Need Help with Coralife Super Skimmer

[jbriddle]

I have a Coralife Super Skimmer 125 that is in my refugium. My skimmer is not making the microbubbles and therefore not skimming.

I just cleaned the pump inlet and put it back together and the pump pumps the water but the only way I can make the microbubbles in the chamber is by putting my hand over the inlet.

I haven't done anything to the main unit or the skimmer outlet. I did overfill my refugium to almost the full 40 gallons, could that have anything to do with it?

Thanks in advance!

J

 

[BennyL69]

sometimes the inlet hose on the inside becomes kinked, try to pull it and reinstall.

 

[AwkwardParrot]

....same problem with mine, check the level of the pump. raise it if necessary!

 

[jbriddle]

raise the level?

raise the level?

What do you mean raise the level? It is in the same spot it has always been in.

 

[ChucksReefs]

You mentioned raising the water level in the refugium higher than what it was in the past. I think Parrot is suggesting to try and raise the pump the same amount and see if that makes a difference.

 

[serendipity1]

I found restricting the water flow into the pump helped the pump pull more air. If you blow lightly into the air hose does the skimmer work? If so the water is moving to easily into the skimmer and needs a little restriction. I use a inlet sponge for a power head but you may need somthing different that will fit your pump.

 

[Posidion]

Mine pump sits too deep in the water of my sump and the pump was unable to pull enough air down the tubing so i helped it out by putting a small air pump on the inlet where you would hook up an ozonizer. has been working great for 2 years that way and water level no longer matters

 

[ctreefer]

CSS's and other needlewheel skimmers are also notorious for getting clogged air lines right by the pump. It usually fills with some salt creep. Check it out and see if its clogged. Its also possible that the clog is occuring within the pump right below the airline. Pop off the airline and look inside the hole. If its blocked you can usually take a nail or something and scrape out the built up calcium/salt in there.

good luck

 

[jbriddle]

Thanks all. I raised the pump up about two inches, didn't help. I then cut the toe off of my grand-daughters sock, not with her in it and put it over the inlet and it works now. Need a more permanent setup.