How do I properly adjust a skimmer?

mherb24

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How do I properly adjust a skimmer?

My AquaTop Recife 40’s skimmer had no instructions, so I’m really not sure what the recommended height is.

Once I have the height set, should I be raising and lowering it to keep getting skim mate?

Basically, when I do a water change, that day my skimmer is set really high or the cup fills with clear liquid. Then I have to lower it a few times over the week until the next change. Usually by day 5 nothing is collected. don’t think this is right.

Right now I am getting nothing. The water is just bubbling about 3” up the tube.

2nd photo is a few days ago.

image.jpg

5FD63602-B1D6-49D0-A60E-9B4116D9F609.jpeg


My parameters are:

ph - 8.2
amonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 10
calcium - 380
kh - 11
phos - .25
magnesium - 1350
salinity - 1.024

My nitrates have always been high, in the 20-40 range using api. This week they dropped to 10. Their was a little GHA 3 days ago, now it’s gone, but I also moved a power head.
 

ying yang

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Ive only owned 1 skimmer for around 8 months and i had no instructions also so just had to work it out.
When i do a waterchange i also have to re- adjust my skimmer outlets ( open them more) i think this is because inbetween water changes the neck of my skimmer getting more dirtier and crud gathers inside the neck and once clean skimmer at every wc needs resetting slightly ( probably would right itself if left a day or 2) but what ive tried doing last few times inbetween wc is get toothbrush and clean inside neck of skimmer trying best to keep it clean then dont need reset it.
This is on a cheapo skimmer that come with tank that takes some real dark green/ brown crud out so im happy as a pig in muck ha ha

Good luck and maybe someone who got your skimmer or had many skimmers can advise you better as im just giving my experience with one and only used skimmer
 
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Wyvern

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My skimmer overskims after a WC and that is pretty normal.

What I did is dump that skimmate and watch what it does the next day, if nothing, I close it a tad, if too much I open it a tad.

If you feed mysis, it will shut it down for a few hours so ignore that.

Also, check the manual if you can find one. On my aquamax RC2, it says "water at base of neck" I set it there and made adjustments as I went.

To mention, I started with an octo classic INT110 and NEVER got it to skim right, so some skimmers work better than others.
 
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mherb24

mherb24

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My skimmer overskims after a WC and that is pretty normal.

What I did is dump that skimmate and watch what it does the next day, if nothing, I close it a tad, if too much I open it a tad.

If you feed mysis, it will shut it down for a few hours so ignore that.

Also, check the manual if you can find one. On my aquamax RC2, it says "water at base of neck" I set it there and made adjustments as I went.

To mention, I started with an octo classic INT110 and NEVER got it to skim right, so some skimmers work better than others.
No manual for this one that I can find:


If I were to add a valve to the air inlet tube that let me adjust airflow, would that be one way to slow or increase skimming?

Or maybe just shut the skimmer off when the bubbles are popping too fast.

I use an auto feeder twice a day plus mysis a few times a week, so I would think I’m over feeding more than under feeding.

thanks for your help
 
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Wyvern

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No manual for this one that I can find:


If I were to add a valve to the air inlet tube that let me adjust airflow, would that be one way to slow or increase skimming?

Or maybe just shut the skimmer off when the bubbles are popping too fast.

I use an auto feeder twice a day plus mysis a few times a week, so I would think I’m over feeding more than under feeding.

thanks for your help
Some adjust air, mine has that capability, but I just set it to max.

Too little air can cause poor skimming too, maybe check the venturi and hose and silencer for muck and salt solids.
 
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