Deltec 400i start issues

[Inversus]

Hello,

Im currently in the process of starting my reef tank. The water is filled in completely, salinity is good and pumps/sump working.
Before starting the cycle I wanted to adjust the skimmer, but it seems like I can't get it to work. Atleast not like desribed in the manual.
It says:
"Set the pump controller to the lowest level"

By doing so, there is no way foam is beeing build. Maxiumum is a few bubbles inside the water, but not on top of it.
Am I doing something wrong here?
On first power-on it was set to max and there was foam quickly

 

[DWill]

Hello,

Im currently in the process of starting my reef tank. The water is filled in completely, salinity is good and pumps/sump working.
Before starting the cycle I wanted to adjust the skimmer, but it seems like I can't get it to work. Atleast not like desribed in the manual.
It says:
"Set the pump controller to the lowest level"

By doing so, there is no way foam is beeing build. Maxiumum is a few bubbles inside the water, but not on top of it.
Am I doing something wrong here?
On first power-on it was set to max and there was foam quickly

The reason for the low pump setting is that it takes some time for the skimmer to break in. How long that takes depends on how clean or dirty your tank may be and the bio load.

of it’s a new tank with a light bio load it’s going to take a few days. Also if your tank is being cycled you should probably leave the skimmer off at least until it’s cycled and you’ve done the first water changes. There’s nothing in the tank to skim.

I set my 400i up in December, my tank at that time was about 18 mo the old. The 400 replaced a skimmer that had been running for well over a year. It took about week before it started skimming.

 

[Inversus]

The reason for the low pump setting is that it takes some time for the skimmer to break in. How long that takes depends on how clean or dirty your tank may be and the bio load.

of it’s a new tank with a light bio load it’s going to take a few days. Also if your tank is being cycled you should probably leave the skimmer off at least until it’s cycled and you’ve done the first water changes. There’s nothing in the tank to skim.

I set my 400i up in December, my tank at that time was about 18 mo the old. The 400 replaced a skimmer that had been running for well over a year. It took about week before it started skimming.

Than I let it run and see where it goes.
Im using the red sea starter kit which specify a running skimmer (also light)

 

[Inversus]

The manual says:
- "Set the pump controller to the lowest level"
- close the water level adjuster until fine bubbles are visible between the bayonet and the bottom of the skimmer cup
(In german it says foam, not bubbles. Thats a diffrence for me atleast)
- wait a minimum of 48 hours before the final adjustment

For me it sounds like:
Set lowest level, adjust water until foam is visible, then wait 48 hours.
Not adjust, wait 48 hours and then see foam... Im confused

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Run the skimmer at full speed for a few days, then adjust for flow as needed. That's typical for any new skimmer.

 

[Inversus]

Thats how it looks now. Every now an then it the foam goes in the cup. Should I remove the stuff inside or Just put it back.?is it okay like this?

 

[DWill]

Than I let it run and see where it goes.
Im using the red sea starter kit which specify a running skimmer (also light)

Yes that’s what their break in procedure is. “Normally” you run the skimmer wide open to help break it in. If you do that with this skimmer it will likely just overflow depending on your water level.

My 400i took a while to before it started making any foam. However, as I mentioned my system is very clean and I have a light bio load. In fact when the skimmer started working and I tuned it my nutrients dropped very close to zero in a few days. Now I run the skimmer about 10 hours a day at night only. It’s basically helping to keep the pH up.

I run a roller filter; it efficient and when I took the Aquamaxx skimmer out, which was working well and replaced it with the Deltec I found the Deltec is much more efficient.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

......

I run a roller filter; it efficient and when I took the Aquamaxx skimmer out, which was working well and replaced it with the Deltec I found the Deltec is much more efficient.

Funny, I also just left an Aquamaxx skimmer behind. It did a good job, I just needed a skimmer for a heavier bioload and I also run a filter roller.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Thats how it looks now. Every now an then it the foam goes in the cup. Should I remove the stuff inside or Just put it back.?is it okay like this?

