ETSS Skimmer Club!

Sorry if I wasn't clear. The instructions seem to say you should have NO water in the riser tube and to adjust it so that there is (initially) only a half inch of foam in there. That's what I started with. Now there is more foam than initially--1.5 inches of foam, but none has made it to the top.

Not much bioload yet, just 50 lbs or so of live rock and 30 lbs of sand. I'm just getting the system all set up while I'm quarantining the fish in my QT.

The superskimmer instructions are not that clear. I'm wondering if you follow their instructions and just have a little foam in the riser tube, how it might make its way up to the top.

Thanks.

Gotcha - I have about 1/2 inch of water in my riser tube - I think you can adjust the water level upwards - One piece of advice - do it slowly - perhaps a 1/4 turn a day.
 
lack of bioload

lack of bioload

Gotcha - I have about 1/2 inch of water in my riser tube - I think you can adjust the water level upwards - One piece of advice - do it slowly - perhaps a 1/4 turn a day.

So will the foam column just grow and make its way to the top ?

Could the problem be too little bioload (50 lbs of live rock that has been skimmed for a month)?

Thanks.:reading:
 
So will the foam column just grow and make its way to the top ?

Could the problem be too little bioload (50 lbs of live rock that has been skimmed for a month)?

Thanks.:reading:

Yep, the foam column should make it's way up the riser and into the collection cup. The bioload could be low - are you using a big enough pump?
 
pump

pump

Yep, the foam column should make it's way up the riser and into the collection cup. The bioload could be low - are you using a big enough pump?

the person who sold it to me had been using a Mag 3; but I'm using Mag 5. Think that'll do it?
 
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Call Gary over at AE Tech (845 227-2812). Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4:30 pm EST. I'm sure he will tell you the right pump for that skimmer.
 
Can somebody with a Reef Devil Help !

Can somebody with a Reef Devil Help !

+1 on the phone call. I have had several discussions with him. He will guide you well grasshopper.

I called Gary, but I'm still a little confused. Gary told me to remove the elbow that comes out of the sump and is connected to a short piece of pvc and then the gate valve and then another piece of pvc. He said the gate valve should just be connected to the body of the sump via a short piece of pvc and shoud drain into the water. He referred me to the tuning guide on the superskimmer web site for clarification and to look at the quick start guide. http://www.superskimmer.com/Manuals_Cat/RD_D InstrQstart.pdf and the fine tuning guide http://www.superskimmer.com/Manuals_Cat/ETSSPerformanceTuning.pdf are both not clear about this. In fact, they indicate the water should be discharged about the sump water level.

Can anyone with a Reef Devil comment on this/helf me out ???

thanks !:bounce3:
 
just wanted to pipe in about pumps.
I have a etss 800 and can't stand loud pumps.
So I tried a velocity/blueline T-3 and it works well.
dead silent pump and runs up to 28' head pressure.
definately a great fix for those of us that don't want our tanks sounding like an airport
 
Joegoersch, did you get it tunned in? I have a Reef Devil 750 ( I think)
<a href="http://s909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/?action=view&current=skimmer.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/skimmer.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
All I can get it to do is make bubbles in my tank. I am on clear on how to adjust the Skimmer. I was running it with a mag 9.5 then gary told me put a Mag 18 on it. So I put the mag 18 and got more foam but its really wet foam.
With the Valve wide open on the pump and outlet. I get this
<a href="http://s909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/?action=view&current=IMAG0542.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/IMAG0542.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
So I have to cut the pump back a little. Now its hard to tell where the Water ends and the bubble begins. So Do I cut the pump back till the till the bubbles are 1/2" up the riser? How do I control some of the bubbles that are going to my tank? I have the water pass through 2 sponges. Does the micro bubbles slow down after it breaks in? Thanks for the help.
 
