Evil Protein Skimmer

[AndrewRyan]

I am having a hard time trying to decide to put my new protein skimmer (Bubble Magus Curve 5) in my new setup. The reason my setup is new is because the last time I put the protein skimmer in my tank (in the evening), I woke up to two dead fish, a dead crab, a dead shrimp and lost two more fish and some snails later that day.

 

I made many changes that day culminating in the addition of the protein skimmer, which I let run overnight, and I can’t think of a logical reason that the skimmer would have been the cause. However, I am in the middle of a long QT process to add two new clowns to the entirely new setup and it would be heartbreaking if after all that I introduce the skimmer and kill them for some unexplained reason.

 

I guess I’m looking for reassurance that it wasn’t the skimmer since there was never any conclusive reason for the last crash. Thoughts?

 

 

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[epleeds]

Personally I have never seen a skimmer cause a tank crash. However to easy your mind you can break it in by running it in a 5 gallon bucket of vinegar/water mix and then Then run it in a bucket of saltwater to wash the rest of it out. 
 

 

[AndrewRyan]

Personally I have never seen a skimmer cause a tank crash. However to easy your mind you can break it in by running it in a 5 gallon bucket of vinegar/water mix and then Then run it in a bucket of saltwater to wash the rest of it out. 
 
 

While I appreciate and will probably act on your second sentence, the first is the most helpful. Not knowing what happened is driving me a bit nuts. Thanks!


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[Origami]

I, too, have never seen a clean, working skimmer crash a tank. Unless there's some sort of residue left from prior use or a pump case cracks exposing internal motor windings, there's no obvious reason it would have been the source of the problem you experienced earlier. I guess that cleaning and performing a check out of any new piece of equipment is probably a good idea for safety's sake.