Protien Skimmer

[dinoflorist]

Well I have a couple of questions actually. I have had a 20g saltwater tank with no problems for a while, but recently we purchased an already established saltwater tank. It included a sump system with a skimmer inside of it. I've never used this sort of system ever and I just got the tank 2 days ago. Fish are fine, but the new snails and hermits I put in today died pretty fast. So, I should have done this before (but I didn't because the company set it up and I thought tested it for everything), but now I am testing water changing water etc. I also attempted to change the collection cup on the skimmer but it was crazy!

I have been looking up how skimmers work, but I havent really seen an asnwer to this:

Is it SUPPOSED to foam out of the top collection cup area? Then the bad stuff stays inside? It seems like a bunch of gunk is getting out and running down the main chamber area (on the outside).

The sump is set up like this"



[ / I I ]
[ / I I ]
[__/____I_I__]


the I's are the skimmer.
the left side is all icky! Then it goes through a little bag of carbon and the other side seems cleaner. Is this normal operation? It's pretty sick in there.


Tank is 125 g with a ton of live rock, and currently established yellow tailed damsel, bird mouthed wrasse, hippo tang, pajama cardinals and Green Chromis. Fire Shrimp and snails and hermits added today. Snails and hermits appear to have suffered massive casualty with only about 25% surviving. I'm trying to read more about this whole thing, but everyone told me that 125 should be easier than 20g, so I'm already in over my head (not realizing it beforehand) and need to catch up quick with some real time advice.

Thanks!

[richofoz]

I might be wrong, but it sounds like your collection cup on your skimmer is full and has started over flowing.
How long has the skimmer been running before you tried to empty it?

If you could post a picture of the skimmer it would really help.

[StevenBell2]

A 125 is much easier than a 20 in the sence it is more forgiving than a smaller tank.
Sounds like the cup is getting full.On some skimmers their is a place for a drain tube for all the nasty stuff to run into a larger area(like a bucket or 2 liter bottle).

[jsr]

What type of skimmer is in the sump? Is this an airstone skimmer or a needle wheel type skimmer? Is there an adjustable pipe where the water comes out? If so, you may want to lower that so the water level in the skimmer is not so high.

[dinoflorist]

I just cleaned it out, stuck it back on, and foam is still bubbling out of the top. Dirty foam too.

I dont know the brand, but the logo has like three leaves that make sort of a upside down Y. The cup is screwed on with a plastic nut. There is a motorized pump that sticks in a hole that has like a rubber fitting that makes the foam go inside the skimmer. I knocked it out when I was trying to remove the collection cup and it foamed in the water.

[jsr]

I dont know what type of skimmer you have. Maybe someone else does. Do you have a picture of the setup with the skimmer running?