ETSS skimmer help....Please
- Thread starter Brucewrs
- Start date
jdieck
New member
The most usual dificulty in adjusting this reactors is the tendency to leave the foam high in the raiser and after a while the skimmer overflows.
Try leaving the foam level a little lower than usual at the begining and let it run for a while, they usually rise and stabilize by themselves later on as they kick in if it overflows open the discharge valve a little bit at a time until no longer overflows.
Try leaving the foam level a little lower than usual at the begining and let it run for a while, they usually rise and stabilize by themselves later on as they kick in if it overflows open the discharge valve a little bit at a time until no longer overflows.
jdieck
New member
If your model has a drain in the collection cup you can install a large waste collector so it does not floods the area as mentioned above.
One question, Is the water level in the discharge (the bioball sump) higher than the level in the glass tank? If lowering the foam column does not work and the water level in the output is higher, you may need to rise the skimmer.. how are you controlling the water level of the feed tank?
jmait769
-CSHFLW
Brucewrs â€"œ As jdieck has stated it can be tricky. I noticed just the slightest turn of the gate valve will make a large change in the bubble column and take’s some patience.
One question would be what happens when there is no power applied to the return pump and the skimmer pump is off? I just wonder if the skimmer body would fill up to the height of the tank with the bio balls and overflow the skimmer? Hopefully these pictures below will help. The first is the skimmer running normally with all pumps on. The water level at the blue line is at a constant 10â€Â. I have the gate valve adjusted so that I can barely see clear water and the bubbles start at the green line.
This second picture is with all pumps off. The bubble column has not collapsed yet and no clear water enters the column. If the water reached the red line it would leak from around the cup.
I hope I explained that clearly!
I really like the way you re-arranged the rock. Looks good!
HTH
Jay
One question would be what happens when there is no power applied to the return pump and the skimmer pump is off? I just wonder if the skimmer body would fill up to the height of the tank with the bio balls and overflow the skimmer? Hopefully these pictures below will help. The first is the skimmer running normally with all pumps on. The water level at the blue line is at a constant 10â€Â. I have the gate valve adjusted so that I can barely see clear water and the bubbles start at the green line.
This second picture is with all pumps off. The bubble column has not collapsed yet and no clear water enters the column. If the water reached the red line it would leak from around the cup.
I hope I explained that clearly!
I really like the way you re-arranged the rock. Looks good!
HTH
Jay
mjg1961
New member
Jmait769-Based on all of great information from this thread, I too started re-thinking my pump. As a matter of fact, I just ordered the Blueline 20-HD external pump, which Super Skimmer now recommends along with the Iwaki 20 (they are supposed to be pretty much the same pump). Once I get it all hooked up, I will let you know if how much better it performs than the CA 1800 and if it was worth the $.
It is working good as long as I dont feed the fish silversides.They make both skimmers not work.I guess they are too oily.I wonder if there is any difference from the silversides you buy at the lfs and the ones you buy at a bait store?The ones I am feeding I got from the local bait and tackle shop.I got 5lb of frozen silversides for $9.00 ....The etss skimmer is really sensitive.I put 2 fingers in my sump and the bubbles in the tube went all the way down.
It is pulling to much fluid and not enough waste.I got to open the valve a hair.
Thanks for all the advice,Bruce
It is pulling to much fluid and not enough waste.I got to open the valve a hair.
Thanks for all the advice,Bruce
jdieck
New member
I do not think the silversides are much different, The skimmer is sensitive to oils and grease the good thing is that it recovers relatively fast. If it is pulling too much water and not enough waste (not too concentrated) try opening the valve not closing it, do it a bit (and I mean a little bit) at a time until you achieve the concentration you want, these skimmer usually accumulate dirty foam on top of the column as it accumulates it rises until it is expelled and the colum drops down again so do not expect to have a continuous extraction. There is a trick I have discovered experimenting with this that you can achieve if you are able to restrict the air at the exaust (not at the inlet) This increases the internal pressure reduces the bubble size, reduces burping and maintains a more stable bubble column. You might be able to achieve a similar result by adding one more bioball to the column or reducing the air inlet. So I just gave you more things to entertain yourself with 
I am a little confused.At the exhaust?There is only one inlet for air and that is where the water goes into the unit.Also how many bioballs come with this?I bought it used and I think there were 4 of them.I might just pull them out all together and add a beckett nozzle to it.
jdieck
New member
The air is exhausted trough the waste drain conexion, if you use a waste collector, once the waste is separated from the air the vent of the collector can be restricted with a valve, this will pressurize the skimmer. In any case forget about that for the moment.
