[Melina]

Hi, if anyone can help me understand what happened today, and help me fix it, I'd really appreciate it.

I put a 100 micron filter sock on the pipe in the sump that drains my overflow. (65g, 20g sump) Immediately, my protein skimmer (EuroReef RS-100 in sump model) went nuts. Started producing an insane amount of microbubbles which were taken up by my pump and filled the display tank. I should let you know that this is a new set-up, only a month old. I've been blowing my live rock with a turkey baster and there was/is a large amount of debris in the tank and sump, which is why I got the filter sock. I took the sock off, let the skimmer run normally for about a half hour without the sock, it was still producing the microbubbles.

Prior to adding the filter sock, my protein skimmer was working normally, producing a small amount of skimmate (I have no livestock yet) I was able to adjust the water level in the skimmer and also the amount of bubbles in the body of the skimmer (with the air control valve at the end of my air intake tube). Now, no matter what I do, or how I adjust, there is still a crazy amount of microbubbles in the body of the skimmer, which are ejected with the water that exits my skimmer. I can't adjust it the way I did before. Will it settle down eventually? Anyone with any ideas of what happened? Spoke to my dealer, he suggested to let the skimmer run for a couple hours without air, just water. Did that. Also suggested I dip the end of the air intake tube into some warm RO/DI water to clean out any possible salt crystals in the venturi. Did that. No difference. Any ideas of what happened or what to do next? The microbubbles are making my main display tank look so cloudy and awful.
Thanks.