Here is another look at it with pump wide open and outlet valve wide open
<embed width="600" height="361" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullscreen="true" allowNetworking="all" wmode="transparent" src="http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf" flashvars="file=http%3A%2F%2Fvid909.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fac292%2Fjonugalde%2F110%2520saltwater%2FVIDEO0034.mp4">
 
So can anyone help getting this thing running and slowing down the micro-bubbles back into the tank? Thanks
 
Have you tried dumping the output of the skimmer onto a piece of foam? That's how I have my ETS output.

(Oops - I think you mentioned that you have 2 sponges so perhaps this is not very helpful)
 
Joegoersch, did you get it tunned in? I have a Reef Devil 750 ( I think)
<a href="http://s909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/?action=view&current=skimmer.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/skimmer.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
All I can get it to do is make bubbles in my tank. I am on clear on how to adjust the Skimmer. I was running it with a mag 9.5 then gary told me put a Mag 18 on it. So I put the mag 18 and got more foam but its really wet foam.
With the Valve wide open on the pump and outlet. I get this
<a href="http://s909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/?action=view&current=IMAG0542.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac292/jonugalde/110%20saltwater/IMAG0542.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
So I have to cut the pump back a little. Now its hard to tell where the Water ends and the bubble begins. So Do I cut the pump back till the till the bubbles are 1/2" up the riser? How do I control some of the bubbles that are going to my tank? I have the water pass through 2 sponges. Does the micro bubbles slow down after it breaks in? Thanks for the help.


The video clearly shows you have it turned up to high.cut back on the valve on the pump until the bubbles are cracking about 6 or 7 inches from the top of the reaction tube.then do not touch it again until the next day.Take a pic and post it and I will tell you what way to go on the valve.It will take a day (minium) to form a stable foam head and start working correctly.Only then can I help you dial it in.This will be a good starting point

as far as micro bubbles,you will need a sump designed like an etss sump or a actual etss sump.It will need constant 6 to 7 inches of water on the skimmer side(needs to be constant and this is done with a damm of the proper height) and several bubble traps before entering the chamber where your return pump draws from.This ensures no micro bubbles.
 
Sounds good. I will setup tomorrow and post pics on Sunday. Now for micro bubbles. I have the water flow through a few 4x4x12 sponges and I still get bubbles. Now is this like other skimmers that once broken in they stop releasing so many bubbles in the tank?
 
Sounds good. I will setup tomorrow and post pics on Sunday. Now for micro bubbles. I have the water flow through a few 4x4x12 sponges and I still get bubbles. Now is this like other skimmers that once broken in they stop releasing so many bubbles in the tank?


When you get it dialed in you will get less micro bubbles but a etss sump or a copy of one is needed to get maximum performance from this skimmer without micro bubbles making it into the display.
 
I have a "SumpBuddy 40" for my 90 gal. and I was wondering if anybody periodically, cleans the mixing box. I routinely clean the injector assembly, collection cup, riser tube and tower, but I have not cleaned the mixing box and it is starting to look like I need to. How do you clean the mixing box? I was wondering if it is ok to soak the skimmer in a vinegar and water mixture for a few hours. Anybody see a problem or potential problem with doing this? Thank you.
 
Soaking in vinegar

Soaking in vinegar

I soaked mine in vinegar prior to starting it up with no problems. I have a Reef Devil. My problem is I am not able to find where to set it to only have foam to the top of the riser tube. Mine foams into collector cup big time. It seems I can't find the right adjustment. How long should I wait between adjustments. Right now I have it running right back into the sump so needless to say it is not doing me any good. Please Help!!!!!
 
set it so the bubbles are cracking about 4 inches from the top of the reaction tube and watch it for a full day.The next day you may need to raise it up but go in very small increments and wait a full day to adjust again unless you are over flowing.Trying to adjust it too high before it kicks in will give you these issues.Set it on the low side for a day or 2 until you can slowly raise the level to where the foam starts to make it over the top into the collection cup
 
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