9410 skimmer set up....???

[Jeff000]

I have the 9410 running right now, and I have read the instructions a few times but they just leave me asking more questions.

I've never set up a skimmer before.
I have it powered up and constructed as shown. I have to have the screw on the air line part in almost all the way to prevent the cup from just massively overflowing with water.

Right now I have it so the bubbles don't make it to the cup, if they do even just a little bit then the cup fills up in short order with water.

So what do I do? I know the instructions said it would take a few days to make skimate or whatever its called, but do I just let it run without foam/bubbles hitting the cup for a couple days and then take that screw out of the air line?

Also the micro bubbles are crazy even using the sock thing, is there a way to minimize how many hit the display? I have 3 baffles between the skimmer and the return pump.

Thanks.

 

[psykokid]

there are a lot of residual oils and such left over from the mfg process. the skimmer needs to break in before it will produce consistent foam and good skimate. I would adjust to where the bubbles arent making it to the cup and let it run for a few days. once it gets a good coating of schmutz you can adjust the air intake and see how its doing. If it immediately overflows then back off from where you were at and try again.

for example, a freind that I work with occasionally cleaned a big commercial skimmer for a client of his tank maint. company. it took almost a week to break in and start developing a consistent foam head.

 

[rvitko]

Did you wash the filter bag thoroughly before you installed it? There was a paper in the sock about washing it with hot water to remove the phenols, if this is not done the skimmer goes bezerk for several days, it will anyway when new, but the problem is much worse if the sock is not thoroughly rinsed. I think it just needs to run and you will always need the air adjustment attached, I would set it as psykokid said, just slow adjustments after a few days. I think it just needs time, you could close the air off completely for a day or two and run some carbon, that might help if the sock was not rinsed.

 

[Jeff000]

I rinsed the sock for an hour or so with tap water and then 10 minutes with RO water.
I'll let it run. This morning there is some gunk in the cup, although I am not sure how as the bubbles hardly make the cup.

 

[rvitko]

In a skimmer the bubbles whip up a thicker foam that rises into the cup, when the skimmer is tuned right you will see this layer above the regular bubbles, it will look like yellowish/brownish whipped cream. This is what will rise to the cup, the bubbling watery mix should stay at about 1/4 way up the cup. I think it just needs time, it sounds like the sock was more than well rinsed.

 

[Jeff000]

ok, I cleaned out the cup and then put it back together and not the bubbles don't even make it to the cup.

the little screw in the airline is all the way out, if I screw it in then the bubble go down a bit, but more water comes out the umm exhaust.

Also I don't really want to run it with the sock, can I just take the sock and the black thing the sock is held in place in out?

 

[psykokid]

you dont have to run it with the sock, its there to aid in mechanical filtration and to help cut down on microbubbles. Just let it run for a few days. Things like feeding and putting your hands in the water will affect the foam production as well. Just leave it alone for a week and see how it does. Its one of those things that just takes some time. Remeber, only bad things happen fast in this hobby.

 

[rvitko]

This is true, less air equals more water, the pump produces roughly 1600lph of flow and you are just adjusting the ratio of water to air with the maximum being roughly 700lph of air to 900lph of water, less air equals more water. I agree, let it run, open the air screw in very small increments of 1/4-1/2 turn and wait a day between adjustments. The filter bag is primarily there as a bubble trap, you don't have to use it.

 

[Jeff000]

Thanks, I don't know how but there is crap in the cup now even though bubbles are not close, the air screw is completely out.

I took the bag off, but can I take the black plastic holder the bag sits in out too? for that matter can I take that tube off?

Thanks.

 

[rvitko]

You can remove the bag holder but the pipe is critical to the skimmer function