Skimmer Questions

[NeedBiggerTank]

After realizing we'd made a mistake purchasing a SeaClone skimmer when we started up our tank last October (purchased by recomendation of owner of LFS - silly me, should have researched first), I'd done a decent amount of research into various HOB skimmers (in our price range, I might add) and decided to get a TurboFlotor Blue 1000. We don't have a sump or an over-flow btw.

Anyway, we've had the new TF for about three weeks, but I'm still only getting fairly runny skimmate of a greenish/brown color. Getting lots of it - between 3/4 cup - 2 cups a day.

How do I adjust it so that the foam is "dryer"? There is only one adjustment lever (and it raises and lowers the water in the reaction chamber) - and I've installed the collar to raise the collection cup up. I can adjust the pump only about one more inch up (towards the water surface), as I already cut 4" off the flexible tubing connecting the pump to the intake (as the instructions indicate to make the foam dryer).

This skimmer is producing 10 times the skimmate that the SeaClone made - which is good - but I think some fine tuning is in order.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Jennie

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Also - is it best to simply empty and rinse the collection cup daily (and maybe clean it thoroughly every couple of days) or empty and completely clean it daily?

Completely cleaning it seems to effect the foams ability to cling to the cone and get pushed up.

BTW - the pump is an Aqua Medic 1200.

Jennie

 

[ameares8]

As for making it drier, I am not sure on yours. However, as far as cleaning goes, my thoughts are that the neck should remain clean so that the flow of particles is not inhibited. The more junk that is in the way, the more that collects on the neck and not the cup.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Ah - well, then perhaps I should be cleaning it thoughly twice a day instead of once a day, as I have been.

 

[commonstranger]

I clean mine about once a week with a toothbrush. Funny, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth but atleast my skimmer is clean.

 

[Pickupman66]

LOL@ rhett. thats disgusting. I got about 3/4 gallon worth of skimmate out of my tank since I got it running. when I emptied it I had almost zero bio-load, so that was not surprising. now with the two cows I have in the tank, I may clean the throat of mine weekly. I expect somewhere close to a gallon of skimmate every week or two. nice dark tea.

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

ROTFL re: toothbush. Wonder if my husband would notice if I used his... hhhmmmm

Could (as people at AC had suggested) the reason that my skimmate is a lighter color and more runny be due to the fact that I'm not feeding alot, or is it due to the fact that I don't have the skimmer adjusted properly? This is what I'm trying to figure out.

Jennie

 

[supertech99]

I have seen guys add LR to a tank with no fish and not feeding anything pull out cups of black DOC's with realy good skimmers so I do not think its your feeding. I would believe that you have plenty to be pulled out so I would tend to believe that its a adjustment issue. Adjust your foam "head" to run lower in the neck and this should produce a dryer foam as less watery bubbles will make there way to your collection cup. I am not sure how to do this on your skimmer model. On my ASM it is simply a lowering or raising of the water output tube.
Happy skimming!

 

[NeedBiggerTank]

Paying a little more attention in biology and chemistry class probably would have helped me out w/ this salt water stuff! Should I raise the pump up another inch toward the surface of the water? I understand the premise that the deeper the pump, the greater the water pressure - but am unsure what effect this has on the bubbles produced. Have been hesitant to cut that final inch off the flexible tubing because once it's gone, I can't put it back!

I have tried lowering the water/bubbles in the cone/funnel, but what I end up getting is nothing (or very little) in the collection cup. But maybe this is because I'm thoroughly cleaning the cup daily. As i mentioned, the foam doesn't climb the inside of the cone/funnel right after I clean it and the bubbles seem to pop faster. It seems to take 8-12 hours for gook to build back up on the insde of the cone/funnel.

Jennie

 

[Pickupman66]

IMHO, it takes a bit for the skimmer to get roling after it is cleaned. the gunk helps it work. try to leave the funnel alone for a bit. it will get a bit funky then it should be able to produce a bit drier foam.