Red Sea DC skimmer with sensor setup

[ErikVR]

Hi all,

I have recently installed the new Red Sea skimmer with DC pump and sensor probes. The idea is that it self regulates the pump based on over skimming and foam wetness.

I’ve followed the instructions. Left the pump intensity on the default setting of 70% and adjusted the manual adjustment so that the foam was at the base of the neck. And calibrated the sensors in a cup.

It should be self regulating but in a week, the pump intensity hasn’t come down from the 70% at all. Even though I have really wet skimmate. Sometimes even almost clear water. The cup is full even two days or so with pretty clear liquid.

Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[Mark Goode]

Brand new? It will need to break in. The new acrylic surface doesn't skim very well. Whether there is a film that needs to wear off or a film which needs to form I dunno. But they need to break in - though some will argue.

 

[ErikVR]

It is new. But regardless, the sensor should dial down the pump if it’s too wet and or over skimming. That’s not happening.

I know one sensor is working because a full cup is detected. It’s just that the other sensor is not regulating the pump.

 

[richiep]

When I first set mine up my last told me to set my pumps at 80% I wounder if its worth giving that a try and see if it makes a difference ,
The other test you can try is to open the air control and leave it bubble up inside the cup, it should all kick in to stop it overflowing,

 

[ErikVR]

When I first set mine up my last told me to set my pumps at 80% I wounder if its worth giving that a try and see if it makes a difference ,
The other test you can try is to open the air control and leave it bubble up inside the cup, it should all kick in to stop it overflowing,

I have the 300 model. Which has a default of 70% (they all use the same pump). Larger models are set to 80% and higher. I tried opening it up more than recommended and it just fills up the cup in two minutes. The pump adjustment just never kicks in. It staying at 70% while over skimming massively.

 

[richiep]

If that's the case it sounds to me that there's a fault somewhere, it should have kicked in.
The sensor should have stopped the pump when the cup water reached the sensor.
You already know this though as you sound keyed up on the system
Take the sensor out of the lid and immerse in the sump, but before doing that give the prongs a good clean
I'm just trying to think of thing that should activate the pump.
There's nothing in the phone settings you've overlooked

 

[ErikVR]

If that's the case it sounds to me that there's a fault somewhere, it should have kicked in.
The sensor should have stopped the pump when the cup water reached the sensor.
You already know this though as you sound keyed up on the system
Take the sensor out of the lid and immerse in the sump, but before doing that give the prongs a good clean
I'm just trying to think of thing that should activate the pump.
There's nothing in the phone settings you've overlooked

I’ll check what happens if I submerge the probe when I get home.

It’s all enabled in the app.

 

[richiep]

On mine the over skim is set at 55% I don't know if highering yours will make a difference, in a way I don't think so, it almost sounds as if your sensor is not working right, I'd also disconnect the sensor clean the probs then reconnect, see if that helps
If the cup is filling Is it overflowing with water
You should also be getting messages if it overfills

 

[ErikVR]

Got a response from Red Sea support:

If the cup is full with very clear skimmate, regulation should be modified and foam height should be lowetred. regarding self levelling, it will be triggered accordingly to the foam wetness that you set previously. Please ensure it is not too high. Setting it at 10% is good at the beginning. If no skimmate is collected, it will be time to raise it a little bit (please respect 5% increments).

So I lowered the level and set the sensor to 10%. This is what it looks like now:
Video

Does this look like normal operation?

 

[richiep]

Is the air intake fully closed?
In the beginning I had to raise mine off the bottom by 3 or so inches and that cooled it down, I wS having the same problem until things settled down, at the time I hadn't come across the foam reducer setting

 

[richiep]

Is the videos showing better than before because that looks good
You're on par with my new setup and this one is taking some water over a few days, my other tank is not as bad I'm running that little dry

 

[ErikVR]

Is the videos showing better than before because that looks good
You're on par with my new setup and this one is taking some water over a few days, my other tank is not as bad I'm running that little dry

Much better than before

 

[richiep]

Leave it run like that for a few days to break in

 

[richiep]

Keep us up dated on your progress
Good luck

 

[Bent17]

Any update on this? I just installed the upgrade kit. I tested it out by turning off return pump thinking it would kill the pump but it just kept overflowing.. is this normal practice? Would have thought it wouldnt allow it to overflow..

 

[ErikVR]

It's probably not the answer you were hoping for... But my red sea skimmer has been tossed in the spare parts bin. The self leveling never worked as advertised. Not even after 10 emails back and forth with red sea support. Without that feature it's just way too loud to justify running it.

I switched to an ultra silent aqua medic dc skimmer.

 

[Zerodameaon]

One thing the instructions mention is to turn off the sensor stuff for break in. I did that along with setting the bubbles to only go up to the ring below the cup. After a week I turned it on and the leveling has settled in with 48% pump and 10% on the sensor. I could probably turn down the pump a little or reduce the sensor a little more, the skimmate is decently dark but its not opaque. They have also had some firmware updates that seem to have changed how the sensor works.

Since OP has moved on to a different skimmer this is mainly for anyone finding this thread.

 

[ErikVR]

One thing the instructions mention is to turn off the sensor stuff for break in. I did that along with setting the bubbles to only go up to the ring below the cup. After a week I turned it on and the leveling has settled in with 48% pump and 10% on the sensor. I could probably turn down the pump a little or reduce the sensor a little more, the skimmate is decently dark but its not opaque. They have also had some firmware updates that seem to have changed how the sensor works.

Since OP has moved on to a different skimmer this is mainly for anyone finding this thread.

I've had it running for months before giving up. Also followed all the instructions and suggestions by red sea support. No luck.

 

[Zerodameaon]

Could have been a firmware issue, rather annoying that they didn't help you out, especially for the price of these things.

 

[ErikVR]

I'm generally very pleased with red sea equipment and tanks. But in the case of the DC skimmer and return pump I was mostly disappointed by the excessive noise and vibrations.