protien skimmer not working

[srayna1]

My skimmer is not producing any skimate. My tank is only 4 weeks old is this normal. I have adjusted the air intake for the past few weeks and still no foam makes it into the collection cup. I bought the skimmer at a LFS. It is similar to a backpack skimmer in design. The store owner makes these skimmers and uses them in all of his display tanks. Did i get riped off or does it take longer for the skimmer to work.

 

[Agu]

[welcome]

Could be there's nothing to skim, could be a bad design, could be bad adjustment. Since it's a custom design you'll get best info from the LFS that sold it to you.

 

[kraze3]

I agree better talk to the guy who makes them and see what the deal is.

 

[gnorts]

Regardless another quick answer is that how long has that skimmer been running? Sometime it takes awhile for it to gain the bacteria to produce good skimate.

 

[JEFFR259]

I think gnorts is on to something here. It can take a few days IME for the skimmer to "break-in" and start pulling out waste.

What portions of the cycle have you been through to date? (ie, parameters and chemical readings of the cycle- Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate...)

 

[srayna1]

I talked to the guy over the weekend, and he told me there was nothing to skim. The skimmer has been runing for 4 weeks now. How long does it take most skimmers to start working in a new tank?

thanks for the help

 

[srayna1]

sundays water parameters
amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20 ppm
ph 8.2
alk 6

The LFS guy said the cycle was finished. I added a few snails and a pair of banggai cardinals sunday. Should i be worried if the skimmer still isn't making skimate.

 

[Agu]

4 weeks is long enough for a skimmer to break in. Either it's not adjusted right or there's nothing to skim. If after adding the fish and feeding them you have no skimmate I suggest you get the LFS owner to come over and check out your skimmer.

 

[otrlynn]

If your alk. is 6 dKH you have more to worry about. Most people keep theirs in the 9-10 range.