Help with Aquamaxx 1.5 HOB

RaeRae · Oct 13, 2020

Purchased this about a month ago and started working like a champ right out the box. Last 4 days I quit getting skim and just small bubbles. Gotten very loud that it's unbearable!
Can anyone tell me what this screw on top is for?

Anthony Scholfield · Oct 13, 2020

That screw holds the air chamber together that helps quiet the skimmer when it sucks air.

I would suggest pulling the skimmer out, taking it apart and cleaning the whole thing. It may be gummed up from your system. I do this to mine every few months as regular maintenance.

I started doing this after it got unplugged by accident once and when i plugged it back in it would not really start up. So i pulled it and took it apart to find the pump gummed up.

RaeRae · Oct 13, 2020

Now that you say that I did do a really good cleaning this weekend. Toothbrushed my rocks from algae. Maybe some got stuck somewhere

Anthony Scholfield · Oct 13, 2020

RaeRae said:
Now that you say that I did do a really good cleaning this weekend. Toothbrushed my rocks from algae. Maybe some got stuck somewhere

It’s very possible, guess it’s time to get to know your skimmer.

pull it apart and clean it.

Sleeping Giant · Oct 13, 2020

Salt creep ends up plugging the air line

StlSalt · Oct 13, 2020

I run one on my 40B, and a good cleaning will bring it back to life like it was new. Make sure to clean the impeller with a toothbrush and check the hole where the air tube attaches to the pump. I've had that clog on me before, cleaned the little tube the yellow airline attaches to with a toothpick.

headonkey · Oct 14, 2020

Sleeping Giant said:
Salt creep ends up plugging the air line

This is the problem. Clean up where the airline attached to the pump and it'll work again.

Sleeping Giant · Oct 14, 2020

headonkey said:
This is the problem. Clean up where the airline attached to the pump and it'll work again.

I usually disassemble the silencer and clean it under warm water once a month

Water Dog · Oct 14, 2020

Yup, it’s a clogged volute. Grab a bamboo skewer and ream out the salt creep build up that forms where the airline hose attaches to the pump intake piece.

Once that is done, to maintain a clear volute on a regular basis, nuke a cup of RODI water. Take the end of the airline tube and stick it into the cup of hot RODI water. The hot water will get sucked down the airline tubing and clear out any buildup in the volute. Do this once a week and you will be able to avoid the tedious monthly breakdown of the entire skimmer. This is what I did when I owned an Aquamaxx HOB-1.