Tuning a protein skimmer

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

I just got the nyos quantum 120 skimmer

It's been 1 week. I've never had many issuer tuning my old protein skimmer. This one I'm having trouble to find the sweet spot. Does anyone have any pointers? I'm just confused on how much the air valve should be opened and where the water level in the skimmer should be. I know beginner questions but all skimmers work differently..

Rufus’ goofs · Jul 29, 2017

With my skimmers, I always start with relatively low air, and slowly increase (maybe a 1/4 turn every half hour) until the foam is near the collection cup.

If you keep an eye on that, it should get you pretty darn close to where you want to tune it to.

I'm afraid that's the best advice I can give.

I hope this helps and best of luck!

joekool · Jul 29, 2017

If you run them in a tub of water with distilled white vinegar it will clean it of any films from manufacturing of the plastics and after that you can put it right in the tank. It will break it in faster. All new skimmers have to get broken in per say. They have to build up there bio films etc. when you buy a new one everything inside is very slick and has no resistance so it's very hard to set. I would run in the solution for an hour than place in your sump. No rinsing required. Learned this from @TJ's Reef

Oberst Oswald · Jul 29, 2017

I have the NYOS 160 but should be the same... run in vinegar like Joekool said. Open the air valve to get some bubbles. Then adjust the water level to it just a little below the cup removal flange. Once this is stable open or close the air valve to get the bubbles showing in the clear section above the flange. Giving more air will lower the water level/less will rise it so you will have to play with it awhile. Make small adjustments on the water level valve and air valve to get the skim that you want either dry or wet. Takes some time and can be a bit frustrating but once you get this skimmer running properly you will be very happy with it.

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

Thank you everyone. This was very informative

joekool · Jul 29, 2017

You got it.

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

Does this look normal to you guys?? It's been like this all day. My old skimmer would create so much more skimmate. So idk why this one isn't. This is where my foam head has been.

joekool · Jul 29, 2017

It needs time to break in. Give it a few days. Foam is a little dry looking but I wouldn't keep messing with it. See what it's doing this time tomorrow and then maybe adjust it.

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

joekool said:
It needs time to break in. Give it a few days. Foam is a little dry looking but I wouldn't keep messing with it. See what it's doing this time tomorrow and then maybe adjust it.

Okay will do. I've had it for a week. You don't think it's broken in yet? I closed the water output a lot more today and opened the airtake valve more. If tomorrow it looks the same should I opened the airtake more and leave the water output a lone?

joekool · Jul 29, 2017

Sounds like you're not getting enough water through the skimmer if you barely have any water going through it it's going to take all the dissolve solids out of the water and stop making foam if you can get more dirty water through the skimmer you'll create more foam you just have to play with the settings to get the end result. I'd say it's probably broken in now for sure but I would try adding the more water through it and then adjusting your air until you achieve the foam that you're looking for

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

joekool said:
Sounds like you're not getting enough water through the skimmer if you barely have any water going through it it's going to take all the dissolve solids out of the water and stop making foam if you can get more dirty water through the skimmer you'll create more foam you just have to play with the settings to get the end result. I'd say it's probably broken in now for sure but I would try adding the more water through it and then adjusting your air until you achieve the foam that you're looking for

Okay thank you. I'll try

Scurvy · Jul 29, 2017

Brandonsegula said:
Okay will do. I've had it for a week. You don't think it's broken in yet? I closed the water output a lot more today and opened the airtake valve more. If tomorrow it looks the same should I opened the airtake more and leave the water output a lone?

Thats pretty much how i run my 120. Air wide open, large adjustment wide open and then about 2/3rds closed using the dial. Works great for me in about 8" of water.
I can send some pics tomorrow if youd like.
I never ran mine in vinegar and it broke in pretty fast regardless. Def less than a week.

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

Scurvy said:
Thats pretty much how i run my 120. Air wide open, large adjustment wide open and then about 2/3rds closed using the dial. Works great for me in about 8" of water.
I can send some pics tomorrow if youd like.
I never ran mine in vinegar and it broke in pretty fast regardless. Def less than a week.

So you open everything all the way and then which dial did you close 2/3rds and yes please pictures help a lot lol mines in 10" of water. I think the preferred setting for the skimmer is 7"-10"

Scurvy · Jul 29, 2017

The top open/close dial i turn towards closed until you see the plunger thing at the output about 2/3rds closed. In 10" of water youll probabaly only have to close 1/4 of the way though.

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

Scurvy said:
The top open/close dial i turn towards closed until you see the plunger thing at the output about 2/3rds closed. In 10" of water youll probabaly only have to close 1/4 of the way though.

Okay would you say this I'll hurt the skimmer being closed this much?

Scurvy · Jul 29, 2017

Brandonsegula said:
Okay would you say this I'll hurt the skimmer being closed this much?

I might consider raising the skimmer an inch or two if that were me. Youre not passing much water through there being that closed off. Looks like just a sliver open there.

.

Brandonsegula · Jul 29, 2017

Scurvy said:
.

I opened it up more. It's not creating skimmate. I'm gonna contact ecotech marine about this. Tomorrow I'll buy some egg crate. But until I speak to eco tech I'm gonna leave it the way it is.