Why does my skimmer do this?

[Ryan15236]

I have been struggling to get my skimmer dialed in. Tank is about 7 months old. 180 gallon light stocking just 3 fish. Hippo tang, fox face and longnose hawk
I have tried to change to number of filter socks I run. I have turned the gate valve from wet to dry. I changed my water height today in sump from 8.5 to 9.5 but still getting similar results. It is like my skimmate is too foamy

 

[Idech]

Have you tried dialing down the air intake ?

 

[Ryan15236]

Have you tried dialing down the air intake ?

Have not. I was watching one of those BRS videos and they didn’t recommend it long term so I haven’t tried it yet but at this point I gotta figure something out. It’s like hardly anything ends up inside the collection cup

 

[Psyduck]

Have not. I was watching one of those BRS videos and they didn’t recommend it long term so I haven’t tried it yet but at this point I gotta figure something out. It’s like hardly anything ends up inside the collection cup

Yea that happens when air intake is too much. Dial it down so the bubbles are few inches below the neck.

 

[UMALUM]

Are you sure you're going in the right direction? I thought the deeper the water the more head pressure.

 

[edsbeaker]

IMO that skimmer looks very low in the water. Are you running it at the suggested water depth of the manufacturer? Maybe try the opposite of what you did above and run it in 7.5” of water. You may need to put it on a stand to do this.

 

[00W]

I have been struggling to get my skimmer dialed in. Tank is about 7 months old. 180 gallon light stocking just 3 fish. Hippo tang, fox face and longnose hawk
I have tried to change to number of filter socks I run. I have turned the gate valve from wet to dry. I changed my water height today in sump from 8.5 to 9.5 but still getting similar results. It is like my skimmate is too foamy

9.5 inches most likely too high.
Good skim though.
If it were me I'd start by lowering the sump water level and the level in the skimmer.
Plug the airline to the skimmer with your thumb.
Where's the water at now?
I'd say it should be an inch at least from the cup.
You can adjust that now without the bubbles.
Only other thing is are you adding anything to the tank?
When I used socks they'd tend to overflow the skimmer when I first installed them.
New filter pads too.
Food will do it as well as some additives.

 

[Ryan15236]

Are you sure you're going in the right direction? I thought the deeper the water the more head pressure.

Not sure at all. BRS states recommended water depth 9.5-11”. I started at 8.5” because I thought that sounded kinda high. Never could get dialed in so I changed it to 9.5” today. This is all the adjustable baffles will give me

 

[Tamberav]

Raise it up or dial back the air intake, maybe both.

Screw those brs videos :p

 

[Ryan15236]

9.5 inches most likely too high.
Good skim though.
If it were me I'd start by lowering the sump water level and the level in the skimmer.
Plug the airline to the skimmer with your thumb.
Where's the water at now?
I'd say it should be an inch at least from the cup.
You can adjust that now without the bubbles.
Only other thing is are you adding anything to the tank?
When I used socks they'd tend to overflow the skimmer when I first installed them.
New filter pads too.
Food will do it as well as some additives.

I have tried to run 3 filter socks and change every 10ish days. I have tried 2 socks and 1 socks. I’m going back to 1 sock right now and change every 3-4 days

I dose aquaforest 1+2+3+ about 25 ml daily

I feed nori every 2-3 days

I have flake on autofeeder 3x time a day on second to lowest notch. Fish eat it fast.

I’m going to start stocking fish again soon

 

[Uncle99]

Mine does that when the water level is to high

 

[00W]

I have tried to run 3 filter socks and change every 10ish days. I have tried 2 socks and 1 socks. I’m going back to 1 sock right now and change every 3-4 days

I dose aquaforest 1+2+3+ about 25 ml daily

I feed nori every 2-3 days

I have flake on autofeeder 3x time a day on second to lowest notch. Fish eat it fast.

I’m going to start stocking fish again soon

Flake food will do that.
Lower the water level in the sump or put it on a stand.
Any homemade stand is fine.
Tupperware whatever.
Do you rinse the socks?

 

[BryanM]

It looks quite a bit too high (the water)... that needs to be lowered or the skimmer raised.

I started with mine way too low (water too high in the sump) and bought a stand to put it on, it then started working properly.

 

[Ryan15236]

Flake food will do that.
Lower the water level in the sump or put it on a stand.
Any homemade stand is fine.
Tupperware whatever.
Do you rinse the socks?

I may just quit the flake or go to once a day and feed frozen more often
I will raise the skimmer
I wait till I have about 10 dirty then I’ll was them in the washing machine with bleach extra rinse on cycle then overnight soak in RODI water. Usually the socks don’t bother the skimmer too bad

 

[00W]

I may just quit the flake or go to once a day and feed frozen more often
I will raise the skimmer
I wait till I have about 10 dirty then I’ll was them in the washing machine with bleach extra rinse on cycle then overnight soak in RODI water. Usually the socks don’t bother the skimmer too bad

Sounds like you have got things under control.
Keep us updated.

 

[I never finish anythi]

Looks like it in way to much water tbh