Comline 9016 skimmer in-cabinet setup

[bchen7106]

Just picked up the 9016 skimmer to put in my sump. Since my water level is too low, I'm using the included PVC setup to convert it to the "cabinet" setup so that I can have a lower water level. The water level is maybe 6" high.

So I set everything up just like the instruction manual says to. Turned on the pump, and I'm seeing only a small amount of bubbles which don't come anywhere close to the neck of the collection cup. I figured it may just need to break in.

However, I'm not noticing any water coming out the top of the outlet pipe. Isn't water supposed to pour over the top of the outlet pipe back into the sump?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rvitko]

Water should come out of the pipe. 3 pieces need to be installed. The solid base plate (no slots) the pipe and the sleeve below cover which connects the pump intake to the intake grid on the front. If all three are installed the most likely culprit is that the bottom cover has slid open or is bulged down either because it is not supported on the bottom or the pump is not in all the way.

 

[bchen7106]

Thanks for the reply.

All 3 pieces are installed, just as you described. The bottom piece is flush with the bottom of the skimmer, so as best I can tell, everything is as it should be and not bulging.

Could it be something with the pump? The reviews said that the skimmer was almost dead silent, but I can definitely hear the skimmer in my cabinet. Its not deafeningly loud, but a little louder than I was anticipating.

I assume a water depth of 6" is fine, right?

What did you mean by the pump not being in all the way? I didn't mess with the pump at all, but the bottom base plate fits flush.

 

[bchen7106]

Also, I don't know if this information helps, but I put some powdery fish food right near the intake of the skimmer. There's barely any "sucking" power that goes through the intake. In fact, you can see a small amount of microbubbles coming out of the intake.

 

[bchen7106]

OK I think I got that part of it solved. I took the pump out and replaced it. I don't think the pump was seated properly.

Now when I start the skimmer up, I get almost too much water flow through the skimmer body. There's so much water flowing up that I think it is covering over the holes near the top of the body. I think they are the holes where air is supposed to be taken in, but instead, water is coming out of them. So I'm just getting a whole lot of water coming through the skimmer body and out the outlet pipe and air holes. No bubbles are being made.

I'll leave the skimmer on overnight like this, hoping that its just a breaking in issue. However I still think something is not right. When I first fire up the skimmer, it seems to be making foam, but then the water level covers over the air intake holes and I lose all the foam.

 

[rvitko]

If the foam sponge is past the top of the pipe (it should be flush with or below the top of the pipe) or if the elbow of the pipe is pushed into the body too far or the pipe is not fully pushed into the elbow, that can cause what you describe. The pipe is what sets the internal height and the water has to be able to drain unimpeded.

 

[bchen7106]

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, over the weekend, I figured out that the pipe was pushed in too far and after pulling it back, the skimmer seems to be working great.

Follow up questions, though.

Which is configuration makes the skimmer more effective, the "in-cabinet" setup with the PVC pipe, or the "in-tank" setup without the pipe?

Now that I have everything working, I find that there is a lot of flow coming out of the PVC pipe. So much so that it makes a splashing sounds as the water comes back into the sump. Is there a way to decrease the flow rate through the skimmer without decreasing its effectiveness?

Thanks again.

 

[rvitko]

In cabinet is more "powerful" this is because 100% of the water goes through and exits. In tank is 20-80% of the water is recirculated depending on how far open the grate is on the front. This reduces bubbles but slows response times so waste is removed slower.

Raising the water level will be the best way to reduce this (water has less distance to fall) I would not try to adjust the flow rate of the water.