Tips for Dialing In Your Skimmer

[_Alex_]

Cousins quantum is just under 8". Empties and cleans cup weekly dark nasty stuff

 

[Sroufe7]

Sweet! Now, if you take the collection cup off, do the bubbles overflow or break inside the body of the skimmer?

They are coming with-in about an inch of the top of the skimmer body (just under the collection cup).

 

[Sroufe7]

Cousins quantum is just under 8". Empties and cleans cup weekly dark nasty stuff

Thank you for checking! I made a stand out of PCV with a piece of acrylic on top and it is at 8 1/2". I put a few pieces of acrylic to shim it up to see if it would help. I'll add some short legs to my stand to make it right at 8".

 

[john.m.cole3]

Thank you for checking! I made a stand out of PCV with a piece of acrylic on top and it is at 8 1/2". I put a few pieces of acrylic to shim it up to see if it would help. I'll add some short legs to my stand to make it right at 8".

alright, like the original post says, start closing your air intake to make the bubbles smaller. This will also raise the height of where they break. Once you get a smaller bubble size (others have stated pea size is best), then slowly start to close the gate until the bubbles almost overflow out of the body/neck/place where you attach the cup. you're in the money now. Small adjustments every few days. Maybe let it run for a week to see what you get.

 

[Sroufe7]

Things are defiantly looking much much better! The micro bubbles have been gone for at least a few days, and I cleaned out the collection cup yesterday. Had a pretty good layer of junk on the inside! I really appreciate all the great info and help guys!

 

[john.m.cole3]

So happy for you!

 

[glb]

I have an SCA skimmer for my new 40b and I turned it on for the first time today, day 5 of the cycle using Dr. Tim's. On a brand new tank, should I still put the bubbles at the top of the tube that dumps into the collection cup? I used dry rock and dry sand, so I'm guessing that there isn't much to skim yet? When it's a new tank, do you do things differently?

 

[john.m.cole3]

you would set it up the same. Is it the sca 301?

 

[scoopsthedog]

I have the 301 too. How do I dial in the bubbles I just see the blue tube in the back which regulates the amount of bubbles not the size

 

[john.m.cole3]

Make sure you haven't had your hand in the tank or have fed for the past few hours. The oils on your hands and in those foods will not let you tune your skimmer correctly. take off the collection cup and use the blue pipe to get the bubbles to come all the way to the top without spilling over. You can put the skimmer cup back on and wait. I used this skimmer for a year and although it's not the best out there, it works. I had mine connected to a large collection cup since I kept letting the collection cup overflow.

 

[scoopsthedog]

Make sure you haven't had your hand in the tank or have fed for the past few hours. The oils on your hands and in those foods will not let you tune your skimmer correctly. take off the collection cup and use the blue pipe to get the bubbles to come all the way to the top without spilling over. You can put the skimmer cup back on and wait. I used this skimmer for a year and although it's not the best out there, it works. I had mine connected to a large collection cup since I kept letting the collection cup overflow.

Thanks! "It's not the best out there but it works" should be their motto [emoji23]

 

[glb]

Thanks! "It's not the best out there but it works" should be their motto [emoji23]

It's producing tiny bubbles in the tower. I have it set so the bubbles won't overflow if I take off the cup.