help getting a skimmer started!!

[ebosshard]

I just picked up my skimmer from my crummy LFS. No idea how to get it started and no one there to give me advice so I turn to this board.

Skimmer is 30 inches tall, cylindrical. Main chamber on the bottom has the input in the middle of it with the big pipe output at the base of the skimmer. cup on the top I am guessing is where the crud ends up (somehow). (if i had a brand, model #, etc I would give it to you)

Guessing the little pipe is the input and the big pipe is the output. Big pipe is probably 2 1/2" accordion style tube, little pipe is maybe 1" tube.

Guessing this thing works on a siphon, meaning I have to get the little guy to suck water in and the big guy I am guessing will take care of getting the water out.

Now what do i do?

 

[ebosshard]

Two other things.

This is a 220g tank. Starting with 225lbs live rock, 75lbs live sand. Headed towards a reef tank with coral, etc someday.

This is one of, if not, the biggest tank this store has ever sold. I am a big nervous that they sold me the absolutely wrong skimmer for what i am doing (especially as I keep reading old posts that say you can't spend too much money on a skimmer).

This skimmer has no pump running it, no bells and whistles. If I could figure out how to make it siphon it would therefore be easy, but i fear useless as well.

So in additon to someone telling me how to get this thing started, could someone also tell me if this $200 skimmer should be returned to the LFS and I should get something else?

Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Well......you need a pump for it to work. I would return to the LFS and either get a different model with instructions or get the LFS people to show you how to set it up.

 

[Anonymous]

Any way you could post a couple of pics of that skimmer?

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, especially one with any sort of logo it might have.. (For instance Euroreefs have a logo on the top of collection cup cover that looks like 3 ellipses intersected in the center to form somewhat of a triangle.. - Also called a trillium I guess..)

 

[hdtran]

No instruction manual? Return it to the LFS! While I tend to prefer to shop at a good LFS, rather than mail-order, this seems to be the case for mail order.

That said, my guess is that you need a pump (or PH, but probably a pump) to pump water from either sump or tank into the skimmer, which will make bubbles. The pump is connected via some tubing to your middle port.

The bottom port gets returned to your tank in some fashion.

The bubbles form foam, which rises in an internal tube, into the collection cup.

Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Return the F^$%$ thing. Every skimmer that I have bought comes with instuctions. Go to a different LFS.

 

[ebosshard]

I get the idea. Return the friggin skimmer and go elsewhere.

Now, any suggestions for what I should be looking for in a skimmer. Again, 220g tank, moving towards a reef with corals. Have some christmas money coming-means I want as good of one that makes sense but not something that is absolute overkill.

 

[Anonymous]

How much "skimmer money" do you have?

 

[ebosshard]

How much skimmer money? I am not a mob accountant you know.

I have enough to buy what will get the job done as well as it needs done. No need for overkill, but certainly don't want something not big/good enough.

If I spend a little more and can reduce some of my maintainence work on the tank I will trade money for the time savings. If I spend a little more money and that helps me have that much better of a reef tank, I will do it.

$300-500?

Help with specific recommendations

 

[Anonymous]

Get a Lifereef, Euroreef, or Aerofoamer. You'll be pleased with any of those. A skimmer is not something that can be over done IMHO. But you should be able to get a good one within your budget.

Good luck.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

In addition to what Louey mentioned, I'd also look at AquaC.