Protein Skimming Aid?

[vonzipper]

Does anyone know of a product that can be safely added to increase the efficiency of protein skimming. This product will not be used on a coral system but will have to be safe for Elasmobranchs. The problem that me and my collegues run into is that our fractionators on our fish only system consistently loose the ability to foam for several hours after feeding the system. The foods that are added are without a doubt the cause and I am sure that the surface tension of the SW is being broken by the fatty oils and blood of the cut fish that we are feeding out. The Fracs completely loose the ability to maintain or produce microbubbles and shortly after feeding it looks like we are running freshwater through our Fracs. We have done everything we can think of to rinse the food short of changing or comprimising the diet of the system. I would greatly appreciate the feedback If anyone has heard of a commercial product that increases surface tension and aids protein skimming that can be safely administered to a marine fish system. Thanks in advance.

 

[Craig Lambert]

I think this happens to all of us who have a fish in the tank. Mine will not produce for a couple of hours. The only thing I can think of would be to use a filter sock around your drain where it enters the sump. Mine is pretty black after a few days. (I change it everty 3 days). My skimmer is an AquaC EV-180. That is a skimmer rated for a 180G tank, running on a 75G and I believe the filter sock aids in cleaning the water column.

 

[Craig Lambert]

Oh, forgot to mention. Maybe running activated carbon in a good flow area of the sump could be beneficial as well.

 

[aural]

a lot of people swear by injecting ozone into their skimmer to increase its efficiancy and it apparently gives you a crystal clear water column. I've never done it myself, but it sounds pretty schnazzy to me.