protein skimmer fluid dynamics :)

[tmcnealy]

Hello,
Previously known as fishinsouthga, but my account was changed with new board software and i changed emails so i started over so hello again! But off to my question, good to see everyone, finally out of the military and i was looking for some quick advice

question 1 !

my protein skimmer, an octopus 150 or 190, not sure which, well the output, is a 1.5 in pipe, that goes up like most skimmers, and the water used to "cascade" quietly down the pipe, now its like a water fall you see at the shopping malls. I have cleaned this, scrubbed it, changed its height, water flow to the skimmer, skoaked it in vinager. how might i correct this before i go making any drastic changes? It worked very well for 3-4 years.

question 2,

So while deployed, my x brought home a rock, and well now i have a very mean form of a viney calpura in the tank. it consist of root, stem, leaf, root stem leaf, and breaks off at the touch and attaches to everything including glass. I have reduced the neutriant load to as low as possible and seem to have slowed its growth and have resorted to scrubbing rocks with brushes but this stuff is a monster. I have considered going chemical and would like to know what others have done/tried. I have also read that removing my live rocks a few at a time and soaking them in a caustic solution will eat the roots and everything else. I'm just looking for advice at the moment as its now to the getting out of my limits of wanting to continue to maintin control.

Thanks again,
I appreciate your time for helping

Tom

 

[Anonymous]

question 2,

So while deployed, my x brought home a rock, and well now i have a very mean form of a viney calpura in the tank. it consist of root, stem, leaf, root stem leaf, and breaks off at the touch and attaches to everything including glass. I have reduced the neutriant load to as low as possible and seem to have slowed its growth and have resorted to scrubbing rocks with brushes but this stuff is a monster. I have considered going chemical and would like to know what others have done/tried. I have also read that removing my live rocks a few at a time and soaking them in a caustic solution will eat the roots and everything else. I'm just looking for advice at the moment as its now to the getting out of my limits of wanting to continue to maintin control.

Thanks again,
I appreciate your time for helping

Tom

:welcome: back!

Haven't a clue on the skimmer so I'll leave that for someone else. But, you sound like you've got a nice caulerpa algae crop going. That stuff is insidious, you can't hardy get rid of it once it gets a hold. You can pull the worst covered rocks out, scrub them off then freshwater dip them and put them in a dark garbage can for 2-3 months in salt water to re-cure. I haven't tried dipping the rock in any type of solution, but if I was going to go that far I'd just pull all the rock and start over with fresh stuff.

Sorry I haven't got a magic cure for the stuff

 

[Anonymous]

1, skimmer: are you sure it is not due to the pump that need maintenance? (not familiar with the construction of the Octo.)

2, regarding the caulerpa, well, welcome to the club! I would not do the caustic/freshwater dip, but try to get rid of them manually. They are not that difficult if you have the time to pull them off periodically. I was able to undo their work. The freshwater dip or the caustic solution is over doing it. Complete eradication takes time. Some tried fishes like rabbitfish and tang, but IMLE, they did not work. Good luck.