Stupid Question re: CPR Skimmer

[SMaxwell]

I am setting up my nano after 4 years, I have an older model CPR in sump skimmer, like a backpack, but goes in the sump. I hooked up the pump I had on it before, a Via Aqua 480 and hooked up the airline and it is pumping water, but I get no bubbles. I have the airtube hooked up to the little tit on the tube that goes between the pump and the Skimmer body. Instead of sucking air down the line, the water is going up my airline almost the level of the water in the skimmer. It used to work! I put an airpump on the airline and It does push air down the line and into the skimmer, but I get big bubbles, not the fine skimmer bubbles I remember. I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong?!

 

[drummereef]

Did you buy new airline or are you using the same airline you had from before? It might be clogged with salt creep not allowing enough air to travel through the tube. Otherwise, check your pump and make sure the nipple where the airline is attached is free of any salt creep or debris. Also, you have the end of the airline tubing out of the water right?

 

[SMaxwell]

I don't think the tube is clogged because I can blow air through it and get bubbles in the skimmer, that way. End of the tube is out of the water. I tried two different pumps. Could it be that my water level in the sump is too high? Like I said the water is rising up the tube. What level of water should the skimmer be in?

 

[Tadashi]

That is your problem. The air tube needs to be right at where the water is being sucked in or the pump will push water through the path of least resistance (ie the air tube). Being between the pump and the skimmer the pump will push water through the path of least resistance (ie the air tube).

 

[SMaxwell]

Ok, I'm not sure I get it, (I feel stupid as I had this skimmer set up for years...a 40 year old brain forgets a lot in 4 years!)
My airline is hooked up to a little nipple coming off the short pipe between the outpit of the pump and the skimmer, am I supposed to have it hoooked up on the other side of the pump (the intake side)?

 

[Tadashi]

Yes. The air must be coming from the pump intake. If it is at the pump outflow the pump will push water through it. The pump must pull air and water at the same time and feed it into the skimmer. If the air hose is after the outflow then it cannot pull air.

Move the nipple connection to the front of the pump.

<= water flow [skimmer] [pump] [air intake] <= water flow

not

<= water flow [skimmer] [air intake] [pump] <=water flow

 

[SMaxwell]

DOH! Makes perfect sense now. I must be missing some plumbing pieces somewhere, I couldn't find anything with an airline attachment that fit on the intake side of my pump, I'll have to look around some more or rig something up. Thanks!

 

[titnguyen]

Good look!