Skimmer Q&A Thread

[BHHOWARD]

New tank will do that a lot. But for sure. Some additives will cause Surface tension changes. Also carbon removes disolved organics as well. Bromine, iodine, flourine and chlorine as well.

Great to see you back on here Mojo. You have a tank now or still distracted with other hobbies?

 

[ScubaFish802]

I'm interested in picking up a skimmer as my tank continues to mature. My question is :What is the "best" nano skimmer currently?

For my setup it would have to be a hang-on-back unfortunately.

The tank is set up to house the Fluval PS1 Protein Skimmer which from my research is not the greatest.. but that gives me somewhere around these dimensions - (L x W x H): 3.1 x 4.9 x 13 in (8 x 12.5 x 33 cm)

 

[Hofstadter]

My cheap garbage g216 (aqua one stock) kinda died on me. I had wanted to replace it for quite a while, and am after a new one. I have narrowed it down to a couple of options. This is for a 150L LPS tank. My options are
GW5 (great white 5 (100-500L))
GW7+ (400-700)
Red Sea 300.

Those three best fit into the sump (especially with my shallow water level), but I dont know if the latter two would be oversized. Especially the rsk300 (

 

[reeftivo]

I'd consider an aquamaxx FC 80 and raise it with a stand if you need to.

the Red sea would be too large IMO. the great white skimmers use eden pumps and are pricier than the FC80

 

[Florida Dan]

I bought a used tank that came with an eshoppes S200 skimmer. I disassembled and cleaned the entire skimmer. When I start it up in the sump, I cannot get the bubbles not to overflow into the cup. I've tried raising the adjustment gate (sorry for the lack of proper terms..) all the way up, but it still overflows. I've tried moving the air adjustment on the other side, but that makes it worse and louder.

The skimmer is in the 35 gallon sump of my Waterbox 135.4. I have it raised above the floor because that made it somewhat better. The level in that chamber is approximately 1/4 inch below the words "4th Generation" on the skimmer body.

I don't have the instructions and have not found a good "setup" guide online. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Dan

 

[evergreek]

Hey guys - having a heck of a time tuning my innovative marine dc skimmer midsize. It seems that the bubbles are not making it all the way to the top .. is the correct level for the bubbles right at the bottom of the neck?

 

[reeftivo]

Hey guys - having a heck of a time tuning my innovative marine dc skimmer midsize. It seems that the bubbles are not making it all the way to the top .. is the correct level for the bubbles right at the bottom of the neck?

I'd lower it a 1/4 inch or so.

 

[Ls7corvete]

Hi guys. Newbie here just setting up. Anyways, I have a Sea Side Aquatics ES7 (same as Bubble Magus Curve 7, I think). I have a 57 gallon with a sump, sump has 8" water height. I am worried that this skimmer is to large for me. I plant to stock lightly. Should I try and trade/sell for a 5" or 4" skimmmer

 

[reeftivo]

Hi guys. Newbie here just setting up. Anyways, I have a Sea Side Aquatics ES7 (same as Bubble Magus Curve 7, I think). I have a 57 gallon with a sump, sump has 8" water height. I am worried that this skimmer is to large for me. I plant to stock lightly. Should I try and trade/sell for a 5" or 4" skimmmer

it may skim wet, but with a pSK1000 it will probably clean everything out really quick, then idle the rest of the time.

I'd try it though, then if you just get mud in the neck and not much in the cup you can re-evaluate and maybe sell for better sized skimmer.

set it up and run the stand pipe wide open and don't tweak it at all for a week and see where you're at. if after a week it only collects junk in the neck, then turn the standpipe a 1/4 turn closed and monitor for a day. After that you can just do small tweaks like that until you get it set.

 

[Ls7corvete]

it may skim wet, but with a pSK1000 it will probably clean everything out really quick, then idle the rest of the time.

I'd try it though, then if you just get mud in the neck and not much in the cup you can re-evaluate and maybe sell for better sized skimmer.

set it up and run the stand pipe wide open and don't tweak it at all for a week and see where you're at. if after a week it only collects junk in the neck, then turn the standpipe a 1/4 turn closed and monitor for a day. After that you can just do small tweaks like that until you get it set.

