Skilter (filter and skimmer combo)

[stupac21]

So I've had this skilter for a while, I stoped using it cuze it was leaking and my lfs fixed it (no charge, thanks tropical fish outlet) but it is still putting tiny bubbles into the tank.
Since I turned it back on - yesterday afternoon - My leather corals and one anenome (recovering from bleaching and doing well thanks for the help from RC) are closed and won't open up.
Should I turn it off? Do these tiny bubble cause problems? Or should I just wait and let the coral and anenome get used to it?
I think I'm gonna turn it off and see what happens

What do you think?

here are a few pics:

 

[zanclus]

IMO you need to get a "real" skimmer. Ebay has several ones fairly reasonable in price. Or u might find one on here. Skilters aren't worth the plastic they are made from JMO.

 

[chrisguy]

Ditto on the Skilter. Had one for my QT tank and hated it.

They are loud, produce tons of microbubbles in the tank and generally dont work.

I sold mine on eBay and went back to a HOB filter.

 

[Stephany]

In the meantime...
You can stop the bubbles by jamming up the hole that comes out the hole of the black part. It's on the "intake" side of the skilter. I used plumber's tape. I also used plumber's tape where the motor screws on to the skilter, which is probably what your lfs did. Stick that plumber's tape anywhere you see massive bubbles coming out unless they're going into the riser tube.

For better bubbles, I dropped a wooden airstone down the riser tube of the skimmer, and drove it with a little double air pump I got for $6 at Walmart. Then I also lengthened the yucky output skimmate section by taking off the top cover and putting on like a 4" pvc pipe.

A word of caution. Tape up that little plastic tube that the air sucks into place. One time, mine was pointing downwards, and it became another path for the exit of the water back into the tank. I 2 gallons from a 10 gallon tank as it quickly trickled down the tube onto my floor while I was at work.

I just bought a Pacific Coast skimmer, a knockoff the more expensive ones and I'd say it's 20 times better.

 

[stupac21]

Thanks to all, I do plan on getting a skimmer when I upgrade to a bigger tank in the next few months?

Is it possible for these microbubbles to cause damage? or are my corals/anenomes just not used to it. For now I turned it off.

4hrs later they haven't opened up, but I guess I'll just be patient.

Thanks!!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

What happened? (Inquiring minds would like to know!)

 

[stupac21]

I turned off the skilter part, the fish seem happy without it. I'm keeping up on water changes and testing a few times a week.

The anenome opened back up, so did the leather coral, although the leather coral are closed right now, they seem a little fickle with openening and closing lately, any sugesstions on that?

my levels are:
nitrate:20
amonia:25
nitrite: 0
PH: 8.4
Salinity/SG: 34/1.025
Calcium: 520

This is 30minutes after a 5g water change (20g tank)

I'm about to go to the store and get Phospate and KH test kits

Thanks for the interest!

 

[SVXH6]

calcium is high should be about 450, that may also mean your alk is off too.. also did something die in the tank?? you should have 0 ammonia..id do another water change.. thats what is probably causing the anemone and leather to be the way they are, and not the skilter..id still upgrade to a better skimmer though..

 

[stupac21]

yes the KH is high,
I just tested the alk and it is 14dkh. Nothign died in the tank, everyone is present and accounted for. I have never been able to get amonia below .25 for as long as i've had the tank (8 months), no matter how many water changes I do.

I am worried about doing too many water changes. There is probably only really 16 gallons of water in the tank with all the live rock (maybe less). I know that changing water too much can cause big problems too.

The anenome was fine right after the skilter was turned off and has been since. Its just the leather that is fickle.

I just bought a 125g tank and plan to have a nice set up there with a skimmer and sump. But i'm moving soon and can't set it up yet, so this will have to do for the fishes for now.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

A good skimmer will put a serious dent in those ammonia readings. If you're going to have a successful reef aquarium you need zero ammonia.