Chemiclean

[catgirl29]

After a discussion about cyano, I got myself some Chemiclean. Put it in the tank yesterday with an air stone (this is the 30 gallon - used 3 small measuring scoops in tank water as directed).

Instructions say, "Continue using a protein skimmer, although skimmer may require adjustment to prevent excessive overflow." All is going well but it's the second day and I can't actually use my skimmer (Aquamaxx HOB-1) as it completely and totally foams up and overwhelms the skimmer cup (and beyond). I plan on doing a water change in the morning, which may allow me to start skimming again.

I'm thinking this is normal? The cyano is dissipating and fish, inverts and corals are very happy.

 

[crew]

The water change MIGHT help - in my experience, it's going to be a while before your skimmer behaves normally though.

Chemiclean is awesome. It completely wipes out cyano in something like 36 hours, but it absolutely ruins your skimmer efficiency, the only downside.

Personally, I did 2 20% water changes and my skimmer was still going bananas, so I just let it go crazy and set up a tube to drain the skimmer collection cup into a 5 gallon bucket. After skimming about 4 gallons out, it settled down. The skimmer is doing its job in removing the chemiclean, it will just take some time.

 

[axio]

Yeah that is normal. Means it's doing some work for ya! +1 on the drain tube. You could just turn it off... but part of the reason they want you to run it is all that skimate is the organics feeding the cyano as well as the chemi-clean.

 

[catgirl29]

It's definitely off. It was like an avalanche of bubbles immediately and has been since. Hopefully the water change helps soon. Would like to have that skimmer running.

 

[jennm]

Water change is a MUST with Chemiclean (I prefer Ultralife Red Slime Remover - works but not as volatile.)

When you want to fire up the skimmer put a generous quantity of fresh carbon in the sump, it will help with the overflowing skimmer issue.

Jenn

 

[snowmansnow]

Just take the cup off until you start your water changes.

Then... Just sit the cup loose on the body so that it bubbles out the bottom but you still collect some. As the chemiclean comes out just get the cup back down where it goes


So long, and thanks for all the fish.

 

[snowmansnow]

I mean... The skimmer use is just for gas exchange for a few days right ?


So long, and thanks for all the fish.

 

[catgirl29]

Seven gallon water change this morning and still too bubbly. This is day 4. Sand and livestock doing great. Maybe I'll try that - let the skimmer bubble like crazy and catch it in a bowl thing for awhile. Didn't expect such a skimmer reaction. I think a cone skimmer would be fine but it's a little much for the small HOB jobby jobs.

 

[jbdreefs]

I dont know if your skimmer cup has a drain or not. In the past, I just ran a small hose into the collection cup and siphoned out the bubbles. Yes, this meant sitting by the tank for a while. When the cup is almost empty I would stop the siphon with my finger and wait for it to fill again....then I let the siphon go again.

Repeat until the bubbles calm down.

 

[myreefclub0070]

yes, chemiclean works great, but this is one of the common issues you have to deal with when you decide to use it.
even on my large size system with a big skimmer it still goes skim crazy, you can turn the skimmer off for a few days while you do multiple water changes.
the only fix to get it back to normal is w.c.

 

[catgirl29]

It does have a drain line option but it's not the water being collected in the cup, it's the crazy amount of bubbles filling up and over spilling the cup and put the bottom of it. This skimmer doesn't have a ton of adjustability like my cone skimmer in the other tank does. It's adjusted by height of the cup, not the height of the bubbles.

I'll get it worked out, I suppose, but I'm not sure I'll use Chemi Clean in this tank again.

 

[catgirl29]

Thanks everyone. I'll do another WC in a few days.

 

[redstang]

I ran my skimmer effluent through a filter sock. Let me at least think that my skimmer was accomplishing something besides oxygenation. But it did seem to work pretty well and get the skimmer back to working. Otherwise it could take a week plus and plenty of large water changes.

 

[crew]

My skimmer is rated at 320 gallons on my 120 tank and it still overflows like crazy when i use chemiclean. It's not the skimmer, it's the product. Price to pay, I guess.