Skimmer not making foam

[Wiskey]

I changed around some plumming last weekend and re-did my return line. Since then the skimmer has yet to produce an ounce of foam, I assume this is due to the plastisizers used to manufacture the rubber hose.

This has been going on for a full 7 days now without a skimmer and I am starting to get worried, is there anything I can do to help the skimmer work again?

Thanks,
Whiskey

[Weatherman]

When I replumbed my Bullet 3 a couple of weeks ago with 1” line, I noticed the skimmer had a difficult time making small bubbles. It did, however, make plenty of big bubbles. I had to tweak the gatevalve around for about a week before things settled down. It was either no skimmate at all, or water pouring over the rim.

I don’t know whether it helped, but during that first week I performed a couple of water changes just by setting the skimmer up real high and letting water pour over the rim. It seems to have speeded the process of removing whatever it was from the water, which was preventing the formation of small bubbles.

[Wiskey]

I did that with one 7 gallon water change last week too, I will do it again with today's waterchange and see if it helps.

Thanks,
Whiskey

[Wiskey]

I ran 14 gallons through my skimmer yesterday, it is still not working, I am going to run another 7 gallons through it today. If nothing else I am making up for the lack of filtration with waterchanges

Thanks,
Whiskey

[Wiskey]

My skimmer is working again!! It is a little intermittent at the moment but it is producing small bubbles again and I am very happy about that.

Whiskey

[Viv]

What was the problem?

[Wiskey]

The problem was the plastizers used in the new plumming I added, it just took a while to blow them off I guess. I did 28 gallons worth of water changes through the skimmer in the last week and a half to try and make up for the skimmer not working.

Next time I won't forget to wash out my new pipe in fresh water before adding it to the tank.

Whiskey

[panic]

Putting a few drops of any "water conditioner or Slimecoat" additive into the skimmer will get it rolling.

[Boat Racer]

Originally Posted by panic

Putting a few drops of any "water conditioner or Slimecoat" additive into the skimmer will get it rolling.

Your wrong about that.That will make them not work in my factual excperience.