I figure if there is salt creep in the air line that even though it is sucking salt water it would do more good than bad =)