Jul 08, 2017
Lisa Bacchus
wrote
Hi, I got the BH 1000 skimmer for my seahorse tank- I have only had a few days and I believe I've installed it correctly. The micro bubbles are insane, filling up the whole tank. I understand break in period, but it's too much. Microbubbles can be bad news for seahorses so I'm very nervous about it. I have the return cup model- I have the 3 foam rings on it- it's sitting so that the holes are just above the water line. Am I supposed to have ALL the holes fully above water? I adjusted it several times to see if there was a difference, but there wasnt. Please help!!
Reply
13 Answers
Jul 09, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
Are you running carbon? If there is a chemical in the water that is causing the skimmer to create more bubbles than usual, then the issue is the chemical and not the skimmer itself. Running carbon usually clears up any excess chemicals and allows the skimmer to run normal.
Jul 09, 2017
Lisa Bacchus
wrote
Yes, I do have carbon. It is not chemicals. ? The return with the foam on it just seeps out micro bubbles. It is no better without the foam.
Jul 09, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
You will need to allow the skimmer to break in. Microbubbles are normal when the skimmer is brand new and will go away as the skimmer breaks in. The break in process can take up to 3 weeks.
Nov 22, 2017
Sun Kim
wrote
I am having the same problem with my skimmer as well. I've had it for over a year so it is definitely broken in and had to put a filter sock over it to stop the micro bubbles. The bubbles from the pump overflows (through the small hole) and into the output and goes into my tank. I don't know how breaking in the skimmer would prevent this because the hole is where are the bubbles are located and flows into where the hole for the output is. I've tried putting filter sponges but those don't work either.
Nov 22, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
Sounds like the skimmer is not primed correctly and the water level inside the skimmer is too high. On the return chamber inside the skimmer, there is an elbow at the very top were water goes into from inside the skimmer to make its way back to the main tank. The elbow is most likely pointing straight up. Take that elbow and rotate it either side 45 degrees so it is in angle. The angle will cause the water level inside the skimmer to drop and then you wont have the overflowing issue you are experiencing.
Nov 22, 2017
Sun Kim
wrote
I created a new post with the overflowing issues but I don't think this would fix the microbubbles. The pump creates microbubbles that go to the the collection cup. Below the collection cup is a hole that pours into the chamber with the output. The elbow is currently angled but I can try to angle it more. But I don't know how that would be able to fix this issue if the output chamber fills with microbubbles.
Nov 22, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
Are you adding chemicals to the tank? If you are adding chemicals to the tank, some of those chemicals will cause the skimmer to produce more foam than normal and will cause the skimmer to overflow. Skimmers only react to what's in the water. If you are adding chemicals, stop adding them and then run carbon to remove the chemicals already in the water. As the chemicals are diluted, the skimmer will slowly go back to normal.
Nov 22, 2017
Sun Kim
wrote
I add chemicals but it also does this when there are no chemicals. I run carbon as well. But even if I didn't add chemicals, the result would be the same. There wouldn't be a way for the foam to reach the collection cup without microbubbles going through the hole.
Nov 22, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
It has to do with the chemicals already in the water. If you do not remove them from the water column, the skimmer will overflow. Until you remove the chemicals already in the water, the skimmer will continue to overflow.
Nov 22, 2017
Sun Kim
wrote
This is different from the overflowing. The micro bubbles go from the main chamber to the output chamber. Chemicals wouldn’t make a difference because in order for the skimmer to work, it needs the bubbles and bubbles fill up the chamber connected to the output
Nov 27, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
Chemicals cause the skimmer to make more bubbles than usual so chemicals do make a difference.. Skimmers only react to what is in the water so if there is a chemical that has the same characteristics as soap, it will overflow just like if you add too much such to a washing machine... it will overflow because there is too much foam from excess soap. Skimmers act the same way.
Nov 27, 2017
Sun Kim
wrote
I understand they make a difference but I'm saying they wouldn't make a difference in this case. What is the hole that connects the main chamber with the output there for? Is the water supposed to be lower than this hole? If so, then there must be something wrong with my skimmer because my water level is always higher than that hole whether there are chemicals in the water or not.
Nov 28, 2017
Carlos
agent
wrote
It is a safety so that if one chamber gets too high, it will overflow into the second chamber instead of overflowing the skimmer itself. The hole can only handle so much so if the skimmer is obstructed or there is something in the water that is causing the skimmer to foam up more than normal, the hole will not be enough and the skimmer will overflow.