Would running it only part of the day be a good plan? I assume at night.

 

[reeftivo]

Would running it only part of the day be a good plan? I assume at night.

night is fine. i like 24/7 because it's more of a peace of mind thing in the event of some crazy die off event. I had a nem turn to sludge after creeping into a vortech. The skimmer running during the day while i was gone probably saved some critters.

only issue that would be problematic with just running at night is the slime coat in the skimmer body will get partially exposed and dry out when the skimmer is off. the skimmer may take a while to bed back in after each start up.

 

[PALADINljw]

The noise of bashsea Twisted Skimmer T830 makes me intolerable! Who can help me! It is the noise of the air inlet, as loud as a whistle! Is there any solution?

 

[Nepenthes88]

Hey all. Having issues with my Tunze DOC Skimmer 9410 DC.

I have had it running on my newish 120 gallon mixed reef for around 2 months (tank started in Feb. 2020).

It was working great for a while but now it always has an issue with skimmate bubbles oozing up through the holes in the collection cup lid. When this happens, I think it does something to the air supply/pressure as the bubbles block any available air escape which causes the skimmer to basically stop working all together.

I've repeatedly taken the collection cup off and cleaned the lid but it just happens again when I replace. I'm attaching a pic from when it was operating normally vs what happens now. Any suggestions?

 

[DVal]

I have a Vertex 180i that I'm breaking in. Has anybody had any issues with the amount of microbubbles effecting their Osmolator? There were so many that bubbles are getting through the bubble trap to the return section. I came in this morning and found that my Osmolator had dumped about 8-10 gallons into my sump. Luckily no livestock. My safety float switch saved the day..in hindsight, its probably to high up. There shouldn't have been any siphoning with the line terminating well above waterline in the sump and ATO reservoir and the fact that the safety switch stopped flow. There were alot of bubble on the optic sensor. Im wondering if that may have caused a malfunction?

 

[Omelette_du_Fromage]

I have a vertex 130 I picked up used a few years ago. Just my luck they promptly go out of business. I am finally getting my reef tank up. I did a thorough cleaning in citric acid and replaced the silicone tubing. The air valve is one I put in for future tweaking. The tube into the silencer is from a small hole in the basement wall to outside thoughtfully provided to me by the previous cable company.

I started the skimmer up a few weeks ago. The problem is, with the stand pipe open all the way, foam overflows. I have it draining out the collection drain on the other side. No skimmate so no worries.

You have to remove the clamp on air intake. No air restriction needed.
This skimmer is only tunable with the water output.

You put it on the right water high. After removing the clamp it will skim like a charm.

Cheers

 

[Omelette_du_Fromage]

I have a Vertex 180i that I'm breaking in. Has anybody had any issues with the amount of microbubbles effecting their Osmolator? There were so many that bubbles are getting through the bubble trap to the return section. I came in this morning and found that my Osmolator had dumped about 8-10 gallons into my sump. Luckily no livestock. My safety float switch saved the day..in hindsight, its probably to high up. There shouldn't have been any siphoning with the line terminating well above waterline in the sump and ATO reservoir and the fact that the safety switch stopped flow. There were alot of bubble on the optic sensor. Im wondering if that may have caused a malfunction?

Take a look on the bottom plate (the one with many holes all around the diffuser). You need to put the part without hole just in front outlet. Then bubbles will not be able to go outside.

Cheers

 

[DVal]

You have to remove the clamp on air intake. No air restriction needed.
This skimmer is only tunable with the water output.

You put it on the right water high. After removing the clamp it will skim like a charm.

Cheers

I'm not sure I follow you. What are you referring to as the clamp?

 

[DVal]

Take a look on the bottom plate (the one with many holes all around the diffuser). You need to put the part without hole just in front outlet. Then bubbles will not be able to go outside.

Cheers

Do you leave the plate in that position when skimming normally?

 

[Omelette_du_Fromage]

I'm not sure I follow you. What are you referring to as the clamp?

Or let it full open.

 

[DVal]

Thank you