The standard Reef Devil uses 8 mini bioballs and the deluxe taller model uses 12 mini bioballs.
Less bioballs increases the air to water ratio so if you are using less than the specified you might have more air than necessary.
Here is the manual in case you do not have it.
A Becket has not really shown an increase in performance in other downdraft models but you can try.
I will suggest check the number of balls and correct if necessary.
http://superskimmer.com/RD_D InstrQstart.pdf
The standard Reef Devil uses 8 mini bioballs and the deluxe taller model uses 12 mini bioballs.
Less bioballs increases the air to water ratio so if you are using less than the specified you might have more air than necessary.
Here is the manual in case you do not have it.
A Becket has not really shown an increase in performance in other downdraft models but you can try.
I will suggest check the number of balls and correct if necessary.
http://superskimmer.com/RD_D InstrQstart.pdf
jdieck,you really know your stuff..Thank you.
Thats what I get for buying used stuff....I always get screwed.I bought a UV light off the big auction site and it leaked.$100 in the garbage.I got tired of putting silicone all over the end caps..I guess I just dont learn.
Where can I get 4 mini bio balls?
Do you think I should try hooking up a beckett nozzle?
Thats what I get for buying used stuff....I always get screwed.I bought a UV light off the big auction site and it leaked.$100 in the garbage.I got tired of putting silicone all over the end caps..I guess I just dont learn.
Where can I get 4 mini bio balls?
Do you think I should try hooking up a beckett nozzle?
jdieck
New member
I doubt that you can get only 4 although you can try e-mailing Gary Loehr from Aetech the manufacturer of the skimmer at:
superskimmer@msn.com
He might just put them in an envelope and mail them to you.
I usually replace them every six months to a year so it will not be a waste if you gate some more.
Coralife sells them they are the mini balls 1" diameter, they are like 10:00 buck for a box of 200
or you might be able to get them at the LFS. Just insure that they are the type that do not have any foam or biological media inside.
superskimmer@msn.com
He might just put them in an envelope and mail them to you.
I usually replace them every six months to a year so it will not be a waste if you gate some more.
Coralife sells them they are the mini balls 1" diameter, they are like 10:00 buck for a box of 200
or you might be able to get them at the LFS. Just insure that they are the type that do not have any foam or biological media inside.
mjg1961
New member
Hey JDieck, how responsive is Super Skimmer to email? As luck would have it, I cracked the top of the riser tube when I put on the drain cup after cleaning it this morning, and my new pump arrived this afternoon. I tried to call Super Skimmer several times (no answer) and they have not responded to my email that I sent this morning. The fact that they do not anwer the phone (there's two numbers on their website and I called both) is very strange. I'm not sure what my options are. I sealed the crack with marine silicone (no pieces broke off, just about a 2" crack) and put a hose clamp around the riser tube to make it tight and I'm letting it dry for 24 hours. Hopefully that will solve the problem. If not, not sure what they can do for me.
jdieck
New member
It has been responsive in my case, just last week I sent him an e-mail at night and responded early the next morning.
The following day I called over the phone and Gary personally answered at the first ring.
He is building a new tops for my ETS which I am expanding to 2,000 gal per hour.
He is not always in the office but I will suggest try the phone.
I do not know what he can do in your case with a broken riser, probably the alternative you took is fine. I would have preferred some selcon rather than silicon but I think it will work.
Here is the data I have for them:
Gary Loehr Marketing Manager
Tel 845 838-9044, Fax 845 838-9301
Hours M-F 8-5 Eastern Standard Time
