Skimmer not working in low salinity tank?

[youclowntoomuch]

I have a one day old bubble magus mini q on my tank that is currently sitting at 1.015 salinity. The skimmer will not give me a good foam head and ive tried adjusting several times within small increments around the manufacture recommendations but nothing works. I know some people say to give it a week, but all of the videos i see of this skimmer show it working nearly instantly.

 

[KrisReef]

Lots of skimmers take time to start producing foam, and the lower salinity is going to slow the process down. Just because it’s not skimming now doesn’t mean it’s not working because with time it will start producing foam.

Most babies aren’t born with teeth but in time most people will have a set.

 

[Gtinnel]

I agree that you should give it more time.
I know that skimmers won’t work unless in saltwater, so that makes me wonder if the lower salinity changes how effective the skimmer is. Given that you mentioned the lower salinity it seems like you may suspect that as an issue too.

 

[Garf]

I have a one day old bubble magus mini q on my tank that is currently sitting at 1.015 salinity. The skimmer will not give me a good foam head and ive tried adjusting several times within small increments around the manufacture recommendations but nothing works. I know some people say to give it a week, but all of the videos i see of this skimmer show it working nearly instantly.

What bioload is in the tank?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Just doing a quick google on it, it seems unknown for sure, but doubtful that a skimmer will work in brackish water. And if it does work, seems it will not get the same result/benefit as in saltwater.

 

[twentyleagues]

At 1.015 a skimmer should work, not as good as at 1.021-1.026 but it should still be able to create a foam head. Lower end brackish doesnt work 1.009 and lower. I agree give it time to break in and like @Garf pointed out is there bioload for it to remove?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Skimmers do not work nearly as well in fresh water for a variety of reasons. From an article of mine:

Why does skimming work better in saltwater than in freshwater?

There are two fundamental reasons that skimming is more effective in seawater than in freshwater. One is the reduced solubility of organics, especially hydrophobic ones. Because many organics are less soluble in saltwater than in fresh, they are more easily squeezed out of it to an air/water interface, and collected as foam. This is the basis for the well-known salting-out effect of proteins. Quoting from a basic biochemistry text: "At sufficiently high ionic strength a protein may be almost completely precipitated from solution, an effect called salting-out."

A second reason for less efficient skimming of freshwater relates to bubble formation and coalescence. It turns out that air bubbled into seawater forms smaller bubbles than if the same device bubbled into freshwater.1-4 The possible reasons for this have been discussed in the scientific literature, but the exact reason is not universally agreed upon.

Despite the fact that skimmers usually produce larger bubbles in freshwater, and that organics are often more soluble in freshwater, it is not impossible to skim freshwater. Rivers from certain areas of the northeastern United States sometimes have foam on them, which comes from tree sap and other natural organics that enter the water. They have a low solubility in water, and are easily collected as foam in a natural skimming action.

 

[youclowntoomuch]

What bioload is in the tank?

Only a gramma and a blenny but ive got to feed heavy since the gramma is picky. 21.7 nitrates

 

[Garf]

Only a gramma and a blenny but ive got to feed heavy since the gramma is picky. 21.7 nitrates

Looking on the bright side, your oxygen levels should be great. Are you changing any water?

 

[youclowntoomuch]

Looking on the bright side, your oxygen levels should be great. Are you changing any water?

today is my water change day

 

[Garf]

today is my water change day

Is it a tiny skimmer? In my limited experience skimming is a case where size matters, especially in relation to the bubble air water interface contact time. As you and others have noted, low salinity won't help. I'm not even sure skimming is desired in a qt tank if it has been medicated, to be honest.

 

[youclowntoomuch]

Is it a tiny skimmer? In my limited experience skimming is a case where size matters, especially in relation to the bubble air water interface contact time. As you and others have noted, low salinity won't help. I'm not even sure skimming is desired in a qt tank if it has been medicated, to be honest.

im running hypo in my dt