The Puffer Forum

So the water needs to mature so overflowing of the cup ends right?
But if that can take over a week then will it always be a problem, considering I perform weekly 30% W/C

If your referring to a new skimmer the skimmer will need to break in. Usually during this period less skimmate is produced due to left over machining oils on the skimmer column. From what you described the collection cup overfilling sound like you have excess organic material. This can be cause by new additives or food. Cheaper food mixtures can have excess oil that will result in massive amount of skimmate being produced.

Thanks for the reply

I was reading something that was telling me it was conditioner that was acting a surfactant -- Either way, do you know if/think it would help to just keep running it and just letting it overflow for a while until it settles? And then (or instead) maybe running it and emptying the cup again and again? I suppose it can't hurt to try.

Relevant info:

I use feed my guy brown shrimp and mussels

There's almost certainly a lot of organic material in there but the skimmer is pulling out clear liquid

All I use is the conditioner and salt which are used every week with W/C

My recommendation would be exactly that keep emptying the skim cup until it normalises. The cheap food I was referring to are low end frozen mixes. The skimmate production should normalize but if it doesn't you can try altering your additives until you find out what is causing it. I use prime with mine doesn't cause any unusual production. The only time I've noticed something similar is when I forget to turn off my remora before i feed the tank with oyster feast. I put this directly into an mp40 that is right next to the remora intake. When feeding liquids I usually leave the skimmer off for an hour.

what is a remora?

ok great - so for the long run I could try less or different conditioner?

Thanks again, me and oddball the GSP really appreciate the support

Remora is a skimmer from aquac. Only change your conditioner if by process of elimation you are able to identify it is that causing the excess skimmate production.

What brand skimmer? Can you adjust it, so it skimms drier?

Rather embarrassingly I can't remember and I haven't got the receipt etc to hand but it's working great now! Thanks!

Was it still breaking in or did you find one of the additives was causing an issue.

There was a viscous surfactant which I assume is the conditioner. I think this was the problem as it seems to recur every time I do a water change. It is much less of a problem now though - the skimmer cup fills rapidly a couple of times and then works as expected, whereas on first use it just kept on going due to, I assume, a build-up.