Protein skimmer issues , bad product or user error?

[prime510]

I currently have 5 protein skimmers on various tanks, and have been having constant issues with the same two of them. Both are aquamaxx bullet 3 HOBs.

The issue I've had is that I can't ever get them to skim anything. Even after a "break in", and adjusting the cup up and down, they simply don't do anything. Ive been runing them for approximately 12 months and am wondering if they are just a poorly designed product, or if I'm doing something wrong. Ive torn them down countless times, soaked and scrubbed them, but they never seem to skim anything. And every 3-4 weeks the unit seems to "gum up" a bit and the bubbles almost stop completely inside the main body of the skimmer.

Both of my reef octopus skimmers (hob and in sump) along with an ancient instant ocean skimmer all work beautifully on their tanks.

Wondering if anyone else has had luck with these, or did I get fleeced for $500 worth of useless products? Thanks!

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I'm not familiar with those skimmers. Skimmers will only take out what's there to remove, if you have a very low amount of dissolved organics then there's nothing to skim. What's the bio-load like in the tank, heavily stocked with heavy feedings?

 

[prime510]

I'm not familiar with those skimmers. Skimmers will only take out what's there to remove, if you have a very low amount of dissolved organics then there's nothing to skim. What's the bio-load like in the tank, heavily stocked with heavy feedings?

Sorry, i probably should have specified. One is on a 60 gallon with a low to medium bioload, and the other is on a 75 gallon with a medium to high bio load. Both tanks have a large quantity of cycled reef rock (around 40lbs dry weight) , and have been runing for approximatly 3 years. 60 gallon has an aquaclear 500 hob filter, and the 75 gallon has a fluval 406 canister. Both are fowlr tanks.

I dont ever get anything at all In the collection cups, and I do a 25% water change, and ring out the filter media in tank water twice a month. I usually get a fair ammount of detritus when cleaning the filters so I would think the skimmers should be pulling something. Also I'm using a 7 stage rodi filtration system before mixing the saltwater.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My bullet works fine for me. I have the cup set at the lowest point, and I only have to empty the cup every 2 weeks. But I see it slowly collecting...

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Is it producing foam in the neck just not reaching the cup or no foam at all?

 

[prime510]

Is it producing foam in the neck just not reaching the cup or no foam at all?

Im getting almost no foam at all. The tiny 1 inch of micro bubble foam that forms, doesn't even touch the bottom of the collection cup. Ive tried to drop it as low as I can with the twist knob, but it's as low as it seemingly can go. I was just hoping I was doing something wrong and overlooking something.

I know on my reef octopus skimmers I can adjust the skimmer with the adjustment tube. These units don't seem to have any way to adjust them. I was hoping that i was missing something.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but did you prime it?

 

[mboley]

I have a Bullet 3 that performs very well on a 60 gallon mixed reef for over a year now. It constantly makes dark skimmate and neck always has foam. I did make one modification by replacing the air line with 3/8" RO tubing. Maybe more air is needed with yours? Also, I don't use the "silencer".

 

[hoffmeyerz]

Im not familiar with hob skimmers and their settings, maybe the larger line letting more air in will help??
Honestly, it sounds like you just may not have a high level of dissolved organics to produce a good foam. Do you need to use the skimmer? If you've been running it for a year without grabbing anything out of the water maybe you can just pull it.
Otherwise, maybe run it intermittently like only on the weekends. Give the tank a stretch to build up then skim out the weekends....just a thought.

 

[prime510]

I have a Bullet 3 that performs very well on a 60 gallon mixed reef for over a year now. It constantly makes dark skimmate and neck always has foam. I did make one modification by replacing the air line with 3/8" RO tubing. Maybe more air is needed with yours? Also, I don't use the "silencer".

Thanks so much! Maybe I'll try that!

 

[prime510]

Im not familiar with hob skimmers and their settings, maybe the larger line letting more air in will help??
Honestly, it sounds like you just may not have a high level of dissolved organics to produce a good foam. Do you need to use the skimmer? If you've been running it for a year without grabbing anything out of the water maybe you can just pull it.
Otherwise, maybe run it intermittently like only on the weekends. Give the tank a stretch to build up then skim out the weekends....just a thought.

Thanks, I honostly didn't even consider this. I just assumed i was doing something wrong. That is a possibility, especially on the 65 gallon that had a smaller bio load.

 

[prime510]

I'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but did you prime it?

I did prime it. It's kind of a pain to prime, but it eventually primes lol.

 

[mboley]

I did prime it. It's kind of a pain to prime, but it eventually primes lol.

Priming is much easier when you put the end of the air tube into the main skimmer body. I don't know why the instructions say to put it in the other section.