Trying skimmer again - more problems!

[ThunderGoose]

I'll admit to being new to the hobby (set up my tank in December last year) but I have NEVER had a skimmer that works well and I'm also not happy with my coral growth. I had a reef octopus that I couldn't get to work (I had it up for MONTHS and had to adjust it DAILY so I gave up on it) I recently decided to try a NYOS Quantum 120 for my 55 gallon. I installed in this weekend and I cannot get it to work properly.

What I did: installed and followed directions to "commission" by opening air adjustment screw and the micro-adjustment screw.

The collection cup overflowed in less than 1 minute. So I emptied the cup, closed down the adjustments a bit and tried again. I got to the point where the micro-adjustment screw is closed and the cup is still overflowing in less time that it's taking me to type this message (regardless of the position of the air adjustment screw).

Water depth is 8.5 inches (8 inches is recommended).

Any ideas? Please help, I'm nearly at the breaking point with filtration!

 

[redfishbluefish]

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Water depth is 8.5 inches (8 inches is recommended

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I believe you answered your own question. Try raising
1/2 or 1 inch. You can simply use egg crate.

 

[MapleReef]

No skimmer will work straight out of the box, most if not all require a break in period. Basically what happens is a bio-film is formed inside the skimmer body allowing it to work properly. Some people speed up the process buy running it in a rodi and vinegar bath in a bucket to help strip and manufacturing residue to help aid in the bio-film establishment in the skimmer when installed. Basically google protein skimmer break in. That should put u in the right direction.

 

[rcpalmer1]

 

[skim]

I'll admit to being new to the hobby (set up my tank in December last year) but I have NEVER had a skimmer that works well and I'm also not happy with my coral growth. I had a reef octopus that I couldn't get to work (I had it up for MONTHS and had to adjust it DAILY so I gave up on it) I recently decided to try a NYOS Quantum 120 for my 55 gallon. I installed in this weekend and I cannot get it to work properly.

What I did: installed and followed directions to "commission" by opening air adjustment screw and the micro-adjustment screw.

The collection cup overflowed in less than 1 minute. So I emptied the cup, closed down the adjustments a bit and tried again. I got to the point where the micro-adjustment screw is closed and the cup is still overflowing in less time that it's taking me to type this message (regardless of the position of the air adjustment screw).

Water depth is 8.5 inches (8 inches is recommended).

Any ideas? Please help, I'm nearly at the breaking point with filtration!

I think you as a new Reefer have discovered one of the biggest mistakes that almost everyone has or will do. My Skimmer does not work, it's does not do what it should be doing, or is it and one does not know what it should do. " I had it up for MONTHS and had to adjust it DAILY ".
Well NO, you chose to adjust it DAILY because you expect it to run or should say produce like one that has been running on a five year old system that is well stocked. The number one thing that will affect any skimmer from a Sea Clone to Bubble King is the Bio Load or DOC's that are in the water and out of the total DOC's only a certain amount will react with Air Bubbles. 1. If your adjust DAILY then either your skimmer is TOO LARGE or like in your case I would say, just a lack of Bio Load. Want to find out if that Reef Octopus works? Put it back on and adjust it as per instructions and then add a good feeding of Frozen Food, wait for about say 30 minutes and watch your Skimmer and then say its not working. 2. Is there a difference in Skimmers? Yes and No, they all will foam and produce some type of discharge but how much ( and only to a certain point ) depends upon the amount of Air being injected into the water. The best thing that a skimmer does is add O2 to our Tank water. If you want something that would work better, add a Large AIR STONE to the sump and fill a reactor with some good quality Activated Carbon and it will remove more DOC's then any Skimmer you would add to your System.
Anyhow since someone has taken your money for a new Skimmer this what I believe you should do. Remove the cup, open water output all the way and add air until you get a nice snow white appearance in the body and let it be and let it run ( overflowing ) and at some point it will die back on its own and you should see it just producing large popping bubbles at the top then you can add the cup and start on fine tuning. It could take a Day a Week or a Month but it will settle, but you will have to be patient. Nothing bad will happen during your waiting period and stop throwing your money around. The Skimmer is not the most important piece of equipment as some would have you believe. The two that are far more important is proper Lighting and water Flow/Movement.

Good Luck and hope this is of some help.

 

[RyanCSGO]

just to clarify, you have the air adjustment screw completely closed off?
the more that it is closed, the more water it will try to bring in.

I have the nyos 160, but i have the air intake screw all the way open. I adjusted the majority of the level using the full shaft, then use the "open/close" knob to fine tune.

 

[ThunderGoose]

Ok, trying again. I have the air adjustment screw completely open and the adjustment screw pretty much closed. I've made a stand so that it's in slightly less than 8 inches of water and I took off the collection cup to allow it to overflow for a while to help it break in.

Thanks for all your suggestions. Fingers crossed that this time it will work.