Skimmer help please

[Retro Reefer]

if you look at my picture the cup comes off right where the red neck is. Do I not want the bubbles to be going up that pipe? How does all the crud stuff get into the cup

A good starting point for bubbles Is the blue line I drew, you may need to adjust up or down a little from there.. the bubbles will eventually form a foam that will rise up the tube to the cup.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

Hi All, Thanks for your input. I had thought about raising it up last night, the only thing that held me back was that it was working fine for the last two weeks.



So if you look at my picture the cup comes off right where the red neck is. Do I not want the bubbles to be going up that pipe? How does all the crud stuff get into the cup?

U do but that is achieved with a foam head that will build up and overflow into the collection cup. this will let just the bubbles with the organic matter spill over into the cup but all the extra water will stay down.

 

[New&no clue]

Okay, so how do you tell the difference between bubbles and foam?

 

[Jon Fishman]

Okay, so how do you tell the difference between bubbles and foam?

The foam will already have a brown/dark yellow tinge to it

 

[ReefHomieJon]

Okay, so how do you tell the difference between bubbles and foam?

When you first turn it on, whatever level the bubbles sit at immediately is your bubble level(what u want to be at the top of the neck when the collection cup is off). The foam is what starts climbing up and falling into the cup

 

[SeaDweller]

It's best to get bubbles at base of cup. There's is dry skim and wet skim. Dry is when crude build's in the neck of cup and wet is when crude gets in cup.

I wouldn't define that as dry and wet skim. But yes drier skimmate tends to accumulate in the neck more; dry skimming is darker and denser, but it's not removing as much organics as wet skimming would.

 

[SeaDweller]

Okay, so how do you tell the difference between bubbles and foam?

the foam looks "airy and fluffy" to me. You'll see like a thin ring that rises and falls; the bubbles are consistently fast moving and, well look like bubbles.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Foam is “clingy” and will not fall back down into skimmer like bubbles will. This is what it will eventually look like with wet skimming.. may take several days to start foaming.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

I wouldn't define that as dry and wet skim. But yes drier skimmate tends to accumulate in the neck more; dry skimming is darker and denser, but it's not removing as much organics as wet skimming would.

That’s why I try to find a happy medium

 

[SeaDweller]

That’s why I try to find a happy medium

that's a safe bet. Its really knowing your tank biology and chemistry tbh. Some people need to export more because of potential nutrient issues, some need to skim dry to keep nutrients available. Personally I skim super dry and still have low nutrients, feeding 4 times a day to 35 fish.

Dont forget to service those skimmers!!!

 

[ReefHomieJon]

that's a safe bet. Its really knowing your tank biology and chemistry tbh. Some people need to export more because of potential nutrient issues, some need to skim dry to keep nutrients available. Personally I skim super dry and still have low nutrients, feeding 4 times a day to 35 fish.

Dont forget to service those skimmers!!!

What size tank you got/how big is your sump? What are you running in it?

 

[SeaDweller]

What size tank you got/how big is your sump? What are you running in it?

240 DT, 60 sump, skimmer, chaeto, active Rowaphos

 

[New&no clue]

to lift the skimmer up can I use the ceramic biomedia plates, or something similar? Just thinking if Im going to put something in there might as well serve a purpose besides just lifting the skimmer.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

to lift the skimmer up can I use the ceramic biomedia plates, or something similar? Just thinking if Im going to put something in there might as well serve a purpose besides just lifting the skimmer.

You can use whatever u want. Something that can house beneficial bacteria like you said sounds like a great idea to me

 

[William Mumford]

Most definitely. The size is the problem. The blocks might be a little to big or small but if you can find the right height block it would work great as a duel purpose.

 

[William Mumford]

How new is the tank and what is in it?

 

[ReefHomieJon]

240 DT, 60 sump, skimmer, chaeto, active Rowaphos

I’m 125 DT, 100 sump, refugium, skimmer. I want to put some chemi pure in there for the first time to clean the water up a bit but I don’t have a need for phosphate removal just yet. Just tryna see what u had goin since you got that many fish and your parameters are all in check. Thanks

 

[SeaDweller]

I’m 125 DT, 100 sump, refugium, skimmer. I want to put some chemi pure in there for the first time to clean the water up a bit but I don’t have a need for phosphate removal just yet. Just tryna see what u had goin since you got that many fish and your parameters are all in check. Thanks

I'd just run some carbon then if you're thinking of that. I do run carbon passively, but not too much. I should mention I do run a sulfur denitrator too, so that's why my nutrients are also low. But for skimming dry, I empty out my cup almost weekly. I don't ever wet skim.

 

[New&no clue]

When I got home I lifted it up about an inch and that seemed to help. I’ve had the plug pulled out these past couple days so it could just drain back in. Of course I go to put the plug back in and it’s vanished. Luckily amazon sells them for a couple bucks so I’ll order that and some biomedia blocks.