Bubble Magus Z 6 noisy

[Jimbo662]

Anyone with a the Z 6 experience a lot of noise with it? First off, leaving the intake tube completely open it's in constant overflow mode no matter what level the water is at. I put an inline valve in the intake tube which solved the overflow problem. All the noise in the video is caused by air. If I pinch the air tube to stop all air intake the pump is dead quiet. As soon as I release the tube the noise starts. It does this with the air tube completely open and with the valve partially closed.

 

[Jimbo662]

I decided to pull the skimmer and figure out another solution. While I was dismantling and cleaning it I noticed the part that screws into the outlet and that the bubble plate attaches to wasn't screwed in all the way. It needed about another turn and a half. This turned out to be the issue! Argh...now to let it break in again!!!

 

[fzs122]

@Jimbo662 What brand and size of inline valve did you use? I just ordered a Z-6 from BRS and they didn't have an open box to verify the tubing size for me.

 

[Jimbo662]

@Jimbo662 What brand and size of inline valve did you use? I just ordered a Z-6 from BRS and they didn't have an open box to verify the tubing size for me.

I ordered these. I ended up removing it after a while and everything is working great and no noise.

Two Little Fishies ATL5460W 6-Pack Micro Valve Barb X Barb​

 

[Geebs19]

Cant wait to get a new skimmer so I can take my Z6 out to the yard and take a baseball bat to it. Nothing but issues, this thing is way to finnicky for me.

 

[fzs122]

I ordered these. I ended up removing it after a while and everything is working great and no noise.

Two Little Fishies ATL5460W 6-Pack Micro Valve Barb X Barb​

@Jimbo662 Thanks so much for the info. I picked up a pack of 5460W's and I sure am glad. I tried the Z6 without the valve first (in only 6" of water instead of the recommended 8"). Even with the cleanout plug removed (and water POURING out of the hole) it literally popped the skimmer's lid off.

I spliced one of the 5460W's into the air intake tube (for those wondering, the barbs are made to fit 3/16" ID tubing), and now I can fine tune things to where the skimmer actually functions correctly. I'm sure I'll need to keep an eye on it to readjust as biofilm develops inside the skimmer, but it would have been useless to me without the valve as it would overflow at even the "minimum" setting.

@Geebs19 I feel your pain. I actually bought this Z6 to replace a more traditional skimmer that already had air adjustment but couldn't be tamed after I refreshed a spent Dr Tim's Aquatics
Waste Away Time Release Gel pack.

 

[Geebs19]

@Jimbo662 Thanks so much for the info. I picked up a pack of 5460W's and I sure am glad. I tried the Z6 without the valve first (in only 6" of water instead of the recommended 8"). Even with the cleanout plug removed (and water POURING out of the hole) it literally popped the skimmer's lid off.

I spliced one of the 5460W's into the air intake tube (for those wondering, the barbs are made to fit 3/16" ID tubing), and now I can fine tune things to where the skimmer actually functions correctly. I'm sure I'll need to keep an eye on it to readjust as biofilm develops inside the skimmer, but it would have been useless to me without the valve as it would overflow at even the "minimum" setting.

@Geebs19 I feel your pain. I actually bought this Z6 to replace a more traditional skimmer that already had air adjustment but couldn't be tamed after I refreshed a spent Dr Tim's Aquatics
Waste Away Time Release Gel pack.

I just for the life of me cant get it dialed in, coming up on almost a year. I will set it so its bubbling in the neck, does that for a few hours and then I check it and its overflowing. I just dont understand it and I am done messing with it, I just have to empty it everyday.