High Tide Aquatics

Over skimming foam mess in a dungenous crab tank Ive got a big foamy mess!

krittertanks

krittertanks

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The issue is.... at the bio load of 1.5 Lb crab per gallon of water, the water in this commercial tank gets ridiculously protein packed. I have an ASM G3 skimmer in the sump. The skimmer is not the issue, the issue is that the skimmer spews foam out every crevice of the collection cup. This foam foams up the sump portion of the cabinet, walled off from the other filters, and chiller. The unit is in a stand that stands next to the crab stand at fishemans wharf. An external waste gate here will not work. I need to pop the micro bubbles in order to skim the sludge from the foam. We have tried covering the skimmer cup with a nylon bag, but the smallest bubbles squeeze through and pack the cabinet with faom! When you open the cabinet, you cant see anything but foam sludge =P Anyone have any ideas? This is not a regular problem, cant find much on the net for this one. I think commercial operations just have their skimmers outside and out of view.
 
Take the top off the cup and sinch a plastic garbage bag onto the cup and let that fill with foam? Depending on he rate you might need to change it a couple of times a day... I dunno.....just a thought.

-Gregory
 
I don't think "protein" is your issue but rather ammonia (which can be dealt with by using commercial products that are safe for human consumption, IE Cloram-x (www.Cloram-x.com). I would actually use a wash down / wet neck in this case. We have a similar issue with our RK2 on our waste water system and we remedied it simply by leaving the wash down on most of the time. That collapses the head.

In case you are worried it is not approved for this use... http://www.reed-mariculture.com/cloram-x/fda.PDF
 
Hey Gresh, the crabs are just fine living in the filth but will this anti ammonia product reduce the foam? I think I need a foam reducer. Is the wash you are refering to the water height adjuster on the skimmer? I didn't try this yet, I would need to cut the waste gate on the skimmer down. The thing still spews foam at any water ht I think.
 
ake the top off the cup and sinch a plastic garbage bag onto the cup and let that fill with foam? Depending on he rate you might need to change it a couple of times a day... I dunno.....just a thought.

-Gregory

Tempus Edax Rerum

CATRGLADPWOHIMP

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think this would just create a gigantic sludge foam balloon! It would fill the cabinet in about.... 1 hr?
 
krittertanks said:
Hey Gresh, the crabs are just fine living in the filth but will this anti ammonia product reduce the foam? I think I need a foam reducer. Is the wash you are refering to the water height adjuster on the skimmer? I didn't try this yet, I would need to cut the waste gate on the skimmer down. The thing still spews foam at any water ht I think.
Click to expand...

Yes the foam you are seeing is less about protein and far more about ammonia IME. I think knocking down the ammonia will really reduce the amount of foam. You can also add some anti-foam which is just silica.

The wash down for skimmers sits on top of the unit and either uses water to wash it down, or a squeegee like the Avast Marine Swabbie.

http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/proteinskimmers/SWABBIE-CUSTOM

I don't think the squeegee one will knock the head down. I made my own using drip system parts.

http://www.rk2.com/pdf/RK75PE_Flier.pdf
 
Email me, we use it for various things around here. I'm sure my bosses would be willing to sell a "small" (compared to how much volume we purchase it in) amount (a little goes a long ways).

Silica sand won't help :(
 
krittertanks said:
Thanks for the suggestion, but I think this would just create a gigantic sludge foam balloon! It would fill the cabinet in about.... 1 hr?
Click to expand...

Sell it to the tourists. Authentic Fisherman's Warf Crab Foam! All the BEST restaurants use it! Everything from a dipping sauce with those crab legs to a soup base! There's nothing it can't do!

-Gregory
 
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php#12
Just found this article, I may be able to use this. Where do I get silica from? sand blasting sand? Thanks
Maybe I can use diatom powder? this may pop the bubbles.
 
Sounds crazy, but I've squirted a little vegetable oil into the collection cup to break the surface tension of the bubbles, also blow offs work well too, you just need a sizable collection container.
 
Ill have to try different things, ugh they keep a callin! Im not really a servicing guy. hmmm $$$? Ill give em a concoction of treatments and charge em =)
 
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