My skimmer is a jerk. Lets dial it in.

[ARAJEA]

How dirty does a tank need to be before a skimmer actually skims? Tank has been up for 6 weeks, clowns in for almost a week after their QT. Cycled with ammonia. Little bit of food since. I've had this skimmer at 4 different heights multiple times for multiple days. I've plugged the holes on the thingamajig on the side of the skimmer. I've added a valve to adjust air allowed into the thingamajig. About the only thing I haven't done is my next step which will be a sledgehammer. Skimmer is a reef octopus 150. Ammonia, trite and trate are zeros. Salt is 36. Temp is 77.8 atm. PH is 7.96 but fluctuates to 8.04 (discussion for later). Please help before I lash out irrationally.

 

[drmantistoboggan]

Could you send a picture of it on? How is the airflow is it high or low?

 

[Philly Reefer]

This video helps me understand my skimmer better.

 

[Pistondog]

How dirty does a tank need to be before a skimmer actually skims? Tank has been up for 6 weeks, clowns in for almost a week after their QT. Cycled with ammonia. Little bit of food since. I've had this skimmer at 4 different heights multiple times for multiple days. I've plugged the holes on the thingamajig on the side of the skimmer. I've added a valve to adjust air allowed into the thingamajig. About the only thing I haven't done is my next step which will be a sledgehammer. Skimmer is a reef octopus 150. Ammonia, trite and trate are zeros. Salt is 36. Temp is 77.8 atm. PH is 7.96 but fluctuates to 8.04 (discussion for later). Please help before I lash out irrationally.

Which ro 150, does it have the varios control, which allows speed adjustment? If so, turn it down.

 

[ARAJEA]

Drmantisstoboggan actually just made me realize my issue with that one statement. I've just had an apostrophe. (Without googling name the movie that quote is from and we can be friends).

 

[Water Dog]

How big is your tank?

 

[ARAJEA]

Red sea 525

 

[ARAJEA]

So 100 in the tank give a few and 39 in the sump.........ish

 

[Water Dog]

I wouldn‘t expect much skim from a six week old old 140 gallon system with just two little clowns in it. Give it time. Add more livestock and let the tank mature. Have you even gone through a new tank uglies phase yet?

 

[drmantistoboggan]

Highly recommend watching the brs video on dialing in the skimmer. Your tank is new without a lot of gunk yet, you are going to want to decrease the air intake. This will increase contact time the bubbles have with the water and increase them picking up oils. Skimmers also take a while to break in, was it a brand new skimmer?