well sorry guys purple up dose add other stuff to the water I do believe it maybe a bit of a coinidence also. everyones tank is a bit different I did say that. Here one of the insidences asked a question about HOB skimmers the one I had been looking at was a aqua medic T1000 I ask which skimmers are better no monies mentchened no one responded and I believe I posted that I bought an aqua medic T1000 multi. THe next thing I see is sone one blasting me for spending $27?.00 or something like that on that skimmer when I could have bought one that was better. well at the time I was limited to what I could use as my sump was not finished as I didn't have glass to make the baffels. So I had to buy a HOB by the way I payed 70 US including shipping. and It is now in my sump when I moved it and cleaned it I lost one of the plastic flex washers and didn't notice. It was not working any where near the way it was in the tank so I investigated the issue when cleaning and figured there should be 2 of these plastic flex washers. phoned aqua medic $4.00 or so and they payed to ship 2 of the washers. These Protien skimmers are german engineered but they opened a factory in the southern US. They have been making protien skimmers for years and way back when if you had there stuff you had top of the line equipment. That is why I bought the skimmer as no one replied to a post and when they did ..well you know the rest. I am not saying they are the best but I went with what I know and It work realy good takes out dark almost black smelly skim. I have seen people on here and other boards lecture others. I know I am lecturing you guys and I am sorry. Maybe I had a bad day I don't know. I just don't know if people are asked for an opinion why someone has to jump in and lecture them.

anyways thanks for the info and the discresion guys. and have a good night.
Bill