How long till skimmer breaks in?

[impur]

I recently bought a Reef Octopus NW200. Its been running for 9 days now and i have yet to get any skimmate. I have the output riser at its upper most position, so the water level is almost at the top of the riser. I get lots of foam, but it just hits the top of the collection cup, the bubbles pop and the foam goes back down. The riser is completely black/brown, i cannot see into the riser any more with all the crud that has accumulated. How long till that crud gets into the collection cup?

 

[klasiksb]

I don't know why your getting crud in the neck if the output riser is as high as it will go, that isn't making sense.

I would clean the neck, lower the riser to the top of the union on the neck and let it run. Give it awhile and see how that is. If your neck is accumulating crude, i'd say it's broken in and setting the water level is the next step. A dirty neck will not let the foam slide up easily and get to the cup.

 

[impur]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9123977#post9123977 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by klasiksb
A dirty neck will not let the foam slide up easily and get to the cup.

I guess that is the problem. I had the water level lower for the first 4 days, but still didn't get anything so i raised it. I'll clean it tonight and lower the water level and see how it does.

 

[impur]

Ok all clean and rippin. I'll let you know how it does in a day or 2

Thanks for the info BTW!

 

[impur]

Ok so about 56 hours running it this way still nothing. The neck is almost completely black again.

Last night i raised the riser to the top most position and covered about 1/3 of the pipe opening to bring the water level up to 1/4" from the top of the neck in the collection cup, still nothing.

What gives?

 

[davandwilk]

I had the the same problem, but i think mine is from not having enough to skim out. I have only a few fish in a 110g tank. I made a DIY skimmer and I think I over did it on the size of my skimmer. It skims out green tea every now and then but there are days when nothing comes out and I get no foam. I do notice that right after I feed or mess around in the tank the foam in the skimer goes flat.

 

[Jim_S]

^^ sounds like thats the case to me

 

[Roland Jacques]

Not sure without seeing it, but I would run it in full strenth Undistiled vinagar for 24 -48 hours. it sounds to me like you have some residual oils in your skimmer.

Jimdogg,
what the picture of? im trying to make it out and just gave up.

 

[Jim_S]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9141631#post9141631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Roland Jacques

Jimdogg,
what the picture of? im trying to make it out and just gave up.

My Blue Face angel (Pomacanthus xanthometopon (a.k.a. Euxiphipops xanthometapon)

Jim

 

[Roland Jacques]

Cool photo, i could not make out the eye as a eye. Now i look at it and dont see how i messed it. DUH

 

[impur]

Thanks guys. I'll try running it in vinegar to see if it helps. I have 4 fish in my 75gal, but my previous skimmer always pulled out 3-4 cups of skimmate a week and it was a crappy ViaAqua skimmer. I have a small patch of cyano popping up now that i haven't skimmed anything in 2 weeks though.

I'm going to do the gatevalve mod while i have it out of the sump and add a layer or 2 of mesh to the needlewheel too. Maybe bore out the venturi a little.

 

[impur]

Here is a pic of it in action tonight. This is 3 days since i cleaned the neck when it was completely brown and i couldn't see into it. The skimmer has been running for 10 days now.

 

[Jim_S]

Doesn't look like much foam in the chamber??

The chamber should have a ton more bubbles.

 

[UCanDoIt]

Yep, no foaming going on here. :eek2:

 

[manderx]

but I would run it in full strenth Undistiled vinagar for 24 -48 hours. it sounds to me like you have some residual oils in your skimmer

i've always wondered where the vinegar recommendation came from. doesn't seem like a weak organic acid would really be that effective at breaking up oils. i'd use a little dish soap if i was trying to break in a skimmer a few days quicker.

 

[Yinger]

check the venturi maybe its clogged? Also, try modding the impellar with the mesh, I don't know about the octopus, but it doubles the air intake for a sedra, creating a ton more bubbles.

 

[klasiksb]

Yep, you definately have a problem there. You should have a ton of bubbles in the chamber. You are getting very little air in there.

Which venturi are you using? Long black one? Short gray one?

 

[dmack]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9147581#post9147581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by manderx
i've always wondered where the vinegar recommendation came from. doesn't seem like a weak organic acid would really be that effective at breaking up oils. i'd use a little dish soap if i was trying to break in a skimmer a few days quicker.

I hope you are joking.....

 

[manderx]

no, why?

 

[Jim_S]

Vinegar will not leave any residuals on the skimmer, an if it does, they are not harmful. Soap on the other hand can leave residuals that may cause you livestock some harm.

Jim