Help with my 9005 in tank

[waterloomarc]

I've been running this for the past 7 months in a very a lightly loaded tank. I clean the cup about once a week, but there is never anything in it. About 100ml of just clear water which I believe is just condensation, not skimmate - it doesn't smell at all. The foam (if one can call it that) does not clear the top of the black housing of the skimmer. In order to see that the skimmer is making bubbles at all you have to stand directly over it and look down inside it from the top. I've check to make sure that the air house is seated firmly and it is, you can lift the pump up by it actually. I've made sure that the pump is correctly seated in the housing. I've also checked and double checked that the air hose isn't kinked...it's not. I've tried the air screw turned out the recommended 4 turns. I've tried it completely removed and everywhere in between and it doesn't seem to make a difference, except that it gurgles a little when it's completely removed. I keep the water level about 1/4" below the blue line although I've not found that to matter either.

The only thing I notice that I think is out of normal is that the air hose always has water in it when I take it off. I'm assuming that this is the cause of my problems. Am I correct? Or is water supposed to be able to enter the air tube (seems like it shouldn't but hey I don't make these things)?

I'm generally not the type to fuss and complain about things, but I'm just at my wits end with this thing. Like I said I've been running it now for 7 months...waiting for it to break in I suppose So I don't think you can say I've been impatient. But I'm now ready to pull my hair out as I don't believe it's functioning at all anymore.

If it matters it's part of the Reefpack 500...it matters to me because it's that much more cumbersome to take out of the tank and clean...and that much more money I've sunk into something I don't believe is working.

I've read every post i can find about these skimmer and tried all of Rogers recommendations to them that seems to fix their problems, but nothing seems to help mine. I think may have a defective model?

Does anybody have any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Marc

 

[rvitko]

Marc,

Today has not been a smooth day so far. I am not ignoring you and will write back before the end of the day but I have to take off for an hour or so. Bare with me.

 

[rvitko]

When you got your skimmer was the top cover plate loose or did it come off? The plate with the screw in it for the adjustment? It sounds like the airline is not attached to the screw, it should not gurgle so water must be getting into the airline.

 

[waterloomarc]

Hi Roger,

I appreciate the reply. No the cover plate was attached when I received the unit however I was missing the skimmer cup itself, which you sent out very promptly btw. I'm not at home right now so I can't speak with 100% certainty...

My airline itself is about 7" long and runs from the pump and into a big plastic tube that runs to the top of the skimmer. Since it's black I've not noticed if it actually attaches to the screw. I will try to run a pipecleaner down it tonight to see if it's attached. I guess this might explain why there's water in my air hose? Am I correct that there shouldn't be any water in the hose?

Thanks for your help, hopefully I can get this figured out.

-Marc

 

[waterloomarc]

Okay, I checked the skimmer when I came home. The black air tube that goes up the skimmer wall does go all the way up and connect to the 'top plate'.

Any other ideas?

 

[rvitko]

Can you try raising it up a bit more? It should not gurgle like that, water is getting into the air intake system somehow.

 

[smatter]

I have mine mounted internally with the water level a couple of mm above the water level mark and it never gurgles. The only time water gets into the air line is when I put it there with a turkey baster to flush it clean. When I take the cup off to clean it a bit of foam occasionally gets sucked in, but it mostly stays below the air intake. Is the hole on the back of the unit blocked? Maybe the reactor isn't sealing like it should and water is getting into the airspace. There should be no water outside the reactor where the air and ozone intakes are.

 

[waterloomarc]

No the hole in the back of the unit is open. I don't understand what you mean by the "reactor not sealing". What is the reactor?

Roger I've sent you a PM

 

[smatter]

There is a small hole in the back of your skimmer that must remain unobstructed. Its purpose is to form a gasket between the reactor and the inside of the skimmer. The reactor is the wide pipe that is attached to your collection cup.