You can remove it or dump it back. I'm in the middle of breaking in a skimmer also. I'm currently just letting it drain back into the sump from the plug in the bottom of the cup.

 

[DWill]

Thats how it looks now. Every now an then it the foam goes in the cup. Should I remove the stuff inside or Just put it back.?is it okay like this?

That’s on the lowest setting? If so then open the level adjustment so that the bubbles you see at the top are just maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch above where the cub attaches to the skimmer body. Then let it run. If you don’t see any bubbles the turn it up on click and reset the level. You bubbles like you see at the top, don’t try to make foam. A little foam will start after a day or two.

After a while you see a little foam starting to form on the side of that tube at the cub. Just let it run, you’ll notice a “film” forming on the inside of the tube. That same film will form on the inside of the skimmer body, you probably won’t see u til the skimmer get really dirty. All that film forms during break in. The foam will get thicker and start to rise up the tube, but it won’t go far up. That’s when you can tune the skimmer.

Also, that bent tube. The end of it needs to be over the top of the stand pipe when you do your final adjustments, if your going to use it. It works well to help prevent overflows.

 

[Inversus]

That’s on the lowest setting? If so then open the level adjustment so that the bubbles you see at the top are just maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch above where the cub attaches to the skimmer body. Then let it run. If you don’t see any bubbles the turn it up on click and reset the level. You bubbles like you see at the top, don’t try to make foam. A little foam will start after a day or two.

After a while you see a little foam starting to form on the side of that tube at the cub. Just let it run, you’ll notice a “film” forming on the inside of the tube. That same film will form on the inside of the skimmer body, you probably won’t see u til the skimmer get really dirty. All that film forms during break in. The foam will get thicker and start to rise up the tube, but it won’t go far up. That’s when you can tune the skimmer.

Also, that bent tube. The end of it needs to be over the top of the stand pipe when you do your final adjustments, if your going to use it. It works well to help prevent overflows.

Oh sorry, no thats at full Power. I played a bit with it but still am confused on what to Set the Skimmer.
On the lowest setting absolutly nothing happens, not even bubbles. On Level 2 there is at least a mm of foam:
Should i let it run like this? (Hard to See on the picture but there is a small foam layer)

 

[DWill]

Funny, I also just left an Aquamaxx skimmer behind. It did a good job, I just needed a skimmer for a heavier bioload and I also run a filter roller.

The Aquamaxx is a good skimmer. I replace mine because I wanted a little more quiet skimmer. Not the the Aquamaxx was loud it wasn’t but the Deltec is much quieter. The only thing I hear is air leaving the skimmer.
The main reason though is I’m building a small solar system to run my tank so all the pumps are DC. The only things that will run on the inverter is my heaters, two MP10’s and my Radion. The solar will run the tank all day and charge the batteries and the batteries will run it at night. The batteries will have enough capacity for 24 hours, I can always add more batteries. If I have no solar or batteries the system will switch to the house power, the house will also charge the batteries if there’s not enough solar.

 

[DWill]

Oh sorry, no thats at full Power. I played a bit with it but still am confused on what to Set the Skimmer.
On the lowest setting absolutly nothing happens, not even bubbles. On Level 2 there is at least a mm of foam:
Should i let it run like this?

If it’s just pumping water on the lowest setting and the no “milky” looking water in the skimmer body you may need to either lower the water height in you sump a little if you have baffles to do that or raise the skimmer if you don’t, open the valve and turn the controller up until you see the water at the top part of the body turn white. Then adjust the valve to bring the bubbles to the neck.

