The Life Reef Skimmer Club

[bawalitt]

We have the same setup. Each tank is different in terms of how long it takes for a skimmer to breakin. I did have a foam head within that time period on mine. it didn't have any real color to speak of, but it did have a foam head.

Where do you have the level set in relation to the top flange?
Ken

Thanks for the replies guys,

Well mine is setup outside the sump, on a small stool. The water level inside the skimmer is approx. 1" below the flange.

At work right now, but once i get home I will be able to update you guys on the progress.

One thing i did that i think could be causing a delayed response, is that i installed that foam pad at the bottom of the Mag 12 (it comes with it) to reduce the vibrations.

My bio load is pretty heave. My Tunze was skimming some nog before i installed this skimmer, now because of the change in water tension my tunze is also not skimming. lol.

 

[bawalitt]

Did you give it a vinegar bath 1st? Break in can very. Mine took about a week and a half on a new tank. I have read others only taking hours. I know that New saltwater will prolong the breaking period as there is a lot of surface tension.

No i did not give it a vinegar bath. In the hind sight i should have done it.

Another thing i forgot to mention, I put some sylicone greese which came with the skimmer on the rubber gasket. Dont know if thats causing it to not foam.

 

[bayoupr]

Give it time, it will produce. I just set up a 30" yesterday and as of now, slight foam. But I know it will pickup because my 48" did the same. By morning mine should be foaming (usually takes about 24-36hrs). Some people have theirs skimming within 12hrs or so.

 

[ken6217]

Raise the water level to just about where the flange is. You should get water-bubbles in the neck. It make just look like boiling water at first but then you will get foam.

 

[bobbyc366]

No i did not give it a vinegar bath. In the hind sight i should have done it.

Another thing i forgot to mention, I put some sylicone greese which came with the skimmer on the rubber gasket. Dont know if thats causing it to not foam.

Just give some time they are a beast, I also use the silicone, keep the water leaves about a inch or so from the flange and let it do it's thing.

 

[ksed]

Silicone will definitely do it. Especially if you accidentally got some when water can come in contact with the silicone.Not sure if it will work but try to run some new carbon.

No i did not give it a vinegar bath. In the hind sight i should have done it.

Another thing i forgot to mention, I put some sylicone greese which came with the skimmer on the rubber gasket. Dont know if thats causing it to not foam.

 

[bawalitt]

Well jut got home and checked the skimmers. The Tunze 9430 has a foam head and is lightly skimming But the Lifereef is still just booking water.
I will run some new carbon through it, hopefully that helps.

 

[bawalitt]

Just added 1.5 cups of fresh carbon. Let's see if that helps

 

[ken6217]

Well jut got home and checked the skimmers. The Tunze 9430 has a foam head and is lightly skimming But the Lifereef is still just booking water.
I will run some new carbon through it, hopefully that helps.

Why are you running two skimmers? Your Lifereef is competing for the same dissolved organics.

 

[bawalitt]

Well I was going to take the Tunze off line as soon as the Lifereef broke in, but they both stopped working because of the chemicals released by the Lifereef skimmers glue or something

 

[ken6217]

I think it could slow down the breakin with two skimmers.

Their will be no negative impact to your tank leaving just the Lifereef while not broken in.

 

[ksed]

Before pulling the Tunze, allow the carbon to run for 24hr. Then see if there is a difference.

Well I was going to take the Tunze off line as soon as the Lifereef broke in, but they both stopped working because of the chemicals released by the Lifereef skimmers glue or something

 

[d2mini]

You just need to rub in a real thin film of the supplied silicone lubricant on the TOP of the rubber flange gasket. Just enough to give it a shine. If any of it got into the skimmer, that would for sure prevent foam from being produced. I had it happen to me by mistake once and then had to give the skimmer a vinegar bath.

And i agree with Ken, get rid of the tunze. A day or two without a skimmer won't do anything.

 

[ksed]

Let the dominant skimmer win. You will definitely find out which one will skim once the silicone wears away.

 

[bawalitt]

You just need to rub in a real thin film of the supplied silicone lubricant on the TOP of the rubber flange gasket. Just enough to give it a shine. If any of it got into the skimmer, that would for sure prevent foam from being produced. I had it happen to me by mistake once and then had to give the skimmer a vinegar bath.

And i agree with Ken, get rid of the tunze. A day or two without a skimmer won't do anything.

The silicone i applied was just a thin layer to cover the top exposed area of the rubber gasket. I was careful not to get it on the inside of the skimmer.
Will be taking the tunze offline this evening.

 

[bawalitt]

well woke up this morning and here are the pics of both the skimmers.
Tunze has a foam head and is skimming.
Lifereef is still TRYING.

Tunze has an advantage because it was already broken in.

As far as the bio load goes, I have approx 14 fish in my tang (Sail fin, Yellow tang, fox face, power blue) being the largest ones, approx 7-8" in length. Rest are smaller fish like chromes, damsels, mandarins, etc. Tank is only 120 gallon. SPS dominated, Zeovit tank.

 

[bawalitt]

sorry here are the pics..

 

[azjohnny]

Well I was going to take the Tunze off line as soon as the Lifereef broke in, but they both stopped working because of the chemicals released by the Lifereef skimmers glue or something

Neither skimmer is producing any foam probably since they are both competing for DOCs

 

[bawalitt]

Neither skimmer is producing any foam probably since they are both competing for DOCs

Well bud
Tunze is skimming, Lifereef is still trying to break in

 

[ken6217]

It takes time for any skimmer to break in. Having it compete with another skimmer will only make it take longer.

So either it is the silicone, the additional skimmer, or both, it will breakin when it breaks in.