Tunze DOC 9010 Protein Skimmer Not Working.

[TheReefDaVinci]

Hello everyone, I just purchased a Tunze DOC 9010 Protein Skimmer to use on my 20 gallon Nano Aquarium. However, I am not able to get the skimmer to foam enough to allow skimmate to rise through the reaction chamber even with the Blue Air Screw completely out. I have checked the internal of the Protein Skimmer and there are no kinks in the airline tubing and the pump start and works as normal. Also the Protein Skimmer level mark is level with the water in the aquarium and the collection cup is sitting flush on the Protein Skimmer. So I'm not sure exactly what is wrong. Any help with the expensive non working skimmer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[rvitko]

How long has the skimmer been running and is this an established tank with live rock and fish? It generally takes 1-2 days for the skimmer to start to produce foam in the cup on an established aquarium. If it is a new tank, there may be nothing for the skimmer to remove. Are you using the skimmer in tank or in sump?

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

The aquarium itself is about 4 months old with a few fish and cucumbers and hermit crabs, live rock and sand. The Protein Skimmer has been in for about 3 weeks already. It is placed in tank since there is no sump.

 

[rvitko]

I would guess something is wrong with the venturi, please compare to the pictures I will post shortly.

 

[rvitko]

It should disassemble like this:

The hose should fit snug in the opening, if it is loose and disconnects easily that would reduce the air flow.

 

[rvitko]

Sometimes the nozzle will break as shown in shipping:

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

Actually the venturi looks find. There is no broken piece the venturi fits snuggly into each other and then the air valve connects via the smaller hole on the side.

 

[rvitko]

Do you add anything to the tank that could potentially interfere with skimming, does the water level fluctuate a lot? Is the skimmer in the tank or in a small internal compartment? Do you have a photo of it installed that you could post?

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

The Protein Skimmer is installed directly into the aquarium and I have a Tunze Osmolator installed that keeps the water level just right. I don't add anything that could prevent the skimmer which is why I asked for help after owning this for 3 weeks. I will post some photographs when I get home this evening. Thank youf or the assistance.

 

[rvitko]

I am at a loss as to why it wouldn't skim, if it is taking in enough air and the pump is running and the water level is correct, it should work.

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

I am at a loss as well. I figured that it was just extremely oversized. Could the water actually have nothing to skim?

 

[rvitko]

It is very oversized, it is possible that there is nothing to skim if the rock was fully cured and you feed lightly. Has the skimmer ever removed anything?

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

Is appears to have but it just a gunky ring on the inside of the chamber and not inside the collection cup. The photographs I send later this evening will definitely give you a better idea of what I mean. I never thought it would be posible to overskim?

 

[rvitko]

If you overskim, the cup will fill and stop and you can strip trace elements, but it should still skim.

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

Photographs of Skimmate Production for Tunze DOC 9010 Protein Skimmer.

Photographs of Skimmate Production for Tunze DOC 9010 Protein Skimmer.

Rvitko, here are the photographs you requested of the Protein Skimmer Skimmate Performance. The foam production is at the bottomg of the reaction chamber and will not rise high enough to clear the collection cup. I'm leaning toward the Protein Skimmer being so efficient that is is removing all that it can.

Photographs - Tunze DOC 9010 Protein Skimmer Skimmate Production.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xDk4GYdfHo
Video - Tunze DOC 9010 Protein Skimmer Skimmate Production.

 

[rvitko]

The foam head looks correct, I think the tank is just so sparsely populated that there is not much to skim, it looks like it has a very minimal amount of rock. The cup has some build up and it is on the lid as well. So it looks like it has removed what was there to be removed. I would give the cup a thorough cleaning as the deposits do break the foam column and reduce skimming. If you are feeding oily foods or have some suspended sediment these will both further reduce skimming, but again, I can't imagine there is much to skim in that tank, it looks clean and quite sparse. The way the foam is rising and falling and the density all look correct, so I think technically the skimmer is fine.

 

[TheReefDaVinci]

Awesome! Thank you Rvitko.

 

[KeysGeezer]

rvitko - please do not leave too soon. I have a brand new Tunze 9010 that I just installed on Monday of last week, July 13th. It is installed in a coralife 100 sump next to my pump. I backed off the adjustment screw as instructed and left it alone for three days then began turning it 1/4 turn closed each day since and I have seen no change since the first day installed. I can see the water down inside swirling about and but nothing has ever risen to enter the top cup. The bubble filled water is ejecting through the vertical blue foam covered pipe and the tank seems to be filled with mini bubbles. Water is ejecting from the other side of the unit also. Water level in the sump is about 5 inches.
I have it on a 90 gal fowlr that has been running for 3 months and has had healthy fish for the past month: 1 yel tang, 1 royal gramma, 2 false perculas, 3 yel tail blue damsels, 1 scarlet cleaner shrimp, 3 emerald crabs, a few blue leg hermits, a few snails, at least one bristle worm. I feed these guys once every other day and not too much. Water tests well but I can't seem to get my nitrates below 30-40 ppm hence the skimmer. Water clarity is great other than the mini bubbles.
One reason for the Tunze is the great reputation and the other is the size necessary to fit in the small area of the sump right next to the pump.
Please give me some wisdom - thanks.

 

[rvitko]

Have you checked the venturi as I first mentioned in this post? It sounds like you have done everything right and overall it is assembled correctly. I problem like this would be not enough air flow, I would assume it is open 5 turns by now? Or that there is something in the tank (surfactant) interfering with skimming.

Keep in mind that a skimmer cannot normally remove nitrates, it can only prevent them from increasing. Also keep in mind that most hobby kits test total nitrogen and not nitrate, You can get a result of say 50ppm with a basic hobby kit like TetraTest and get a result of only 2ppm with a LaMotte which measures actual nitrate. Hobby kits are best for monitoring trends and not for hard data.

 

[KeysGeezer]

Roger - I have been tightening the screw so it is almost closed (screwed in) completely. Maybe that's my problem. I will unplug then unscrew 3 turns and continue to unscrew at 1/4 turn intervals.
Thanks - I'll give this a try.