Is this skimmer working properly ?

[hectoriptera]

Hello, my skimmer usually has a big hill of bubbles out of the box where dirt should remain. Is it normal? If not, how can I solve it ?

Thanks

 

[KrisReef]

Empty the cup.
Is this a new set up? It may settle down once the tank is running awhile.
Is there an o-ring that may be replaced? Or a seal reseated? I use silicone grease, not sealant to help seat seals properly.
If you have an adjustable skimmer (lower air intake or reduce pump speed) so the bubbling is lower in the skimmer.

 

[bkwonnn]

The cup is not positioned correctly. Or the tubing is loose

 

[hectoriptera]

The cup is not positioned correctly. Or the tubing is loose

Sorry for extremely late reply. Despite how intrigued was I, this topic just went through my notes. I thought no one had replied to it. That said, Here I add some pics to see if tubing is loose or not. About the cup, I just can’t push it more, it’s as adjusted as possible and still bubbles go through. Maybe a fabricant’s issue ?

 

[hectoriptera]

Empty the cup.
Is this a new set up? It may settle down once the tank is running awhile.
Is there an o-ring that may be replaced? Or a seal reseated? I use silicone grease, not sealant to help seat seals properly.
If you have an adjustable skimmer (lower air intake or reduce pump speed) so the bubbling is lower in the skimmer.

Hello thanks for replying and sorry for my late response.
The skimmer is in fact adjustable, I’ll try to place it upper to reduce the pump speed, but even with that I guess the bubbles keep exiting the cup. I don’t know if that’s normal.

 

[KrisReef]

Hello thanks for replying and sorry for my late response.
The skimmer is in fact adjustable, I’ll try to place it upper to reduce the pump speed, but even with that I guess the bubbles keep exiting the cup. I don’t know if that’s normal.

Often upon initial set up they overflow until the water is clean and they settle in and hopefully don’t overflow .

 

[Tamberav]

If it is new, the skimmer can take a few weeks to break in.

 

[hectoriptera]

Often upon initial set up they overflow until the water is clean and they settle in and hopefully don’t overflow .

Until when is a set up considered to be initial ? I mean, is still a short time since I started in the hobby but the tank has been working for 4 months or so

 

[hectoriptera]

If it is new, the skimmer can take a few weeks to break in.

Hi. It’s been working for some months

 

[Tamberav]

Hi. It’s been working for some months

May need some adjustment then. You can try raising it higher out of the water.

 

[KrisReef]

Until when is a set up considered to be initial ? I mean, is still a short time since I started in the hobby but the tank has been working for 4 months or so

The reasoning / timing is circular . Once the skimmer has been running and adjusted by you, with time it shouldn’t bubble everywhere . I have skimmers that overflow when I overdose plankton, but otherwise I can ignore them for months without problems other than the colllection cups do stink without regularly beefing emptied.

 

[hectoriptera]

May need some adjustment then. You can try raising it higher out of the water.

I see. The water level in the sump is always varying a lot so it’s difficult to know where the skimmer should exactly be. I always have to constantly adjust it and “guess” where is the correct high. I don’t have an ATO as I tried one called Ato mantis and it was always failing and making lot of sound (sometimes in the midnight or later).

 

[hectoriptera]

The reasoning / timing is circular . Once the skimmer has been running and adjusted by you, with time it shouldn’t bubble everywhere . I have skimmers that overflow when I overdose plankton, but otherwise I can ignore them for months without problems other than the colllection cups do stink without regularly beefing emptied.

My one never stinks, just gets filled pretty fast (2 days) and the water is slightly greenish but not with a lot of dirt actually. Maybe it’s just to low but otherwise it always looks like the bubbles are just not getting to the top so I’m afraid of not doing it’s work

 

[Tamberav]

I see. The water level in the sump is always varying a lot so it’s difficult to know where the skimmer should exactly be. I always have to constantly adjust it and “guess” where is the correct high. I don’t have an ATO as I tried one called Ato mantis and it was always failing and making lot of sound (sometimes in the midnight or later).

Not having a constant water level will definitely mess with the skimmer. You could use a simple gravity ATO.

 

[hectoriptera]

Not having a constant water level will definitely mess with the skimmer. You could use a simple gravity ATO.

Thank you very much, I’ll research on those :)