Skimmer getting "sand" in it

[lousybreed]

I have a hob skimmer (octopus hob) that made the transition from my 29 to my 65. My skimmer was acting really weird after 3 weeks of operation. I took it apart and there was "sand" in the bottom of my skimmer. When I took the pump apart there was the same particles on the needle wheel. When I went to the 65 I started dosing kalc. This is about the only thing I changed from the 29. Is the kalk causing sand like particulates to form? It's my major source of air into the tank, is the CO2 in the air binding with the kalk and causing dropout? My alk is 9.2 and my pH stays at a nice constant 8.1-8.2. I cycle my chaeto fuge at night so the pH never really fluctuates. Now after 5-6 days it seems to be acting weird again so I am planning to take apart my skimmer again.

 

[lousybreed]

No one!?

 

[Jayreefer]

HOB skimmers are not consistent when it comes to skimming well.

Do you have an ATO to keep the water at the same height all the time?

 

[lousybreed]

Yeah I have an ATO. The water is at a constant level as I have a sump. However for the time being I am using this skimmer. Other than the sand build up it works really good actually.