The Life Reef Skimmer Club

[ksed]

Are you able to take a picture of the skimmer?

 

[azjohnny]

Yes, a picture of the neck area or just the side of the skimmer

 

[ksed]

both would be great

 

[azjohnny]

I think the bio load was too light, I have since added a small leather coral and 4 damsels and now getting some foam. The neck as a light green colored slime.

I am assuming due to the light bioload the skimmer just took longer. I did order a Mazzei 1078 injector to see what kind of difference it will make

 

[azjohnny]

Here are a few pics of the skimmer

 

[ksed]

looks like you have a stable foam head on the skimmer. It appear to me that you could be able to raise the water level another half inch. It appear to be a dry foam.

 

[clugo]

That looks really good. I can't get the body of my skimmer to look like that. Any thoughts?

 

[Yogre]

That looks really good. I can't get the body of my skimmer to look like that. Any thoughts?

Quote for pics.

 

[stempy07]

Go to the skimmer section of lifereef.com

Jeff uses that skimmer on his own tank. I think I recall him saying he built it 10-15 years ago

Just picked my vs3-60 up, it was built in 1996 and looks as good as new minus a little coraline on the internal piping! Such a solid product, amazing craftsmanship that is built to last a lifetime it looks like.

 

[clugo]

The Life Reef Skimmer Club

Yogre, I don't get anythg like the foam in azjonnys pic. That's why I posted the pics for comparison. U can see the pipes in the body of my skimmer unlike azjonnys, where u c no pipes. Just looking for opinions.

 

[azjohnny]

Yogre, I don't get anythg like the foam in azjonnys pic. That's why I posted the pics for comparison. U can see the pipes in the body of my skimmer unlike azjonnys, where u c no pipes. Just looking for opinions.

which model and pump do you have?

 

[azjohnny]

Just picked my vs3-60 up, it was built in 1996 and looks as good as new minus a little coraline on the internal piping! Such a solid product, amazing craftsmanship that is built to last a lifetime it looks like.

Its time to fire that bad boy up!

 

[clugo]

Mag 9.5 svs 2-24 in sump

 

[azjohnny]

With the 24" skimmers there isn't a lot of room for the bubbles to form, it will range from the top of the clear acrylic tube in the skimmer to the top of the skimmer body.

I have the 36" model so there is an extra 12" of skimmer body

 

[Yogre]

Yogre, I don't get anythg like the foam in azjonnys pic. That's why I posted the pics for comparison. U can see the pipes in the body of my skimmer unlike azjonnys, where u c no pipes. Just looking for opinions.

clugo, my apologies I think my post was confusing. I quoted it to make it easy for folks (myself included) to see your pics. Tapatalk photos are hard to see otherwise.

I agree that the 24" skimmers will have a lower bubble volume than the taller skimmers, but even so that seems like not quite what it should be. It's almost like the flow from the pump to the skimmer is restricted somehow, or there is a clog in the Venturi.

Maybe shoot that pic to Jeff, see what he says?

 

[clugo]

Great idea! Thanks for the input.

 

[d2mini]

Clugo, i had that happen to me once.
I'm not sure what exactly it was, but there had to be a clog somewhere. I ran it in a vinegar bath for a few hours, cleaned it all out, and put it back together and it was as good as new, skimming like a beast again.

 

[clugo]

Thx d2mini. I'm going to try that today.

 

[Yogre]

I had the Venturi on my 30" get badly clogged a while back. (Self inflicted head wound, I was dosing kalkwasser into the air intake). The white venturis are very easy to clean.

Take the Venturi off the skimmer, and in the end facing the skimmer body you will see a hex key slot. Get an appropriately sized hex key and unscrew the mixer insert. I had a bunch of gunk I had to chip out with a jeweler's screwdriver, then soak the parts in vinegar and rinse again.

Reassemble, reinstall, and voila good as new!

 

[clugo]

Great info. Ill try all the above this afternoon.

Thx guys.