Timy Bubbles Comming From Protien Skimmer

[stanleo]

Hey guys. There are tiny bubbles coming from protein skimmer all of a sudden. I have tried unplugging it and plugging it back in, resetting the flow rate and nothing. What is going on and what can I do to fix it?
 
Thanks

 

[Chad]

How long has it been running. What kind is it (ie in sump, hang on, external).
 
Mirobubbles from skimmers is pretty common. New skimmers will often have the for a couple of weeks until the skimmer "breaks in" and old ones can get them when they need cleaned. This is mostly common with hang on skimmers.

 

[stanleo]

Its a hang on skimmer. Its been running for a year and only started doing it the last few days. I was thinking about taking it apart and cleaning it again. Would that work? Its an old skimmer. My husband didn't run it when it was his job to care for the tank. He's had it since he has had the tank which is about 5 years old. I started using it about a year ago.
 
The last time I cleaned it about 3 weeks ago I got all the algae out of the clear tube that runs from the intake to the main body of the skimmer. I didn't want that much algae growth again so I blacked out the tube with electrical tape. Could that have something to do with it? Should I not have done that?

 

[372xp]

Could be a defective air stone.

 

[Chad]

Some skimmers sell bubble traps. That's an option. Often it's just a matter of time and it goes away. Fortunately the bubbles are generally harmless. The only exception is if they irritate corals and cause them to retract their polyps.
 
Water changes can set it off, adding things to the tank like various additives can too.

 

[MBOU]

I would definitely recommend making a bubble stop for the skimmer, using a fine sponge or something to go over the return into the tank
 
I had serious problems with mirobubbles in the Kent Marine tank, seems a common issue in that tank and stopped it using white wool pads but that was in the back panel of the tank.
 
The bubbles could potentially be more problematic to corals and liverock but could cause embolisms in the fish too.

 

[stanleo]

I got it to stop. I put a filter floss bag over the return tube and the casing of the intake power thing was lose so I fixed that to and no more bubbles! Thanks guys

 

[Chad]

Very good. It's always something!

 

[ADW1988]

There i was going to blame 'Timy'