Skimmer issue

[KingReef]

I turned on my new IceCap K2 160 skimmer this weekend to try to get it dialed in. I played with it for about an hour and never got it to the point where it wasn't a bubble volcano. The liter skimmer cup was filling up within minutes with the gate completely open and completely closed. The only thing I could do to slow it down was to close the air intake. That only slowed the skimmer, it didn't stop it from erupting with bubbles. Also, a TON of micro bubbles escaped and went into my return pump (even after going through the "bubble filter" in my sump. There was a 1/4 inch layer of bubbles on the surface of the sump in the skimmer and return chambers (waterbox 170 sump). Anyone have any suggestions on how to tune this thing and what to do about bubbles?

Thanks!

 

[Cameronk]

what water depth do you have it in?

 

[jlts21]

what water depth do you have it in?

X2, what depth is it in? The adjustment should have some sort of effect on it

 

[homer1475]

Brand new skimmer? Might just have to run a few days with the cup off for it build up biofilm (refeered to as "break in"), before it stops going crazy.

My last new skimmer took almost a week to "break in".

Also as others have suggested, what depth do you have it in?

 

[Scurvy]

Run it for 24 hours in a fresh water/vinegar mix to remove any residual oils/checmicals from the manufacturing/packing process then drop it in at the recommended water level (7-10") from my quick search. It should settle in and skim quicker this way.

 

[KingReef]

Hi, Thanks for the responses. It is in 8 inches of water. I was wondering if I could run it without the cup. I am going to give that a go.

 

[CC13]

Hi, Thanks for the responses. It is in 8 inches of water. I was wondering if I could run it without the cup. I am going to give that a go.

You can. I do this when I'm breaking in a skimmer or usually right after I clean it. Sometimes I will run it with the cup on and the drain plug removed so the water that overflows into the collection cup just goes back into the tank. Usually takes 1-2 days to settle down.

 

[KingReef]

Just an update on the skimmer. It has been running about 5 days without the cup on. Yesterday I switched out my filter socks for cups and the bubble volcano immediately changed. I was able to put the collection cup on and was pulling yellow/green skimmate out of the water immediately. I don't know, but I suspect, that the filter socks had something to do with it, but all is well now. The IceCap K2 skimmer is working great!