Help: Adjusting a new 9010

[Darrenz]

Hey all: I just bought a new 9010 and am happy with the footprint, reputation, air capacity, and noise level, BUT since dropping it into my sump 48 hours ago, I cannot get bubbles to crawl at anything that resembles a steady skim.

After the first full 24 hours, I had a regular skim going but then at the 36 hour mark, it stopped. In fact, the bubbles would not go anywhere beyond a 1/4 up the cup.

So, I closed off all flow with the adjustment screw, opened it up three revolutions as instructed in the book and then one additional full twist for good luck, and had to leave to get to work. My wife reports that we're still at the 1/4 cup mark.

Any suggestions? Thanks. .D

 

[rvitko]

Can you tell me more about the tank? Also how is the skimmer installed, in tank or in sump? Did anything change with the tank from when it was skimming to when it stopped? Any sort of additive used? Is it a new tank?

 

[Darrenz]

postid=14497542#post14497542 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rvitko [/i]
Can you tell me more about the tank? Also how is the skimmer installed, in tank or in sump? Did anything change with the tank from when it was skimming to when it stopped? Any sort of additive used? Is it a new tank? [/QUOTE]

Thanks for getting back to me Roger! On 1/23, I had folks from my local fish store come in and move my two year old 75 gallon setup to a new 70 gallon starrfire w/built in plumbing.

The guys told me that my seaclone skimmer was a waste of space and recommended the 9010. After some online research, I dug deep in my pockets and bought the unit. As I said, I installed it three days ago now. It is in the return section of my three-part 10 gallon refugium/sump. The first section is the intake filled with bioballs and my drop-in chiller. The second is miracle mud with Chaetomorpha. And the third, the 9010 and CA 2200 return pump (785g/hr).

Today, it started skimming again and I hope it continues, but to answer your question, nothing had changed from the time it was skimming to the time it stopped.

I should also add that I'm my tank is practically fogged from all of the micro-bubbles coming out the 9010. Will this continue long?

No additives other than weekly doses of Iodine, Coral Vital, Strontium & Molybdenum, and Tech M.

 

[rvitko]

The microbubbles likely have the same origin as the skimming problem. Your sump is too cramped. For a 70 gallon I would really feel safer with a 20 or 30 gallon sump. As is it is so cramped that the skimmer is very near the return pump, the water is very turbulent and oxygen saturate and this combination interferes with skimming and causes the bubble problem. If I could make a suggestion, buy an Oceanic Model 1 sump, don't use the bioballs, just use a filter bag, maybe some carbon and phosphate remover and a refugium and the 9010. In the Oceanic you would have a bubble trap before the return pump. There is no need for a return pump of this size, for a 70 gallon a return flow on the order 300-400gph would be enough and this would improve the filter performance and in combination with the other changes stop the bubbles. I think right now, after all the other filtration the water is oxygen saturated, the space is very cramped and so the skimmer is degassing the excess oxygen, the return pump is picking it up and the high turbulence from a small rapidly flowing sump is causing the skimmer to be very sensitive to changes. I would also cut back on you additives. Personally I would only use quarter doses of Iodine twice as often as recommended, a calcium dispenser and change 10% a week with a good salt mix and be done with it. I know this problem from experience my first tank was a 58 with a 10 gallon sump running a red sea Berlin and I had the exact same problems and the best thing I ever did was upgrade to a 20 with a bubble trap and lower flow. The additives are not really necessary with good general maintenance and in the long term do more harm then good, as a rule of thumb, if you aren't measuring for it and can't prove you need it, don't add it.

 

[Darrenz]

Dude, you are the Flash Gordon incarnate of the aquatic realm! Thanks a bunch. I'll scout around for a new sump setup. In the interim, I'll stop with the additives and change pumps down to a 300-400gph.

I'm really glad that I joined this forum! Thanks again... Darren