Aqua C EV180 skimmer users!!!

[Chago09]

ok I bought one about one month ago and I can't say I'm impresed like I thought I would be. I always used cheap Coralife skimmers. I ended up breaking it (dropped it like an idiot) So i said I would finally see what everyone was talking about and buy a good one. My tank is a 90 gallon so the 180 is twice he power I need.

Now I set it up in sump and its raised high enough in the sump area where the skimmed water exit is pouring out of the skimmer area into the next section of the sump. I have the air valve pointing down which I assume is totally open. Now the shut valve is what I can't get quite right I think. The pump came with the skimmer its the Mag 7. Now I don't seem to ever get a lot of crap in the cup. I look at some picks online of people set up and in there stack they are full of foam going up to the cup. I don't understand mine seems to have the boiling water effect and only have foam like 1 inch above the boiling water. I need to raise the boiling water right up to the bottom edge of the cup to get any foam to overflow. Is my skimmer defective? or set up wrong?

P.S I bought it and pump brand new

 

[rhinonm]

I have an ev 180 and they work great when they are setup right. Mine works best when it is placed in water deep enough so that the sumps water line is right unnder the gate valve. This makes the pump more efficient. If you have just enough water in the sump to cover the pump then your getting like a foot of pressure loss on the pump.

The gate valve should be adjusted so that the water level is right where the black box meets the cylinder (not inside the box). This will allow you to skim wet.

Couple things; adjust this guy first thing in the morning when the skimmer is settled. Do very small gate vale adjustments and you'll get it dialed in. Second take some pics so we can see (pics are worth a thousand words).

 

[rbnice1]

If its not foaming up and it just looks like water under a heavy boil your not getting any air. Unscrew the air valve and see what it looks like then with nothing in it. You should be able to hear air sucking into it. My EV120 almost whistles it sucks in so much air.

 

[rbnice1]

Also I dont know if it matters but they recomend a mag 7 on a EV120 it might be a little small for the EV180.

Once you get it working right you will like that skimmer. The EV120 performed really well on my 90 gallon.

 

[arredondojason]

i agree sounds like your not pushing a big enough pump for that skimmer is your big problem i have the AquaC EV240 and i am running a mag 18 on it try going with a mag 12 and install a ball valve so you can adjust your flow to the skimmer. Trust me these things pull like crazy and you will be happy after you adjust it right.
here is a link to setup instructions. hope it helps.

http://www.proteinskimmer.com/User's Manuals/EV-180.pdf

it says a supreme mag 7 is the right pump maybe your pump needs a new impeller or something is wrong with the pump.
i hope this helps you out man worst comes to worst call aquac the number is at the bottom of the link i gave you.

 

[Hal]

Make sure the injection port is clear. Tiny shells and debris have a way of getting into the injector and partially blocking it. If this happens, your foam production will drop to near zero. I check mine weekly.

 

[JohnM99]

The Mag 7 is in fact recommended for the 180 - I have one and use that pump. That being said, I am not as happy with mine as Rhinonm is - I find it quite fiddly, and not all that efficient.
Gradually screw down the gate valve until the water level is about even with the internal plate near the top - agree don't adjust it too much up or down too quickly. Leave it there for a good while before changing it again - eventually bubbles will mount up in the chamber. You have to unscrew the injector regularly and clean junk out of it.

I DO like the way the collection cup comes off, and also the fact the drain is in the side of the cup - not the bottom.

I am planning to replace mine - probably with an ATB.