Do I need a new skimmer?

[Miami Reef]

My tank is 300g. I would say it is moderately stocked. I have tangs, clownfish, damsels etc. probably around 15-20 fish total but majority are small fish. Corals are mainly soft and some lps.

my sump is 6.5” high and there’s no way to raise the water level because when I close the main pump the water will overflow.

I currently have a bubble maggus curve 9 skimmer and it’s rated for 10”+ and it has been giving me problems when I first got it but after months of trying it just randomly started working.

I took apart the skimmer 2 years later to clean it out and it hasn’t been working good since. The valve is not raising or lowering the water level. The bubbles are too low and not going in the collection cup.
Besides for the skimmer I use 100micron filter socks and I get big monthly water changes monthly.

I tried taking apart the skimmer again and setting it up with no luck.

Dilemma: There’s no skimmer that can handle the large 300 gallon tank that has a low water level.
Do I even need a skimmer?

Ps. There is skimmate but it’s not reaching the collection cup and I don’t know how to raise the water level.

maybe it needs to break in? I never let it run longer than a few days after cleaning it out

 

[P-Dub]

Need a skimmer... not necessarily. Depends on what you are trying to keep. I'm wondering if there is a way to raise your overflow weir or drill a siphon break in your return lines so less water flows back into the sump when powering the return off...

 

[Kazumi]

Buy an external skimmer or a recirculating one, then you don't have to worry about water levels.

 

[mightynova63]

If the skimmer has a 10"+ water level requirement it will probably never run properly at your current level.

 

[Miami Reef]

I took it apart and watched a YouTube video and I found a mistake when I tried putting it back together.

it’s working better, but a little on the slower end. I’m going to give it a few hours.

 

[Breadman03]

The Reef Octo Regal 300 Ext might be a solid option. It’s external, so depth isn’t an issue so long as you have the space for it somewhere.

 

[P-Dub]

I took it apart and watched a YouTube video and I found a mistake when I tried putting it back together.

it’s working better, but a little on the slower end. I’m going to give it a few hours.

Give it a few days...

 

[theMeat]

Couple of things come to mind.
Reef octopus Sro 5000 int run in 6.5” water. They are discontinued but you could probably find one and it’s an awesome skimmer.
Reef octopus regal 200 int runs in 7-8.5 but has adjustable various pump so will work fine.
Use a container inside your sump at the height you need for a skimmer.
Figure out a way to have less water fall down from display when power out.
Use an external skimmer.
Use algae turf scrubber and go skimmer less

 

[jda]

LifeReef skimmers don't have a set water level. Neither do downdraft or beckett skimmers. Any external will be fine too.

I use ASM still and even have an old EuroReef skimmer with sedra pumps and they don't care about the water level either.