Thick, Dark Skimmate?! Yuck!!!!!

[slgcmg]

Ever since I hooked up my bio reactor my skimmer has been pulling out tar like substances and has been smellier than ever. Usually flush it down the toilet first. She will not allow me to clean it in the sink at all

 

[Allentown]

Oh ya, it's probably great for plants, tons of nutrients. I knew someone who went around his garden peeing everywhere and swore that helped. Basically the same thing.

All I can say is he had an amazing garden, but I wouldn't eat from it.

Wrong kind of waste. Ammonia, creatinine, uric acid, all bad for plants. Only urea nitrogen that's in the blood (referred to as BUN) might help.

Tell your friend to fertilize out off the other end.

 

[higorc]

Wow, this went some where I never even imagined... I had no idea some of you were using skimmate as fertilizer!!!! Interesting...We learn something new everyday about this hobby don't we?!

 

[higorc]

I dump mine in the rose bed and then hit the cup with the garden hose. Easy peasy.

But that's only when cleaning it cleaning it every couple weeks or so. Every few days i just open the valve and let the gunk flow into another container which i then dump down the utility sink.

Man, that is One full cup of Skimmate!!! U must smell that from across the house! :rollface:

Higor

 

[ggsteve]

I clean my skimmer cup and filter socks as part of the normal Saturday morning chores before she gets up (after I clean the pots in the sink for a little good will!)

Now a question. I find the best tools for cleaning the grime out of the skimmer cup are my hands. I've been cleaning fish tanks since I was 8 years old, so the stuff really doesn't bother me, how about you?

 

[higorc]

(after I clean the pots in the sink for a little good will!)

HAHAHA! I do the same thing!

 

[d2mini]

Man, that is One full cup of Skimmate!!! U must smell that from across the house! :rollface:

Higor

LOL, I dunno if it's the design of the LifeReef skimmers or what but unless I open the cup, i don't smell a thing. It's in my garage, but I'm always in there fiddling around and we still park both cars in there so we are constantly walking by. The only time the wife says anything is if I dumped some down the utility sink. I run ozone in the skimmer too, and no carbon or anything is needed. This skimmer completely recycles the ozone so none is lost into the air. :beer:

 

[Palting]

I can only smell the stink when I open the container, but I have to hold my breath every time I do it! The skim is so dark and thick, there is mud at the bottom of the cup and on the reaction chamber.

Here's 5 days worth of skim from my Marineland skimmer:

 

[Mrs. Music]

I don't think the salt in the skimmate would be good for roses or any garden? I am betting she also does not like that nasty thing setting on the counter either. No amount of crop dusting can improve that, Banker.

 

[Palting]

LOL!! That sink counter is by the toilet, and that bathroom is in the basement where the fishroom is. Exhaust vents go on and stay on for an hour after I open the canister. When I leave that room I go "WHEW!!!", fan my hand across my face a few times. If any member of my family fail to heed those signals, they can go into that bathroom at their own risk!!! LOL!

 

[Timber77]

Well for emptying the cup, thats always gonna smell
one thing you can do is put carbon on top of your skimmer cup to keep it from leaching out the bad smell 24/7 or the skim mate locker idea. when emptying out the cup... i dump mine down the toilet , flush twice then go to the sink and hose it off. I try to dry skim so I don't have to smell it as often, easy with my aqua medic, not so easy with the atb

 

[higorc]

I think I might seriously consider Avast Locker. It sounds like it would be a good investment...

Higor

 

[LeslieP]

I love mine, with the Swabbie, I only clean the skimmer about every 2 weeks. But it still smells once I open it up. I think many customers are happy with it and Avast has great customer service. GL