Birdman Broham
Active Member
Picked up a aquatop skimmer. It’s submerged in my sump in 8” of water. Is there a break in Period for skimmers or am I doing something wrong. Going to try to upload a video. But the water is gushing up out of the top.
Help with Skimmer
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Mark Goode
Well-Known Member
There is a break in period. Run your drain hose into the sump and leave the valve open until things settle down.
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Birdman Broham
Active Member
My LFS I got it from told me to remove the collection cup for a few days than things will settle down. Is this a accurate statement?
Mark Goode
Well-Known Member
That will work. My Red Sea skimmer took about three weeks. Don't ask me why though.
Lavey29
10K Club member
That works also. Try and raise it up an inch till it breaks in could help also.
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Birdman Broham
Active Member
Is there like a set depth it needs to be? Do I have it to deep?
Mark Goode
Well-Known Member
Is there not a water level marker anywhere? Any instruction manual? If I set mine too deep it goes nuts. Your problem might simply be breaking in though.
jimfish98
Active Member
I learned this with my first skimmer and repeated it on the second, and break in time was minimal. I stack plastic egg crate in the sump and set the skimmer on top with the gate wide open. I leave the drain on the collection cup open so bubbles/water flow out with ease. I have the egg crates at a height where only about 3-4 inches of the skimmer is in the water and then turn it on. After a bit I notice bubbles not going as high and close the gate slightly. After a couple times closing it, I open the gate all the way again and remove two layers of the crate and repeat the process. I don't know why it works, but it has for me. I had a Quantum skimmer that wouldn't break in even after two weeks, this did it in two days. I have a reef octopus and it took less than a day with this method.
Lavey29
10K Club member
Yes skimmers have recommended depths. If you are dry skimming after break in and still overflowing then bring it up an inch with a skimmer stand. I use one now.
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Birdman Broham
Active Member
On the manual there is no recommendation
slingfox
Well-Known Member
Apparently skimmers can take a few weeks to settle in. I recently installed a RedSea skimmer and it wouldn't stop overflowing until I raised it with a stand so that it was sitting in the recommended height of water.
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No such thing as a break in period but clean surfaces can take a couple hours to become coated. After that, over foaming is an adjustment issue.Picked up a aquatop skimmer. It’s submerged in my sump in 8” of water. Is there a break in Period for skimmers or am I doing something wrong. Going to try to upload a video. But the water is gushing up out of the top.
Mark Goode
Well-Known Member
Yes there is. The manufacturing process leaves a film on the acrylic surfaces, and until this (harmless) film is gone the skimmer won't work.
argiBK
Well-Known Member
Not familiar with this skimmer, but it looks like it has two effluents (water outlets). Are both effluents wide open? If both are wide open and the skimmer is overflowing you probably need to raise the skimmer.
With both wide open, bubbles should be well below the neck. Then you can start tuning the bubble height by closing/restricting one effluent, then the other.
With both wide open, bubbles should be well below the neck. Then you can start tuning the bubble height by closing/restricting one effluent, then the other.
Mark Goode
Well-Known Member
Whatever.
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Birdman Broham
Active Member
Yes. Both are wide open. When I start to close either one water pushing up the neck faster. Same with the Venturi valve (oxygen line) opened all the way water flows out. Close it any water flows faster to the top
