diatomaceous earth causing Protein skimmer overflow

[ChadmRoman]

Been trying to figure out why my skimmer was going crazy overflowing the cup with white foam and cake to the conclusion it’s the diatomaceous earth filter causing this to happen. I took the diatom filter out of the system for the past week and the skimmer went back to normal. I added the diatom back into the system last night and instantly the skimmer started overflowing. When I contacted coralvue, this was the response...

yeah, some filters have chemicals that will make skimmer's go crazy. It is best to only get product that are specifically made for salt water. Fresh water filters tend to have chemicals that do not cause any images on salt water but can really cause problems on salt water tanks.

I purchased the de from a local pool shop and the label stated it was all natural. Based on the research I did I’m assuming it’s ok for the tank but I’m wondering:
1. How/why does de cause the skimmer to overflow
2. Is there truly a “saltwater version” of de?

 

[pirate2876]

Why are you running DE?

 

[WVNed]

I use a Vortex and it doesn't do anything to my skimmer.

 

[lapin]

I do not think you should run a skimmer and the De filter at the same time. The De filter will remove all the free floating stuff in the water. They are good for tank start up with new sand. Cleaning the sand bed in an older tank. Also removing bacterial blooms. After that just use your skimmer.
To answer your questions.
No there is not a special de for salt water. However some pool de has chlorine in it. I would use food grade avail at the feed or garden store.
Skimmer is overflowing because (my guess) some of the very fine de dust is getting into the water.

 

[ChadmRoman]

Why are you running DE?

using DE to manage ich per this article
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/ich-eradication-vs-management.45/

 

[ChadmRoman]

I do not think you should run a skimmer and the De filter at the same time. The De filter will remove all the free floating stuff in the water. They are good for tank start up with new sand. Cleaning the sand bed in an older tank. Also removing bacterial blooms. After that just use your skimmer.
To answer your questions.
No there is not a special de for salt water. However some pool de has chlorine in it. I would use food grade avail at the feed or garden store.
Skimmer is overflowing because (my guess) some of the very fine de dust is getting into the water.

When I purchased the DE, I made sure there was no chlorine.
The second makes complete sense. to your point about when to use a diatom filter, I would like to run this filter to keep the water clear and for ich management. Is this not recommended? So I guess I need to figure out a schedule that runs the diatom filter for a time period each day then run the skimmer when the diatom filter's off.

 

[Dan_P]

When I purchased the DE, I made sure there was no chlorine.
The second makes complete sense. to your point about when to use a diatom filter, I would like to run this filter to keep the water clear and for ich management. Is this not recommended? So I guess I need to figure out a schedule that runs the diatom filter for a time period each day then run the skimmer when the diatom filter's off.

If the DE is not desorbing some kind of surfactant that is causing the high foam rate, the other possibility is that it is removing something that is retarding foam formation. Can you adjust the skimmer to run properly while filtering with DE?

If you are really interested in an answer and have time and an air pump and a limewood (basswood) aerator, try the following. Aerate a sample of new salt water with the limewood aerator (it makes a lot of very fine bubbles). Doing the experiment with 3 quarts of water in a thoroughly cleaned one gallon milk container would work. Then add a small amount of DE. Start with a teaspoon and go up from there. If the DE is the sole reason for the foaming, you should see the foam become thicker and rise up higher in the milk container.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm not sure why it would cause foaming, but I suspect something being released as opposed to the particulates themselves. Maybe it was washed before sale. i discuss how particulates themselves impact skimmers and why here:

What is Skimming? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php

As an aside, the bubble popping action of hydrophobic oils is exactly how most anti-gas medications for humans function. Simethicone is really polydimethylsiloxane, which is a hydrophobic polymer liquid. It pops bubbles in your stomach or intestine, and permits the gas to be eliminated. Antifoaming agents also are the basis for a large number of industrial products that work on the same principle. Other things also cause bubble popping. One of these is the fatty acid supplement Selcon. It causes bubble popping in the same fashion as skin oil droplets. Hydrophobic solid objects can also cause popping. Fine particles of activated carbon, sand, inorganic precipitates, or granular ferric oxide/hydroxide, once coated by organic compounds, can serve to break foams in a manner analogous to the described for liquid oils.

 

[Dan_P]

As an aside, the bubble popping action of hydrophobic oils is exactly how most anti-gas medications for humans function

I can picture what happens when a bubble pops when it is surrounded by air, but can’t describe what happens when a bubble pops when surrounded by a liquid (intestinal contents). Does the gas dissolve in the liquid?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The claim is that a froth of small gas bubbles in the GI tract is converted into fewer but larger bubbles that can be cleared more readily. Not sure if that actually happens as the effect is in some dispute, but that’s the claim.