Best height for SCA-301 skimmer

[glb]

I need to make some adjustments on my SCA skimmer. Right now it's sitting in 8" of water and all the skimmate is collecting in the skimmer tube and not overflowing into the cup. The initial bubble level is at the base of the collection cup. It's never skimmed dark skimmate. When I raise the bubble level, it skims very pale skimmate. I'm thinking I need to adjust the height. I've read that a good water level is about an inch above the red bubble diffuser in the body. What heights have you had success with? I'm getting ready to start with Nopox so I want to make sure the skimmer is at its best.

 

[Jimbo662]

I think they should be closer to 7 1/2".

 

[redfishbluefish]

I ran in seven inches.....and realize adjustments are a slight nudge on the blue tube.....and then waiting before nudging it again. With six fish and heavy feeding, you should be making some nasty sludge.

 

[glb]

I think they should be closer to 7 1/2".

Mine is at 7 1/4" right now. I used that egg crate lighting screen in 3 layers that are each 1/4". I can remove them as needed. I'm hoping this will help with the nitrates too once it's dialed in correctly. Thanks!!

 

[glb]

I ran in seven inches.....and realize adjustments are a slight nudge on the blue tube.....and then waiting before nudging it again. With six fish and heavy feeding, you should be making some nasty sludge.

Yep. The blue tube adjustments are very slight. I have no nasty sludge. In fact, the skimmate smells earthy and fresh. Lol

 

[glb]

So should I get this dialed in correctly before starting Nopox? It needs to be skimming efficiently before I start dosing right?

 

[Seanb1]

Maybe there's just not enough waste in your water for it to skim the way you think it should.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I've read between 7" and 9" total. Mine (an SCA-301) is in about 8 inches of water.

I personally set mine to skim a little wet. As a result, the skimmate is a little on the lighter side. It is capable of pulling very concentrated, black-ish colored skimmate, but this skimmer is way oversized for my tank. I probably have 24 gallons total water volume and 2 clowns, so I don't think there's much to pull. Skimming wet is more consistent for me in my situation. Here's the color and consistency of my skimmate:



I would tune it until you get consistent skimmate production, even if it's not dark black sludge, and adjust as necessary as you start organic carbon dosing.

 

[glb]

Maybe there's just not enough waste in your water for it to skim the way you think it should.

I thought about that. It's six small fish in 47g total water volume. I just find it curious that my nitrates stay at 20ppm.

 

[glb]

I've read between 7" and 9" total. Mine (an SCA-301) is in about 8 inches of water.

I personally set mine to skim a little wet. As a result, the skimmate is a little on the lighter side. It is capable of pulling very concentrated, black-ish colored skimmate, but this skimmer is way oversized for my tank. I probably have 24 gallons total water volume and 2 clowns, so I don't think there's much to pull. Skimming wet is more consistent for me in my situation. Here's the color and consistency of my skimmate:



I would tune it until you get consistent skimmate production, even if it's not dark black sludge, and adjust as necessary as you start organic carbon dosing.

That's a good idea. I do get sludge in the tube where the skimmate collects, just not much overflow into the collection cup. I adjusted the height of the skimmer. What I don't get is those big bubbles at the top of the tube that have the organics in them.

 

[glb]

I've read between 7" and 9" total. Mine (an SCA-301) is in about 8 inches of water.

I personally set mine to skim a little wet. As a result, the skimmate is a little on the lighter side. It is capable of pulling very concentrated, black-ish colored skimmate, but this skimmer is way oversized for my tank. I probably have 24 gallons total water volume and 2 clowns, so I don't think there's much to pull. Skimming wet is more consistent for me in my situation. Here's the color and consistency of my skimmate:



I would tune it until you get consistent skimmate production, even if it's not dark black sludge, and adjust as necessary as you start organic carbon dosing.

Where do you set the bubbles? At the bottom of the collection cup?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Where do you set the bubbles? At the bottom of the collection cup?

Hm now that I don't know. I don't really know where the bubbles are in the skimmer. I just adjust the level until I get the kind of skimmate that I like. I have a semi-dense foam all the way to the collection cup.