Skimmer 9005

[kalfsbeckj]

Hello,
I currently am running a 9005 in a 56 gallon tall reef tank. I have around 80 lbs. of LR in the tank w/ mixed zoos some shrooms, a toadstool about the size of an adult hand a red and green lobophylia and some different species of xenia.

For fish I have a 5 Y.O. yellow watchman goby
a 3 Y.O. Strawberry basslet and a 3" saddleback clown.
Also have a 2" Foxface in there until he reaches a descent size so I can toss him in my 210 gallon.

My PH is 8.4
My Amonia- 0
Trites -0
Trates - <2
Calcium-480

Everything is thriving in the tank except for some new zoos that I added about a month ago.

I don't run a sump.

My equipment right now is a magnum 350 cannister for nothing but carbon.
2 penguin 1140 powerheads.
and the Tunze 9005
and just recently trying to grow some calupera in a breeding box.(I know about not letting the smallest strand into the tank)
and lastly I'm running the Sunpod 2x150 watt HQI MH strip.
I also do water changes once a week 5 gallons at a time.
I use a D/I (pharmacutical brand)w/ well water.
I'm getting ready to do water changes twice a week at 5 gal. at a time.


Now my question is to save some of the zoos and I'm noticing some brown slime algae coming back (very little) should my 9005 be collecting more skimmate than it is. It only collects about 100ml in about 3 days. Tons of foam just no skimmate. I have the blue dial turned almost all the way out and if you look inside the body when the cup is off the bubbles are no where near the top of the body like on my 9010. I've cleaned out the skimmer many times made sure that there is no blockage in the air tubing cleaned the housing and everything. After that it seems to foam like no tomorrow but little skimmate.

Anyone else getting this or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
Jon

 

[rvitko]

How many turns out is the screw? Your results don't sound far off, I think more flow and possibly a higher KH could help with the algae.

 

[trmiv]

I run my screw at 5 turns and I get around 100 ml's of skimmate in 3-4 days on a 40 breeder with a 20g sump. Your results don't sound too far off from mine. I can run the screw out completely on mine and get about 100 ml's a day of wet skimmate. I do 7g water changes every other week.

BTW, I've found with the squatty cup on this 9005, it's really important to keep the neck and lid clean. My skimmer was used and didn't come with the brush set, but I try to clean the neck with a paper towel every other day. I find if I don't clean that often the production falls off dramatically. I really need to pickup a bottle brush and give the neck a scrub daily like I used to do with my Deltec.

 

[kalfsbeckj]

Thanks for the replies. I'm just used to a lot of skimmate after looking at the cup that my 9010 collects on a daily basis. But i'm sure that is due to the larger pump. (This is by far the best skimmer I've had or seen so far)

As for the 9005 I've been doing 1/4 turns almost every 12 hours until I'm satisfied w/ a result and the blue screw is almost all the way out now. So I guess 100 ml every 2-5 days is normal. Just thought I would get more. I try to clean the neck and the cup really well every 3 days b/c like you said production drops way down.

Thanks again

 

[rvitko]

You might double check that the airline fits firmly in the nozzle, if it slips out easily some water may be slipping in and restricting the air flow. Usually the 9005 can skim very wet.

 

[Blair]

I have the same "problem" with my 9005... the bubble level stays very low and it doesn't skim much liquid at all. It does however tend to coat the inside of the collector cup with some thick nasty junk though. This doesn't seem to change much with adjustment of the blue air screw.

Blair

 

[rvitko]

Where do you have the waterline set at?