Sick of Tunze 9001 Upgrade to BM QQ1 skimmer?

[Nhjmc]

I can say that it is very water level sensitive and is a "wet skimmer".

 

[Nhjmc]

I’m with you. I also have this skimmer for almost two years and it still doesn’t skim right.

From Tunze customer service (in regards to tuning the 9001 skimmer)....

I would generally leave the skimmer with the stock pump orientation, the other uses are more specialized and an all in one tank already surface skims. The water line marked on the front of the skimmer is the maximum and the actual water line can be up to 1” below this. In general I would set the water level so it is 1/2” below the marked water level as a starting point, but keep in mind this depth adjustment as this is very important and generally the adjustment I would make first. Start with the air all the way open, you will usually close it about 1/3rd of the way, but note that the more you close the air, the more water flow you have so more bubbles will escape the skimmer into the water column. The key point is adjust the depth first and don’t close the air too much. Do keep in mind many things can cause skimmers to go crazy, so I would avoid using any non aquarium specific filter floss, the pillow stuffing stuff contains phenol which causes skimmers to foam over, it will take about a week to settle down if used. Do not use Seachem Purigen or other organic absorption resins, these are meant to replace a skimmer and have an effect similar to the floss. Any non mineral additive can cause a similar reaction, stress coat, dechlorinator, amino acids, vitamins, algaecides, carbon dosing, these you can use and can be beneficial just know that wet skimming may follow, I would generally not use dechlorinator or stress coat as these are not needed.

 

[Hallowhead]

Howdy back!
I will copy and paste the email I rec'd from Tunze customer service about the 9001

Probably says "it's trash, you shouldn't have bought it"

 

[Hallowhead]

From Tunze customer service (in regards to tuning the 9001 skimmer)....

I would generally leave the skimmer with the stock pump orientation, the other uses are more specialized and an all in one tank already surface skims. The water line marked on the front of the skimmer is the maximum and the actual water line can be up to 1” below this. In general I would set the water level so it is 1/2” below the marked water level as a starting point, but keep in mind this depth adjustment as this is very important and generally the adjustment I would make first. Start with the air all the way open, you will usually close it about 1/3rd of the way, but note that the more you close the air, the more water flow you have so more bubbles will escape the skimmer into the water column. The key point is adjust the depth first and don’t close the air too much. Do keep in mind many things can cause skimmers to go crazy, so I would avoid using any non aquarium specific filter floss, the pillow stuffing stuff contains phenol which causes skimmers to foam over, it will take about a week to settle down if used. Do not use Seachem Purigen or other organic absorption resins, these are meant to replace a skimmer and have an effect similar to the floss. Any non mineral additive can cause a similar reaction, stress coat, dechlorinator, amino acids, vitamins, algaecides, carbon dosing, these you can use and can be beneficial just know that wet skimming may follow, I would generally not use dechlorinator or stress coat as these are not needed.

So don't put anything in the tank other than the skimmer lol

I had purigen running and chemi pure blue because the skimmer wouldn't remove any nutrients.

I just don't think it's a good skimmer more people struggle with it than not