oil in tank and a skimmer problem

[Sk8r]

I don't know whether to post this in chemistry or here, but it is at least a fluid mechanics problem...

Skimmer going nuts, tons of microbubbles, and this is a reef tank [not mine] which has received a dose of fine-grade biodegradable oil. Any clues how to pull the oil out fastest? LEt the skimmer run? One-micron filter? Suggestions? This is a new one.

[Creetin]

Thats a new one for sure. I dunno how long it will take to break the oil down in the skimmer. You see what happens when ya feed foods that have oils in it. It prettymuch stops the skimmer till it breaks down.
How much oil got dumped in there? A capfull a bottlefull?

[Sk8r]

I believe a couple of capfuls of straight stuff containing tea tree oil. This is Pimafix and Melafix. [claimed to be biodegradable, but has made a bit of a mess.]
I've thought of: stopping all water circulation and hoping the oil floats---sopping it off with paper towel.
Or trying to grab it with a one micron filter.
I can't figure if there's any flocculation that wouldn't kill all life in there---something that could be put in the water stream that would sop it up without getting loose. Party is running carbon foam sheets.
This is a poser. I've been at this 40 odd years and I've never had to get oil out of a tank.

[Sk8r]

Randy, in Chemistry, is saying carbon and let the skimmer run.

[GSMguy]

yep i would agree lots of carbon and keep skimmer on, watch salinity,

My corals hated when i was a newb and dosed melafix to cure ich.

it did not kill anything but i did a big water change and ran extra carbon

[DarG]

I had a similiar issue with what I believed to be some type of oily residue when I did a recent change of my hose from my overflow to my sump. I replaced two pool type hoses with two lengths of clear vinyl tubing. I did rinse the tubing first but that was not enough. There may also have been some left over lubricant that got in the tank. I used a very light film on the PVC that I slid the old hose onto when I first installed the original hoses. I cut the old hoses off, I didnt slide them down off the PVC fittings so I dont think any of the old lubricant could have contributed but it is possible.

Anyway, in my case, the skimmer would not bubble up much. It overskimmed when I raised the water and air levels to compensate but basically, the oily substance retarded bubble production, not increased it. The filter socks will help take it out. The oil residue sticks to the sock material and you will get a little more out with each sock change. Going to a smaller micron rated sock helps. Probably not because the pores are too small for the oil to pass but just because they slow the water flow a little more and allow more time for the oil to stick to the material. My theory anyway. I only went down to 50 micron because that is the smallest that I had but I changed them daily. I also ran some carbon to help remove any chemicals that may have been in the residue. I cleaned the aquarium walls with a sponge, daily. I could actually see what appeared to be a very slight film on the aquarium walls. I cleaned the skimmer with a sponge daily and took it out and apart on day 3 or 4 and cleaned it and the recirc. pumps well with some FIT and then vinegar to better get the residue off the acrylic surfaces and the pumps. That seemed to help quite a bit with skimming. I did a 25% water change day after it happened (90 gallon tank).

I was thinking of running a Diatom filter. I dont have one any more but I actually considered buying one. I think that would have helped remove the stuff alot quicker. But things were slowly but steadily clearing up and I figured it would have been cleared up by the time I received the filter.

I dont know how much of a "dose" of oil your tank got. Mine didnt get much at all seeing how it was just what was on the walls of that new tubing and possibly some of that non toxic lubricant that I used to slide the old hose on the PVC tubing when I first set up the overflow. My skimmer was skimming very close to normally and tank seemed back to normal after about 6 or 7 days. I could have been more aggressive and cleaned the external pumps and cleaned and/or replaced all the PVC and flexible plumbing but I didnt. That probably would have sped things up by a couple of days. I would say that everything looked 100% back to normal after about 10 days.

[Creetin]

Yep melafix will do that. Yes carbon will work. I would just turn the skimmer off till it settles, or just keep dumping it when it refills which may be awhile. I thought you were talking about heavy oils like veg/olive oil.

[luke33]

Yep, h20 changes, carbon and filter sock should do the trick. I don't think your skimmer will pull anything out as it will just be finicky til its gone. Where are those darn penguin's to soak up the oil when you need one ; )