I found running the skimmer in about 9” of water to work best for me so far.
Another option that will work is set the controller to 6-7 then adjust the valve so the bubbles are at the bottom of the tube and let it run until it skims. Then tune it. You’ll likely end up running the pump between 6-8 depending on how you want to skim. My skimmer skims dry with the controller at 7 but I have to raise the level in the tube to about a half inch below the top or it won’t push the foam out. 8 allows me to set the level lower but then I hear the air being pushed out. I could solve that by putting a little bag of carbon on the lid to muffle the sound but it works well at 7 and is virtually silent.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

The Aquamaxx is a good skimmer. I replace mine because I wanted a little more quiet skimmer. Not the the Aquamaxx was loud it wasn’t but the Deltec is much quieter. The only thing I hear is air leaving the skimmer.
The main reason though is I’m building a small solar system to run my tank so all the pumps are DC. The only things that will run on the inverter is my heaters, two MP10’s and my Radion. The solar will run the tank all day and charge the batteries and the batteries will run it at night. The batteries will have enough capacity for 24 hours, I can always add more batteries. If I have no solar or batteries the system will switch to the house power, the house will also charge the batteries if there’s not enough solar.

I went DC skimmer this time, I'll never run a AC skimmer again. I did the Simplicity skimmers, more than happy! Less noise and more control. Also less power consumption.

 

[Inversus]

If it’s just pumping water on the lowest setting and the no “milky” looking water in the skimmer body you may need to either lower the water height in you sump a little if you have baffles to do that or raise the skimmer if you don’t, open the valve and turn the controller up until you see the water at the top part of the body turn white. Then adjust the valve to bring the bubbles to the neck.

I found running the skimmer in about 9” of water to work best for me so far.
Another option that will work is set the controller to 6-7 then adjust the valve so the bubbles are at the bottom of the tube and let it run until it skims. Then tune it. You’ll likely end up running the pump between 6-8 depending on how you want to skim. My skimmer skims dry with the controller at 7 but I have to raise the level in the tube to about a half inch below the top or it won’t push the foam out. 8 allows me to set the level lower but then I hear the air being pushed out. I could solve that by putting a little bag of carbon on the lid to muffle the sound but it works well at 7 and is virtually silent.

Ah ok. So Just to be clear, like this: (Level 7)

Edit:
Might be offtopic, but the red sea starter kit wants a Skimmer. Should it be breaked in or can I Start like this?

 

[DWill]

I just reread your original post. Being as your isn’t cycled and doesn’t have any bio load the skimmer likely won’t skim and you won’t be able to adjust it. That’s very likely the problem you’re having. You might consider waiting until the tank is cycled and you have something in it that’s making waste then start the skimmer up.

 

[Inversus]

I dont want to open a new thread so I will ask here. The skimmers behaviour completly changed.
From one day to the other foam startet to build in the sump area around the skimmer. Also I can set the max. power to only 3 (from 10) so it wont skim ultra wet.
Already tried to change the water leven/position, but it didnt changed anything

Water level hasnt changed (use an ato for that), so probably the bacteria started to change?
Is the foam in the sump area normal? What can I do to prevent this?

 

[ShawnM24]

Be patient it took a month or so for my 400i to kick in with my new system especially with dry rock. Once it kicks in the little skimmer is a beast give it time

 

[ASIM]

Be patient it took a month or so for my 400i to kick in with my new system especially with dry rock. Once it kicks in the little skimmer is a beast give it time

I'm looking in to buying 400i, since my tank is going to be in my bedroom, I'm looking for the most quiet and effective skimmer.

How do you find the noice level?

 

[ASIM]

Yes that’s what their break in procedure is. “Normally” you run the skimmer wide open to help break it in. If you do that with this skimmer it will likely just overflow depending on your water level.

My 400i took a while to before it started making any foam. However, as I mentioned my system is very clean and I have a light bio load. In fact when the skimmer started working and I tuned it my nutrients dropped very close to zero in a few days. Now I run the skimmer about 10 hours a day at night only. It’s basically helping to keep the pH up.

I run a roller filter; it efficient and when I took the Aquamaxx skimmer out, which was working well and replaced it with the Deltec I found the Deltec is much more efficient.

How do you find the noice level? when compared to your old Aquamaxx FC-80?