Scum, Algae on water surface

[Spdjnky]

New Reef aquarium 3 1/2 months running Triton method. I have the Alk, Ca and Ma running stable and slowly bringing Alk up to 8 dKH Ca and Ma are off I think just because I don't have anything to use them up. My battle right now is trying to bring P04 and N03 up from 0. Obviously my Refugium is working good but it looks baron. I have 2 Tangs and 4 Clown fish will be putting 3 Fijian Canary Blennies and a Ruby Red Scooter Dragonet Male. So that will give me more bio load because right now I feed heavy and can't keep my P04 and N03 above 0. Monday I dosed NeoPhos 24hrs later my P04 was .09 ppm but back t 0 today. Have some algae starting on the rocks and the surface scum really bugs me its coming from the sump no filter socks not a thick enough growth in the Refugium to catch all the debre. I am doing a water change and clean the sand bed but think the problem will come right back.

 

[Krissreef]

Looks like u need a protein skimmer.

 

[Oropher]

Looks like you still have algae in the system, it's normal and they sucked up nutrient so in your test kit NO3 and perhaps PO4 look okay. People would use test kit and when they get 0 they think there's no nutrient in the system. Test kit reading is just for the leftover nutrient in the water column. The real nutrient is accumulated in the form of algae on the rocks, substrate, glass etc.

 

[Spdjnky]

Looks like u need a protein skimmer.

I have a Bashsea Twisted Skimmer 6-24 that really pulls allot out

 

[Spdjnky]

Looks like you still have algae in the system, it's normal and they sucked up nutrient so in your test kit NO3 and perhaps PO4 look okay. People would use test kit and when they get 0 they think there's no nutrient in the system. Test kit reading is just for the leftover nutrient in the water column. The real nutrient is accumulated in the form of algae on the rocks, substrate, glass etc.

Thanks that makes sense but what can I do about it because it's ugly. I don't know if this was a good idea or not but I cleaned allot out by running 2 Sediment filters in my carbon and GFO Reactors

 

[Spdjnky]

Just trying to get clear water no surface scum. And it has to be my Fuge?
Could the design of my sump be my Refugium problems.I have some pictures and Videos of my system comments suggestions needed to fix this. I have pictures and a video where my return comes in to my sump and the first section where the filter socks were the Rock and Sea Lettuce with Red Ogo looks great with the Tunze light but the second section where it enters through the slots underwater looks bad with Cheto in it looks bad not growing like it should and all the algae powdery resadue thats doing my pumps no good and seems to me thats where all my surface scum is coming from




The last video shows my Torch and when I crank the Grye up the Torch really waves but not sure how much is too much.

 

[Spdjnky]

Redid my sump refugium.

 

[Tomlagoon]

Love my Bashsea. Maybe you have too much flow through the overflow weir or weir is too small?
when the total length between the teeth is not enough , surface scum gets locked - all the flow goes through the teeth under the scum. That’s why some reefers like coast-to-coast overflows, some with no teeth.

 

[ChuckTownReefer]

I have a Bashsea Twisted Skimmer 6-24 that really pulls allot out

No to hijack this post but how do you like these bashsea 6-24 skimmer? I'm trying to decide on a new skimmer and its at the 1 of my top three? Is there anything I should know about the skimmer? I know it needs its own feed pump. What worries me is how old the design is? And there has been no updated versions But I guess if it works why fixit..

 

[Spdjnky]

Here are some pictures of mine it will be going back in shortlyI hope. I really haven't had any problemsThat were not preventable Keep the valve clean.I only check itWhen I notice Something not rightYou can tell. For the life of me I can't remember name right now Pictures will show you where it is. If you notice any problemsThis is the first thing you should checkThere may be some junk in. You can put it together wrong. Trust me I knowLOL And if you do When you fire the Skimmer back it will not work right The only other problem I had was the drain line got plugged forgot exactly what it caused but like I said you can tell when its running right. I emailed Steve and he knew right away. I also got my sump and other things from Steve would buy again. The O-Rings for the Collection cup have a tendency to be a little small when you are putting the top back on and the cup back on the main body, I just stretch them by pulling apart in a circle then they will go back in the grove. But cleaning is easy and take maybe 10 mins. After I had the drain hose get plugged I got in the habit of using a turkey baster and flushing the hose when I clean the skimmer.

 

[Spdjnky]

Could not let that picture in the middle stay it was not clean here it is the way it should look

 

[MaxtheCat]

Could not let that picture in the middle stay it was not clean here it is the way it should look

Hey there I'm putting my skimmer back together, the venturi section especially. You have a photo of the inside plunger type thing and I'm trying to put mine back together with it like your photo. But my skimmer just isn't working right after I put it back together. There are 4 fins on that little plunger looming thing, two wider than the other two. Are you sure that is how you put yours back together? In the photo of it opened up? Thank you!

 

[Spdjnky]

My apologies I put that picture on there I'm sorry I just took mine apart and here is the way it looks

 

[MaxtheCat]

My apologies I put that picture on there I'm sorry I just took mine apart and here is the way it looks

That helped so much! We had put it back together wrong because I was going by your first photo of it taken apart in this thread. Thank you so much for coming back to help me

 

[Spdjnky]

Your welcome but I just wish I could delete the original pic. I reported it and hopefully they will delete it

(Moderators Note: Original picture was deleted and correct picture was edited into the post above)

 

[Fourstars]

Protein skimmer with not skim the surface. Scum on the surface is normal and not an issue just use a net to remove. If your already freaking out about a little scum you’ll never make it through the next year.