Bubble magus curve 7 bubbles

[Eggpaul]

My tank has been running for 5 weeks and it seems the bubbles won't reach the cup on my skimmer. There is junk building up below the cup as you can see here. The water level is 9 inches. The skimmate is seen in the pic. What do I do? Only time bubbles reach the cup is when I change water and shut off the return pump. The level rises in the sump of course when I do that.

 

[Eggpaul]

There is some skimmate in the cup, but it's mainly in the hourglass area.

 

[Eggpaul]

Also, I can't raise the water level, or else I'll lose the waterfall I have currently from the fuge to the return area

 

[pharazon]

Can you just close it more? Do small adjustments and let it run for a few hours. Most will say 24 hours but in personally too impatient and will give it a few hours at most.

Also, what’s your bio load like? It may just be that there’s not a whole lot to skim, and you’ll need to skim on the wetter side to get any collection. As you have more waste in the tank, you’ll be able to get more dry skin mate production from leaving it open wider.

At least that’s my understanding. Good luck!

 

[Eggpaul]

Can you just close it more? Do small adjustments and let it run for a few hours. Most will say 24 hours but in personally too impatient and will give it a few hours at most.

Also, what’s your bio load like? It may just be that there’s not a whole lot to skim, and you’ll need to skim on the wetter side to get any collection. As you have more waste in the tank, you’ll be able to get more dry skin mate production from leaving it open wider.

At least that’s my understanding. Good luck!

But if I close it, won't the bubbles lower? I need them to rise. Should I open it to the maximum #3?

 

[Raznyc79]

Rotate the adjustment pipe counter clock wise to 3 or 2 mark. It looks like you have it fully open for lowest water level inside the skimmer. Make small adjustments until fooam lise raise to the bottom of the collection cup.......

 

[Eggpaul]

Rotate the adjustment pipe counter clock wise to 3 or 2 mark. It looks like you have it fully open for lowest water level inside the skimmer. Make small adjustments until fooam lise raise to the bottom of the collection cup.......

Oh, I thought 1 meant it is at closed. My setting is 2.5. I'll try 3

 

[pharazon]

But if I close it, won't the bubbles lower? I need them to rise. Should I open it to the maximum #3?

Closing it means the water level inside the skimmer will be higher, and as a result, the foam will rise higher. You want to do it in small adjustments to avoid overflowing. It looks like you have a good foam head going so it probably won’t take too long to start getting some skimmate.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Can you just close it more? Do small adjustments and let it run for a few hours. Most will say 24 hours but in personally too impatient and will give it a few hours at most.

Also, what’s your bio load like? It may just be that there’s not a whole lot to skim, and you’ll need to skim on the wetter side to get any collection. As you have more waste in the tank, you’ll be able to get more dry skin mate production from leaving it open wider.

At least that’s my understanding. Good luck!

+1 for sure

My tank has been running a little less than yours. I figured I would try tuning my skimmer before cycle finished. When I made adjustments things just went haywire.

I know people say make small adjustments but I was waiting minutes not hours. You definitely have to give your adjustments time to dial in that sweet spot.

I also agree with others that there just may not be enough organics. I start to get some nice foam bubbling at very top of cup then later on it can be a couple inches lower

 

[rainmaker]

When you raise water level in skimmer it will pull more water from sump so you may need to add water to sump to your desired level for the over flow to your return area

 

[drblakjak55]

I keep water level at ten inches for the Mag7.

 

[Eggpaul]

When you raise water level in skimmer it will pull more water from sump so you may need to add water to sump to your desired level for the over flow to your return area

Good point

 

[Eggpaul]

I keep water level at ten inches for the Mag7.

If I do that I won't have a waterfall from the Refugium to the return area.

 

[rainmaker]

If You have external skimmer I run a diablo 250 ext you need skimmer above water in sump so return of skimmer will drain
To adjust bubble height in skimmer close off gate valve will raise water in skimmer
Make small adjustments till you have bubbles in cup neck then you will be close to fine tuning

 

[Eggpaul]

When you raise water level in skimmer it will pull more water from sump so you may need to add water to sump to your desired level for the over flow to your return area

So if I set the skimmer to 1 , that is the highest bubble height? It says minimum next to it though. Confusing.

 

[rainmaker]

I believe on that skimmer 1 would be letting less water to escape skimmer you may need to set your skimmer deeper in sump so water height will be higher in skimmer
Only off set I can see would be you may need more water in sump if it’s starving your return area

 

[rainmaker]

What size tank do you have this skimmer on
An size of sump could be this skimmer might be to big if you can’t set at right depth

 

[Eggpaul]

I believe on that skimmer 1 would be letting less water to escape skimmer you may need to set your skimmer deeper in sump so water height will be higher in skimmer
Only off set I can see would be you may need more water in sump if it’s starving your return area

It is in 9 inches of water right now. If I raise the water level I will lose the waterfall from the fuge to the return. Do I need the waterfall? see picture. Is it a problem if there is no waterfall there? At this water level the bubbles reach the skimmer cup.

 

[Eggpaul]

What size tank do you have this skimmer on
An size of sump could be this skimmer might be to big if you can’t set at right depth

150 gallon tank. Sump is about 40 or 50 gallons.

 

[Eggpaul]

It is in 9 inches of water right now. If I raise the water level I will lose the waterfall from the fuge to the return. Do I need the waterfall? see picture. Is it a problem if there is no waterfall there? At this water level the bubbles reach the skimmer cup.

If I have a waterfall, that is right around the 9 inch mark. In this picture I had turned off the return pump, and the water level rose to what is seen. At that point the bubbles in the skimmer reached the cup. So my question, should I make this the water level in the sump? Or do I really need a waterfall from the refugium to the return area. Again, I only have 3 fish right now so maybe I don't have enough waste. But there is brown skimmate always forming on the inside collar of the cup. @crabs_mcjones