Quick question for Roger - 9002 question

[rick4him]

I am doing the mod to run the airline out of the top and I am using this valve that I had lying around the house. The top part twists to tighten or loosen. What's weird is when I tighten it up I am getting some bubbles making their way up that look sort of thick, but if I try to loosen it or even take it all the way out, I don't get anything. Which is weird, because if it is wide open it should be start being a wet foam into the cup, right? I'm wondering if this valve isn't the correct valve for what Im' trying to do. I know on the video he uses a gang valve that he cut to make smaller, but I'm assuming all the valve does it control how much air gets sucked into the skimmer, right? In other words, do you guys think this valve is my issue? I'm just not sure if there is something critical that the gang valves do that this one doesn't.

Thanks!

 

[rick4him]

Ok Roger. I took everything apart and I noticed this little crack.The crack was causing my outlet tube to fit loosely. I put a small bead of super glue and glued the outlet tube in tight. I put everything back together and it seems to be running much better. It's only been about 15 minutes since I put it back in, so I'll watch it and see what happens. We talked on the phone the other day, and you said that doing the airline mod would be a good thing in my tank (The 34 gallon Solana tank) I did that and someone suggested I blow in the airline to see if there was a difference of how much bubbles went into the collection cup. When I blew into the airline it was like a volcano in my collection cup. Way more then I have ever seen before. Once I stopped blowing down the airline the massive amount of bubbles stopped. I'm assuming this is normal since blowing into the airline would me much more air entering the tube then normal, thus causing more skimming. Is this correct? I cleaned the little plastic elbow with vinegar and hot water, and I can blow through just fine, not sure if that mans it is clean or not. It looked like there was "stuff" where the plastic elbow bends, but I couldn't tell if that was just how it looks when it is made, right at the curve, or if that was a build way. Regardless, water, or air flows through it just fine.

Thoughts?

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tunze by RickwSmith.com, on Flickr[/IMG]

 

[rick4him]

Wow..!!!!!! I just want and checked on the skimmer and the entire collection cup was filled (wet skimate because I had the valve open a lot) I have never seen that collection cup fill up like that - ever. Even when the blue screw was open all the way. I'm assuming that gluing the outlet tube in fixed my problem...... still curious what you think.

 

[rvitko]

I think this pump crack was the root of the problem, if you send the pump we will replace it. The gunk you describe in the elbow is accumulated salt crust, soak it in vinegar and warm water overnight.