Help with Foamy water!!

[tonymofo]

Need some help with this one. Ok I searched for the answer and I tried some of the solutions and still have foamy water. First I will start with my set up. 100 gallon tank with a fluval 403 w/uv sterilizer and a wet dry sump tank with a quiet one 4000. I am using a cpr90 overflow. I have sand as my substrate.

Ok I have Foamy water. So much foam that it looks like a bubble bath in my sump tank and foam coming out from the top of my tank. No it's not any kind of soap. This has been going on for about a week. My are doing ok. I have been doing daily 20% water changes for the last 5 days = Still foamy. So I did a 60% water change this morning = still foamy. I have also cut down on the feeding to once a day. ( I feed them sinking pellets and raw shrimp) I do not overfeed them. I rip 1 raw shrimp and throw it. They eat it as soon as it enters the tank. The sinking pellets are gone instantly too.

I also have been using prime water conditioner when I do the water change (1 1/2 caps during water change).

In the tank is 4 (2-8inch, 2-6inch) green terrors, 2-4inch electric blue chiclids, 2-4inch white albino chiclids, 1-5in jack dempsey, 2-3inch clown loaches, 1 6inch Jardini, 2 4inch catfish.
Any advice would be helpful thanks!!!!

 

[Newt]

Wow, with all those water changes whatever is making your water foam should be gone by now. Also, Prime doesn't cause foaming like some other water conditioners do, so rule that out.

Your water parameters are all in check?

Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[tonymofo]

Yup my params are good

ph - good
Nitrate < 20ppm

 

[versicolor]

When I emptied my 180 and moved it to a new place and filled it up with water, it began to foam. I used the same filter and substrate, but could not figure why it began to foam (it wasn't like a bubble bath though).
All I did was skim the top with a cup, but a clean dustpan would work better, and took it all out.
Hope this helps!

 

[jpjn]

I go through this too every once in awhile and I've yet to figure out WHY it happens. But I have noticed that when it does happen, the water is also cloudy. I've always been suspicious of certain foods causing it. I'm experimenting now by not feeding certain foods to see if it stops. So far, it seems to be working. So maybe it was the food. My Oscars love those big red cichlid sticks and they're very powdery. Especially when they're coming out of the oscars gills. My water has been crystal clear with no foam since I stopped feeding those sticks. BUT, how come others who feed those sticks DON'T have foam?

 

[guppy breeder]

some times the sand causes foam when i first filled up my 100 i had sand in it and i had foam not as bad as ur but still a layer so i scooped it out and i didnt have that froblem again so i would think its just lose peices of sand that want sink