Skimmate in a bucket - how can I make this work ?

[Idech]

I am dosing vodka and my skimmer cup needs emptying at least once a day so I used a longer hose to discard the skimmate in a bucket instead.

It worked flawlessly for two weeks but after I emptied the bucket, for some reason, it lost syphon and I need to fiddle with the hose everyday to empty the skimmer cup into the bucket.

I wish I could raise the hose to make better use of gravity but it’s not possible (it won’t skim if I raise the skimmer).

How can I fix this ?

Thanks !

 

[C_AWOL]

Is there no way to adjust the skimmer after it's raised to skim or is the valve already almost fully closed?

It might help if you drill a hole or two in the bucket lid for the air to escape. Less back pressure that way for the skimmate to flow. Just make sure you put carbon over those holes or you'll regret the smell.

 

[Idech]

Is there no way to adjust the skimmer after it's raised to skim or is the valve already almost fully closed?

Which, the air or the water valve ? It took me three months to get this skimmer to work. I tried many different heights and settings and only this one worked. I would be reluctant to change anything.

It might help if you drill a hole or two in the bucket lid for the air to escape. Less back pressure that way for the skimmate to flow. Just make sure you put carbon over those holes or you'll regret the smell.

Okay, I can do that. What size holes ? Size of a dime okay ?

 

[C_AWOL]

Which, the air or the water valve ? It took me three months to get this skimmer to work. I tried many different heights and settings and only this one worked. I would be reluctant to change anything.


Okay, I can do that. What size holes ? Size of a dime okay ?

Both air and water frankly but with carbon dosing its generally easy to adjust a skimmer (has never taken me 3 months to adjust to say the least)

A dime sized hole should be more than enough since the goal of the hole is to prevent back pressure from preventing skimmate from entering the bucket.

 

[Idech]

Both air and water frankly but with carbon dosing its generally easy to adjust a skimmer (has never taken me 3 months to adjust to say the least)

It was my first skimmer in a sump, that probably didn’t help.