My skimmer almost works...

[TellyFish]

Alright, I am going to try to post some pictures of my DIY skimmer...

Until then, do comercial skimmers (mine is designed based on a recirculating Deltec design) have an air hole somewhere in the collection chamber? Or is the whole unit air tight? Air needs to exit somewhere in order for the foam and liquid to displace it, right?

My skimmer would not seem to fill the collection chamber until I drilled a hole at the top of the chamber. Now water fills the bottom of the collection chamber and produces great foam on the water surface, but I dont think thats how it should operate. This also leads to crap-foam filling the whole container and forcing its way out the small hole in the top of the chamber and eventually into the sump water. I thought I understood how this should work, but aparently not. What am I missing?

http://www.deltecusa.us/docs/APSeries.pdf - my skimmer is very close to the one decribed here. Sedra 5000 pump, gravity feed, and a riser pipe. Thanks to anyone who had the time to read that post!

 

[HotHotHot]

Re: My skimmer almost works...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7912983#post7912983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TellyFish
Air needs to exit somewhere in order for the foam and liquid to displace it, right?

Yup, otherwise it's under pressure. That's how the waste containers shut down a skimmer when they fill up.

My collection chamber vents air through the skimmate drain.

HTH
Ed

 

[jstraka1]

There is a collar on the inside of the lid that contains the foam, and the vent holes are on the outside of the collar between the collar and the edge of the lid. It is clearly seen on the drawing in your link. HTH.

 

[bassnman11]

Sounds like you need to lower the water level in the skimmer. You make coarse adjustments with the height of the drain pipe or gate valve if you have one. The other adjustment is to a needle valve on the inlet air line to the venturi. Slowly adjust the air valve so the bubbles are about half way up the neck, then wait a few minutes. As you adjust the air valve, you will see the foam level rise or fall.