Skimmer Help.....

[46gReef]

I have a 46 gallon bowfront mixed reef, my livestock is: 2 firefish, 1 african flameback angel, 1 royal gramma, 1 leopard wrasse, 1 yellow watchman, 1 gold stripe maroon clown, hundreds of zoas, a 21 head duncan colony, a RBTA, soma acan colonies, a frogspawn, a oulophyllia brain, & some other corals I can't think of right now.....my parameters are: ph: 8.2, kh; 11 deg(consistantly), specific gravity; 1.026, Nitrates: 0 Nitrites:0 Ammonia: 0 PO4: 0(according to my test).....temp: 80 deg.......& I dose vitamin c powder, 1/4 tsp once daily......now onto my issue...I bought a deltec MCE300 about 6 mos ago, I put it on my tank & have not really had much luck with it pulling out skimmate.....I adjusted it & got it to the point where I can see foam coming up the sides but it isn't collecting in the cup, I haven't emptied my skimmer cup in 2 months!!! I am good about water changes(every 2 weeks religiously) I do feed once a day, sometimes twice, I have a decent bioload & expect I should be pulling more through this $300 skimmer....I was thinking of driliing some holes in the skimmer column so that the froth that I am seeing will actually collect in the cup........I feel like this skimmer is really underperforming for the money & the reputation....anyone out there using a deltec & if so what are your feelings? Anyone h ave any thoughts on my idea of drilling holes in the collection chamber so that I collect more skimmate? Any feedback would be appreciated.....I'm about ready to go office space on this thing!!!!

 

[Speg]

First of all, I have the same tank...it's nice isn't it? :)

I'm not exactly familiar with that brand of skimmer, but I know that if my skimmer starts to build up gunk on the inside (not the collection cup) it doesn't work as good. A couple of times it has gotten so nasty that it didn't fill the collection cup at all.

Did you try calling the company? I mean, you paid a lot, I would hope they could offer some sound advice.

Also, if there is ever a "next time" try to go for the AquaC...that's the skimmer I use on this same tank and I've had it for over 5 years now without any problems..and the thing skims like it was brand new.

 

[46gReef]

Yes, I definately love the bowfronts.....I have tried cleaning the skimmer but it didn't help at all.........I haven't tried contacting the company but all the research I have done there isn't a whole lot of adjustments that can be made, that's the point of this $300 skimmer!!!! Ease of use & performance.....supposedly!!!

 

[Speg]

Yeah, but I would contact them before drilling...drilling may void any sort of guarantee on the skimmer...better to talk to them first.

 

[46gReef]

Probably not a bad idea.....just not sure what else there is to do, if your not familiar with the skimmer it's hard to describe.....

 

[Troylee]

You don't want to drill no holes... Sounds like you don't have it adjusted properly....You need to raise the water level a little bit and it should start pulling....

 

[Troylee]

Is it hanging off your tank or sump???? If it's on the side of a sump it will never work... It was made to hang off the side of a tank and the water level needs to be high like a tank... In the sump your only catching a couple inches of water.... If that makes sense...

 

[46gReef]

It's in my DT not my sump, it's def. pulling in enough water, I've adjusted it multiple times & still no real skimmate collection, where I have it set now has been the most productive but the foam doesn't seem to collect....have u seen 1 of these up close & personal?

 

[Troylee]

not that exact skimmer but plenty that are just like it.... i did a little a research and didnt find any bad reviews and everyone really loved it from what i have read......can you take a pic of it running on your tank??? it would help if i could see the bubbles etc..... it can only be 2 things one is it's just not adjusted properly or 2 your dosing something that wont allow the foam to build up... you say you dose vit c daily im not sure about that but plenty of other products will kill a foam head on a skimmer.....

 

[46gReef]

I'm pretty sure it's adjusted correctly.......from all research & articles I have read vitamin c dosing SHOULD actually increase skimmer production..........I'll try & get pics up but my home PC is giving me all sorts of problems......

 

[Speg]

I'm pretty sure it's adjusted correctly.......from all research & articles I have read vitamin c dosing SHOULD actually increase skimmer production..........I'll try & get pics up but my home PC is giving me all sorts of problems......

The thing is...you shouldn't have to dose stuff to make a protein skimmer work in a saltwater tank. You didn't pay 300 dollars to buy a skimmer that you had to add stuff in order to make it work like it should. Just call that company :)

 

[46gReef]

I iagree, thats not why I started dosing....

 

[m and m]

Few things I can't believe no one has brought up. How often are you adjusting it, it takes a few hours in-between each adjustment for it to be right. Second it your tank filled completely or is your over flow to low? If the surface water is not the standard tank fullness it won't skimm right, ie if you have a over flow box that makes it a half inch lower then standard it will mess with it.

 

[46gReef]

I always wait a few days between adjustments, according to the manufacturer they recommend a setting(just past 2 o'clock on the nozzle) & that's about it, according to them it should need little to no adjustment....as far as my H2O level is concerned, it's as high as it can be.....no issues there.....

 

[Speg]

You don't have issues with salinity do you?....like....very low salinity? :P

 

[rvlockhart]

Try letting it run for a couple of hours wide open then move it back to 2 to 2:15. Otherwise double check to make sure your pump is assembled right & if your salinity is low it won't skim. Mine started skimming in about 15 minutes once I got it started and pulled nice dark tea color skim that smelled like baby crap.

 

[46gReef]

No, my salinity is a steady 1.026, I have a refractometer......really disappointed in the performance of this $300 skimmer, my octopus HOB I had on previously was 10x better & 1/3 of the price........

 

[46gReef]

I'll give it a try rv......