Help tuning skimmer

[MikeRowe2024]

Hey, I’ve been having a hard time getting my skimmer tuned. It’s a reef octopus 110INT. I bought it used and I’ve had it running for a little over a week in my sump. I have it at 7.5” water depth.
It fills the collection cup in a little under an hour right now.
What adjustments should I make?

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

New tank? You probably need to wait until you have some fuel (fish and food waste) for your skimmer. I like to break mine in with the cup off and just let it overflow into the sump/display.

 

[MikeRowe2024]

New tank?

2 months

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

2 months

I added to the above. But I'd wait for more advice. I am only speaking from my own personal experience. I don't want to extrapolate that to your situation as an absolute.

 

[MikeRowe2024]

I added to the above. But I'd wait for more advice. I am only speaking from my own personal experience. I don't want to extrapolate that to your situation as an absolute.

Thanks, that’s what I thought could be the cause. Right now I have cup on but the drain open back into sump. That’s not an issue right?

 

[MikeRowe2024]

Thanks, that’s what I thought could be the cause. Right now I have cup on but the drain open back into sump. That’s not an issue right?

Forgot to say that I cleaned it today. It was pretty dirty from the 8 day break in

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Forgot to say that I cleaned it today. It was pretty dirty from the 8 day break in

Draining right back is fine. I have a little tank that runs pretty low on nitrates so I run GFO to keep phos down, but I drain my skimmer cup right back into the display I only stop doing that if I go north of 20 ppm nitrates.

Oh yeah if you cleaned it, it's gonna go crazy. That's an absolute.

 

[kevgib67]

You should be able to adjust the amount of air going into the skimmer. You’ll find a sweet spot. Also you can try raising the skimmer a little higher above the water level. The manufacturer customer service may give you suggestions that are more specific for your skimmer. I have had skimmers in the past that I could tune in pretty quickly. My current one took a couple of months.