9010 - not skimming much

[IPT]

OK, I have had the 9010 in my tank (sump) over a month if not two. It really was bought to skim the 50 gal I'll be upgrading too. Right now it's on a 20L with a bunch of SPS, a 7" Deresa clam, other assorted LPS and shrooms, and 4 small fish feed usually 2X - 3x a day (flake mostly). Not a heavy load I suposse. I am also running a Prism skimmer (more for circulation because the return baths some SPS - it'll be gone on the 50). Would running the Prism steal the thunder from the Tunze? The 9010 has collected zero skimmate this entire time. I have bubbles, and there is occasionally some gunk on the walls of the tower, but zero collection. Even when there is foam it's an inch or two at the most tall. Is my Biolaod just too small? The prism skims better but it has a much narrower foam tower so it rises easy and I can control the flow rate. Would a mesh mod be good idea? WHat am I missing?

 

[rvitko]

I suspect that something is off with the skimmer. It should easily beat out the Prizm though your bioload sounds pretty light. I would double check the airline to venturi connection, if the fit is loose water may be seeping in and choking off the airflow. Do you get water exiting the outlet pipe?

 

[IPT]

At first I had almost no bubble at all. I posted back then too. I seated the hose better into the pump and that gave me a decent amount of bubbles in the water. Since I cant see into the body I don't really know what the density is like, but it is not foaming up looking into the neck (though there are bubbles. I don't know if it should be foaming or really dense, or what). Yes, water is coming out of the back exit, and there is some from the outlet pipe. I have the foam sleeve around it, but there is not a lot of bubbles in that water looking down it either (before it seeps through the foam). I am not sure if there even should be at that point. I'll try and reseat the hose tonight - maybe take a picture.

 

[IPT]

OK, yes there is water exiting the overflow. I took it apart and made sure the venturi hose was deeply seated and it was. Put it back together - no overflowing water. Took it apart - reseated the 2 pieces to be sure the inner one was seated properly on/around the pump intake, and the other more outter piece (with the mount for the exit pipe) was flush with the body. Had overflowing water again (both from the exit pipe with foam sleeve and the hole on the back wall. Blue air valve opened 3 full turns. After 1/2 hour all I have is some rolling water with fine bubbles. Could it just be the narrower diameter of the foam tower on the prism allowing the foam to form easier?

Also, I noted the output flange of the pump only roughly approximates with the opaque tube within the Tunze body. I tried to see if that inner tube slid down, or if I could get the pump seated deeper to get a better fit but could not. Is that the design?

 

[rvitko]

The output of the pump should be inserted into the jet pipe which I believe is what you are referring to, it can be tricky to line up but it should go into this pipe. I think this is likely the source of the poor performance.

 

[IPT]

I'll look again. Are you saying it should be fitted snugly into the pipe (jet tube?) like a PVC pipe would into a coupler or elbow (a perfect fit?)? I tried, but first off it seemed like the distance was off about a 1/8" or so (and I could neither lower the pipe (jet tube) in the body (should it slide up and down? Maybe I need to use more force). Secondly, because the pump was slid as deep as the notch in the skimmer body would allow it (I couldn't push it any higher into the body - and if I did I imagine the intake would be too high to line up properly). I do recall needing to rotate the output some to "line it up" with that tube so it is aimed right into it, it's just not "fitted" into it - should it be "fitted" tightly?

Thanks for your help BTW

 

[IPT]

Just re-read our posts - I am talking about the internal "jet pipe" that you brought up when I mean a tight fit. In my original post the fittings I was referring to were all at the pump intake. The 2 pieces that fit into one another and lined up the pump intake with the the sliding door to control intake and the second part that the exit overflow tube mounted into. Those two did have tight fits.

 

[rvitko]

The outlet of the pump may have a small gap between it and the tube, so long as it is in the tube and slid all the way forward in the notch it is set up right, the pipe should not move, it is glued in.

Have you tried just openening the air flow another turn?

 

[IPT]

I believe I have tried opening the valve almost to the point of it falling out with no appreciable change from the three turns point. Should I be able to increase airflow enough to cause too many bubbles and overflow it? Now that I am thinking about it, seems like on most of my other skimmers that was always too easy to do. Except a few instances I have yet to see any appreciable foam form. Rolling bubbly water is all with no appreciable depth of bubbles. I'll send a pic when I get home.

 

[rvitko]

Please do, any pics of the assembly and internals would be a great help. I understand you are a great distance away so returning it to me to go over is not a very good option.

 

[IPT]

Yes, one of the few disadvantages of living in Alaska - we are far from just about anywhere in the ""lower 48". Thankfully the quality of life up here more than makes up for it . I'll take some pics when I get home tonight. Thanks again for your time and input.

 

[IPT]

Here is a top down of the throat. On the left the average amt of "skimate" I see. This is after running all day and night. On the right is the "collapse" after messing around in the tank with my hand to move some stuff. I will try to get more of the internal stuff later.

 

[rvitko]

That doesn't look right, the air flow is way to low. Double check that the hose is not pinched and that nothing is plugging the nipple that hooks to the pump or the hole that the screw goes into. Also check that the sponge is even or below the top of the pipe. If the sponge si above the pipe water will back up into the venturi, if you hear any "coffee maker" noise, water is entering the venturi. Pull the nipple out of the hose, check that their is no stray plastic pieces or pieces of packing peanuts, same for the hole that the air screw goes into.

 

[IPT]

OK, I'll check it out when I get home. I am pretty sure the hose is not pinched, bit I think I do have the sponge above the top of the pipe. Could that be it??

 

[rvitko]

Yes, this would raise the internal water level to where water wuld get sucked in through the air intake system.

 

[apbt217]

how long does it usaully take for the bubbles or foam to develop. I just purchased the 9010 and I seem to be having the same problem. Are bubbles suppose to develop right when you turn it on or is there a break-in phase. Please let me know I hope I didnt buy this for nothing?

 

[IPT]

Pics

Pics

apbt217 - I didn't have any bubbles at first. I think at first it was just because I didn't have the Venturi nozzle pushed far enough into the pump output.

Roger - OK, the foam sleeve was a little high. I lowered it, but not much difference in performance. I don't think it was backing water up enough to block the air entry. Air line clear - I inserted a line in where the valve was and blocked inside the body and I could increase the bubbles in the water column. Took it all apart and put it back together. It is a smidge better, but still no foam.

Two things I noticed - 1 - the pump output is about an 1/8 inch away from the jet tube. If I rotate the pump it hits the wall of the skimmer body before it hits the rim of the tube it is pushing the water into. Probably not the issue though because it is a straight shot and not that far. 2 - Upon start up I often have to shake it around to get the impeller spinning. Again, probably not the issue but I thought I'd mention it.

Is it possible that I just don't have enough gunk in the water? That the "foam" it is making would rise if the tower was a smaller diameter like the Prisms? (I have cleaned off some sludge from the inside of the Tower wall once or twice, but it didn't rise very high up and was nowhere near the top to reach the collection area.

With the Venturi wide open should it be a flooding mass of bubbles and overflow? I usually have that issue dialing in past skimmers but I can't do it here even if I tried. Is that not the case with this model?

Many pics attached. Thanks again.

 

[IPT]

sorry to do it this way...

 

[IPT]

3

 

[IPT]