Skimmer issues

[iplumbsome]

260 gallon tank
20+ fish
15 coral (1 sps)
ASM G4 XX skimmer with stock sedra pump

I know there are a lot of variables but shouldn't I be getting more than about a 1/4" depth of skimmate in my collection cup a week?

 

[Mjrenz]

260 gallon tank
20+ fish
15 coral (1 sps)
ASM G4 XX skimmer with stock sedra pump

I know there are a lot of variables but shouldn't I be getting more than about a 1/4" depth of skimmate in my collection cup a week?

That doesn't sound like much, what do your nitrates and phosphates look like?

 

[Alexreefer]

Also, how are you skimming? Wet or dry? When I skim wet in my 75 with my 4 fish I get about 2 inches but when I skim dry it's about 1/2 an inch.

 

[iplumbsome]

Haven't checked phosphate for awhile but my nitrates are starting to creep up to about 35. Tank has been running for 1 year.

 

[Mjrenz]

How long has the skimmer been running? Did it work better in the past?

 

[iplumbsome]

Also, how are you skimming? Wet or dry? When I skim wet in my 75 with my 4 fish I get about 2 inches but when I skim dry it's about 1/2 an inch.

Wet

 

[iplumbsome]

How long has the skimmer been running? Did it work better in the past?

Tank is a year old. It never pulled much but I never really had much of a bio load starting out. My nitrates have been climbing.

 

[Mjrenz]

Tank is a year old. It never pulled much but I never really had much of a bio load starting out. My nitrates have been climbing.

Maybe some adjustment is needed on it, do you have a pic of what it looks like in operation?

 

[iplumbsome]

Maybe some adjustment is needed on it, do you have a pic of what it looks like in operation?

Not a great pic

 

[Mjrenz]

Not a great pic

It is quite hard to tell from the pic if it's adjusted right. There are a ton of videos on YouTube telling of different ways to adjust them, I like to take the collection cup off of mine and adjust the foam level right to the top of the neck on the skimmer body and then put the cup back on

 

[Alexreefer]

what I would do is clean the entire skimmer in a vinegar bath and let it soak for a bit. After a good rinse put it back and start tuning to the point where the foam is right at the top of the neck of the skimmer about to go into the cup

 

[Alexreefer]

It is quite hard to tell from the pic if it's adjusted right. There are a ton of videos on YouTube telling of different ways to adjust them, I like to take the collection cup off of mine and adjust the foam level right to the top of the neck on the skimmer body and then put the cup back on

Looks like we had the same idea of where the foam should be

 

[iplumbsome]

It is quite hard to tell from the pic if it's adjusted right. There are a ton of videos on YouTube telling of different ways to adjust them, I like to take the collection cup off of mine and adjust the foam level right to the top of the neck on the skimmer body and then put the cup back on

That's what I have.

 

[Mjrenz]

Looks like we had the same idea of where the foam should be

It's how my lfs told me to adjust it when I first bought it and it has worked great for me

 

[Mjrenz]

That's what I have.

I'm not familiar with the skimmer you have, is there possibly something with the design of it that is breaking the surface tension of the bubbles before they spill into the cup?

 

[Mjrenz]

+1 on the vinegar bath too

 

[Alexreefer]

I would clean everything to make sure the pump is working properly and to see if the venturi is intact.

 

[iplumbsome]

what I would do is clean the entire skimmer in a vinegar bath and let it soak for a bit. After a good rinse put it back and start tuning to the point where the foam is right at the top of the neck of the skimmer about to go into the cup

I will try that this week.