Protein skimmer!

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

Help needed please people!
7 days in to the tank now and starting to bed the skimmer in, it’s a tmc 400, ( I know it will need upgrading at some point) my tank is a Red Sea 425,
I know the micro bubbles are normal and can take some time to disperse, but my question is do I adjust the skimmer so it works how it needs to, or simply leave it low till it’s bedded in?

Lonely reefer's · Dec 12, 2020

IMO good skimmer should do it job in a few hrs, if your bio load is sufficient
I would make it work as design

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

We have 2 clowns in there, feeding mysis, just what they need, it’s the bubbles that are getting annoying

mann1139 · Dec 12, 2020

How long has the tank been up?

Is the skimmer new or used?

Is the water at the correct level for the skimmer?

I added a new skimmer as a replacement to an existing, mature tank. It took almost a month to get it tuned, as it was taking a lot out during that time.

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

mann1139 said:
How long has the tank been up?

Is the skimmer new or used?

Is the water at the correct level for the skimmer?

I added a new skimmer as a replacement to an existing, mature tank. It took almost a month to get it tuned, as it was taking a lot out during that time.

The tank has been up 7 days now, I know it won’t be working perfectly because there is nothing in it to skim, I’m unsure about the water level, when I first started a few years ago I got it off a mate so I don’t have the user instructions, and with it being old can’t seem to find them
Online, so I don’t really know how to stop the bubbles as they seem to be getting through the bubble trap weir

mann1139 · Dec 12, 2020

rubertoe93 said:
The tank has been up 7 days now, I know it won’t be working perfectly because there is nothing in it to skim, I’m unsure about the water level, when I first started a few years ago I got it off a mate so I don’t have the user instructions, and with it being old can’t seem to find them
Online, so I don’t really know how to stop the bubbles as they seem to be getting through the bubble trap weir

It might be skimming particles off the sand. Is the skimmate tan in color, or more olive green?

Is the skimmer adjustable?

Heck, post a picture. Maybe someone can ID it.

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

mann1139 said:
It might be skimming particles off the sand. Is the skimmate tan in color, or more olive green?

Is the skimmer adjustable?

Heck, post a picture. Maybe someone can ID it.

It’s a tmc V2 400, it’s not producing any at the moment, the bubbles arnt reacting enough to cause the foam

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

rubertoe93 said:
It’s a tmc V2 400, it’s not producing any at the moment, the bubbles arnt reacting enough to cause the foam

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

rubertoe93 said:
Here the display not sure if you can see the micro bubbles

mann1139 · Dec 12, 2020

Is that gray knob adjustable? Turn it so all the water goes through the skimmer rather than 'out'.

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

mann1139 said:
Is that gray knob adjustable? Turn it so all the water goes through the skimmer rather than 'out'.

Yeah it’s adjustable, but I wasn’t sure how high to have the bubbles, any more it overflows and have a cup of water

mann1139 · Dec 12, 2020

That's okay for the first week or two. You need to break the skimmer in first. After that it becomes a battle between micro-bubbles and overflowing the cup.

If both are happening, you need to lower the water level in your skimmer by putting somethin underneath it to raise it up.

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

mann1139 said:
That's okay for the first week or two. You need to break the skimmer in first. After that it becomes a battle between micro-bubbles and overflowing the cup.

If both are happening, you need to lower the water level in your skimmer by putting somethin underneath it to raise it up.

The skimmer it’s self is mounted to the side of the sump so not fully submerged

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

rubertoe93 said:
The skimmer it’s self is mounted to the side of the sump so not fully submerged

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

But like I’ve read in a few posts and seen online, there isn’t much you can do for the first 2 weeks or so is there! Thanks for your advice!

X-37B · Dec 12, 2020

If you started with dead rock turn it off as their is nothing to skim.
Skimmers can be finicky with certain models and require more adjustment than other models.

rubertoe93 · Dec 12, 2020

90's reefer said:
If you started with dead rock turn it off as their is nothing to skim.
Skimmers can be finicky with certain models and require more adjustment than other models.

Yeah started with the dead rock, but added colony and 2 clowns, thought it was best to bed it on now,