protein skimmer problems

[Celbrise]

so I bought the seaclone 150 for my 55gallon tank and I've never used a protein skimmer before. the problem I have is the foam is not reaching the top of the tube it is nowhere near it. it's been running a few hours now and has little foam. lots of bubbles but the foam isn't even reaching the bottom of the collection cups shaft where it would enter and go up.

will this change once I run it for a while? I've tried adjusting air flow more air = less foam where as more restricted air = more foam but lots of splashing. it's been running about 2-3 hours now. condensation is building inside of the cup but I think that's from splashing

 

[jetmaker]

If it's new then it may need just to be broken

 

[jetmaker]

Takes about 2 wks

 

[jaguars4263]

That's your problem it's a sea clown. I had one a very long time ago when I got into the hobby. Probably the worst purchase I made! Skimmers take a couple days to break in. I didn't even know they still made those things.

 

[klesel]

It's got to break in it gets a film built up then you will notice the foam building up and collecting it will take little tweeking get it adjusted right .be patient it take little time .

 

[jetmaker]

If it's new then it may need just to be broken

Broke in lol

 

[vic67]

Sometimes a vinegar bath for a new skimmer helps. Also, there are some threads about modding the Sea Clone to improve performance. If you can return the Sea Clone another skimmer would be a great idea.

 

[jetmaker]

I have a aqua Max c01 love it.

 

[Celbrise]

okay thanks didn't know if it needed to be broken in or was just that bad. yea I read it was a bad skimmer just needed something if anything I will eventually upgrade it will see how it runs though lots of bad reviews but also some good ones

 

[twilliard]

Here is what I think
That skimmer will give you a good foundation on how they work and the principals behind them.
Learn as much as you can with it. Do not expect the best but try to make it better.
From there you will have the understanding of skimming.
When you get a moment read my article
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/skimmers-explained.227824/

 

[bobman]

After fine tunning that thing you will be a skimmer master. I had 1 long long ago and after a lot of patience and some tweaking and more patience and more tweaking I actually got it to skim ok. Good luck give it a few days and go from there.

 

[Celbrise]

so I let it run over night and although I wouldn't say it skimmed anything I am not sure how the hell I got light brown stuff in the collection cup. so far it looks like it is evaporating the top of the foam into the collection cup slowly and collecting in the collection cup. I have read in many mods that I should add a air adjustment valve or whatever. does anyone know what that looks like and what it actually does? I am also planning to just let it break in for maybe a month or 2 at longest and cut the middle tube where the foam shoots up to help it skim it seems excessively long atm but will also do that when it breaks in

 

[Celbrise]

I had a question about the air line tubing. the instructions did not say to cut the tubing at all but if I did shorten it would it increase foaming? right now it's about twice as long as it needs to be

 

[Celbrise]

here is what the skimmer looks like I was wondering if this is normal before it breaks in or should the foam be much higher

 

[Celbrise]

so I left my protein skimmer on and kept messing with it over the past week and the bubbles significantly went down and it doesn't even seem to be evaporating the top bubbles into the collection cup as well. why is that? I've let it run maybe 1-2 days before tweaking it everytime and nothing. the middle was full of junk but nothing in the collection cup so I just cleaned it. any ideas why it wont foam up again? been looking at the bubbles lately in the skimmer they are huge. it creates small bubbles and also fairly large bubbles in the whirlpool looking chamber