skimmer problems>???

[SnowManSnow]

New Octopus 150 recirc on my 65g. Running about 10g water in a 15g sump, so about 75g total volume. The skimmer still isnt producing adequate skimmate. IT has been in for about 3 weeks. Should it take longer to break in???

All this being said my tank only has 3 small fish in it.. 1 yellowback pseudochromis and 2 clowns.. the rest of the live stock is only coral. Is my water just clean enough so that it isnt breaking in as fast as a fully stocked tank?

Any ideas?
Thanks,

B

 

[Len]

From your earlier photos, the skimmer looks to be producing very nice foam in the column. Maybe you need to raise the water level a little if you want more skimmate production. Your tank definitely has very low levels of metabolism, so I wouldn't expect your skimmer to produce a high amount of skimmate. But if it's not producing anything, you probably need to fidget with the level. 3 weeks is usually enough time for new plastic to break-in, but sometimes it takes a little longer. If you washed with any soap or oily substance, it might take even longer.

 

[Unarce]

If you have the gate valve mod, just raise the waterline to about an 1" into the collection cup. That should give you decent wet skimmate.

If you don't have the gate valve mod, raise the riser pipe as high as it will go. Hopefully, that will at least bring the waterline to the bottom of the collection cup.

 

[SnowManSnow]

The recircs all have gate valves when you have them It's a nice touch.

b

 

[Unarce]

It's likely because you don't have enough 'poop machines' then :lol: Go buy a tang, dammit

 

[bleedingthought]

Keep in mind, also, that the skimmer is a bit overrated for your tank, B. But I agree, raise the water level inside and it'll produce skimmate.

 

[pwj1286]

I really dont like those skimmers. I think it is because of the pump. I think you should mod the pump.


Check out this really good thread on RC. Theres alot of people modding there OR pumps to make them work better.

The design of the skimmer is there, but it is lacking in a good performing pump and impeller.

You seemed really happy with it, thats why I did not want to say anything. I believe I even said not to buy it when you had the initial thoughts of purchasing a new skimmer.

I know the people who make these skimmers. We test them in our store before we buy them. They live local around where I live. I talked to them about it. They were like, you should expect the performance that you pay for. I suggested some cost affective tips that would improve their skimmer and I hope they took them.

I suggested using the thread wheel. The whole reason behind high performance skimmers working so well is the impeller and pump. I suggested using the threadwheel impeller instead of the expensive Deltec and Euro-Reef style impellers. The pump is so cheap there cant be much done to it, but work can still be done on it.

Really check out this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... did=966407

I am about to mod my Euro-Reef to be better than what it is. Thats how much the threadwheel works.
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Mercedes Ponton

 

[pwj1286]

Just a little back ground on the same recirc skimmer we tested out...its on a 5,500 gallon Live Rock system and should be foaming insanely. I have it as high as it can go to produce skimmate with out overflowing and it produces next to none compared to other similar skimmers we test on that system. Trying to atleast skim wet is a challenge.

Its all about the pump and impeller.
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Honda CN250

 

[SnowManSnow]

I did check that thread out. The thing is, like Bleedingthought said, it is overrated for my tank. It's over double my water quantity..

 

[pwj1286]

Well maybe bleeding is right.

I would try testing the water for organics (Salifert) and test the ORP of the water and see how clean or dirty the water is.
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ak47 plants