Having trouble setting up my skimmer

[Chris H Reef]

Hey all,

I’m having trouble setting up my skimmer.

I have a reef octopus 110-int. I cannot get the bubbles to spil over the top at the correct rate. The cup either fills up in a few hours or the bubbles don’t reach the top. I’ve been adjusting the level using the gate valve.

The skimmer depth is at 7in which is the recommended from reef octopus.

I’ve tried running it at an 8in depth and the bubbles would flow into the cup and fill it in a few hours.

I tried running it in 6in depth but then couldn’t get the bubbles to reach the top.

Any ideas of how to set this up or what’s going wrong?

 

[AquaLogic]

How long has it been running? It can take some skimmers weeks to break in. I just cleaned mine, and now it has to go through another "break in". Use the gate valve to set it so the bubbles are at the bottom of the cup entrance and then just leave it alone. It will start doing its eventually.

 

[Chris H Reef]

How long has it been running? It can take some skimmers weeks to break in. I just cleaned mine, and now it has to go through another "break in". Use the gate valve to set it so the bubbles are at the bottom of the cup entrance and then just leave it alone. It will start doing its eventually.

I have been running it with the plug out so it doesn’t collect for about 2.5 months since I set the tank up. I just started to run it with the plug in about a week ago but have been adjusting it almost daily. Maybe I should just let it be for a while and it will figure its self out?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

How long has the tank been running, what size is the tank and what is the stocking?

 

[AquaLogic]

I have been running it with the plug out so it doesn’t collect for about 2.5 months since I set the tank up. I just started to run it with the plug in about a week ago but have been adjusting it almost daily. Maybe I should just let it be for a while and it will figure its self out?

Cichlid Dad asked some good questions. Age of tank, stocking, and feeding give us better info to go on. What are your water parameters? Nitrate and Phosphate particularly. There may not be much to skim if your nutrients are low. But the answer is still generally to set the bubbles at the base of the cup and wait.

 

[Chris H Reef]

How long has the tank been running, what size is the tank and what is the stocking?

It’s 75 gallons with a 20 gallon sump. It’s been running for about 2.5 months and currently has just 2 clowns. I had 2 cardinals up until this week but they have just unexpectedly died.

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Ph: 8.2
Dkh: 9
Sal: 1.025

 

[Chris H Reef]

It’s 75 gallons with a 20 gallon sump. It’s been running for about 2.5 months and currently has just 2 clowns. I had 2 cardinals up until this week but they have just unexpectedly died.

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Ph: 8.2
Dkh: 9
Sal: 1.025

And I’ve been feeding once a day.

 

[AquaLogic]

And I’ve been feeding once a day.

Do you have a way to test phosphates? If you don't, you'll need to get a test. My best advice is still just to wait, that's very lightly stocked for 75 gallon. Maybe someone else has better insight.

 

[Chris H Reef]

Do you have a way to test phosphates? If you don't, you'll need to get a test. My best advice is still just to wait, that's very lightly stocked for 75 gallon. Maybe someone else has better insight.

I don’t think I have a way to test phosphates. Is that a Hanna checker?

 

[AquaLogic]

I don’t think I have a way to test phosphates. Is that a Hanna checker?

Yes, the Hanna Checker is the best Phosphate test for sure. The rest are a pain and hard to read. This one is what most people use: Hanna ULR Phosphate

You need to be able to test phosphates regardless of your skimmer issue.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

It’s 75 gallons with a 20 gallon sump. It’s been running for about 2.5 months and currently has just 2 clowns. I had 2 cardinals up until this week but they have just unexpectedly died.

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Ph: 8.2
Dkh: 9
Sal: 1.025

It maybe there is nothing to skim

 

[Cichlid Dad]

It’s 75 gallons with a 20 gallon sump. It’s been running for about 2.5 months and currently has just 2 clowns. I had 2 cardinals up until this week but they have just unexpectedly died.

Parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Ph: 8.2
Dkh: 9
Sal: 1.025

There needs to be enough organic material for the skimmer to actually skim. Once you add more fish and feed more than it will start to produce. For now just use it for the aeration.