Replacing power head on eshopps Protein Skimmer

[dasteve003]

I think I need to replace the powerhead on my eshopps protein skimmer, I bought it used and have only seen bubbles in it twice in the 12 days it's been running. I believe it is this one that I have but it's definitely not showing the same powerhead that's on it now. Any recommendations for a replacement and/or what do I need to look for in a replacement? I have attached a pic of what it looks like now if something is not hooked up right please let me know, thanks for any help!

These are a pic of my skimmer and a close up of the powerhead currently on it, definitely doesn't look like the one from the link.

 

[dasteve003]

I think this is the pump on there currently.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Yea, grab the Atman, thats a good pump.
If your other one isn't making any bubbles, have you cleaned out the airline? Because if the pump is running, its the air intake.

 

[dasteve003]

I can blow on the whiteish clear tube up by the top and feel the air in the top of the skimmer with my lid off, I assume this means I have a clear air line?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Not necessarily. If the line is clogged up with salt creep, you can blow in it, but it can't get air into it when its running. Ya gotta pull the line off there and get the salt creep out of there, its usually right where it plugs into the pump.

 

[dasteve003]

I took it apart quite a bit and water can defintley pass through the tube without any issues, would you say it probably does need a new power head?

 

[Reefing Madness]

I find it curious that the pump is running, but not producing bubbles. If the line is clear, have you moved the skimmer up or down in the water column any? Done anything different with the skimmer?

 

[dasteve003]

The pump that sends the water back into the tank is running fine, I'm not sure the powerhead on my skimmer is doing anything even when it is plugged in.

 

[Reefing Madness]

AH, got ya now. Now I get what your saying. Yea, I'd replace the powerhead then.

 

[dasteve003]

So I replaced the powerhead today and skimmer is bubbling, I noticed it said do not run dry on the top of the powerhead ( an atman 1100). The power head doesnt have to be compltely submerged does it, because I don't think that is gonna work. I'm hoping it just means there has to be enough water to get into the tall cylinder which there is because there is certainy some bubbling. Any ideas on what they mean by running this dry?

 

[Reefing Madness]

If its not completely submerged, I'd not use it then. You need to keep more water in the fuge then.
Also, if you have it in that shallow of a depth, I'd say that my be the reason the skimmer isn't working properly.