Tunze 9001 tuning, microbubbles and escaping bubbles

carolioness · Dec 4, 2020

Hi everyone,

I've seen a few topics on this skimmer but couldn't quite find the answer I am looking for.
So, I'm a new reefer and I got this Tunze 9001 (bought it secondhand, but is fairly new and still has warranty) for my 60L (16G) tank.
I made a little video about how it's running now and the things I'm unsure about:
First I'm not sure whether I'm tuning this thing right. I've been trying to find things out with reading stuff on forums, but this seems to be the only way that the cup isn't overflowing in a few minutes. The air is almost closed now. Note: I've only added livestock this week and there's no fish yet. Just a hardy coral and a hermit, so there's probably not much to skim, but I want to make sure if works properly before I put any fish in. Does this look okay?

Two: There seem to be escaping bubbles. The water next to the skimmer is constantly looking like fizzy soda and it's actually the most hearable noise that's coming from the skimmer right now. There's also small particles of water jumping from that part of the tank. Basically just as if it's fizzy water. Is there a way to fix this? Or is this normal?

And three: The microbubbles. I've read that many people have had issues with this. Some found a solution, of which I tried a few of, but I couldn't find a way to fix it yet. Perhaps it has to break in? Although it's not that I just put it in the tank: it has been in the water for a bit (but not working) so it does have that little slime film on it.

Anyone who can tell me what I can do to make it work like it (probably) should be?

Thanks in advance! ;Cat

ddaddy2420 · Dec 4, 2020

I’m having the exact same issue but with a skimmer from my Red Sea e-170 AIO. Have micro bubbles all over my tank so I keep shutting it off, I’ve tried to tune it but nothing I do stops these bubbles.

surely someone has experience with this...

carolioness · Dec 4, 2020

I bet someone does! Hope someone can help so you might be able to solve the problem too.

I did take my skimmer out of the tank again this evening to try another way of positioning it (as there's several directions to point the pump in and whatnot) and I currently have found a way where there's no more 'fizzy water' around it anymore so it seems. This could also be because I made sure that every part of the skimmer that can be taken apart was now sitting as tight as possible. So there's definitely no chance of bubbles actually escaping from the body of the skimmer. Small chance that this will fix the microbubbles though. It was already kinda late when I did this and the lights in the tank were off already so I decided to try it out again tomorrow or something...

ddaddy2420 · Dec 4, 2020

This is the first “nano” skimmer I’ve run and it seems like a lot of people run into this issue. I’ve never had this problem from my skimmer in the sump of my other tank.

I feel like some of this might be due to me not breaking the skimmer in so I’m just going to let it run thru the night and see if it improves.

Coeurdenuit · Dec 4, 2020

I have that skimmer on my tank. You need to lower it down a bit. I keep mine with the lower section at the water level. As long as it is sucking in air, you should have no worries. Thick skimmate is best, so don’t worry if production is slow.

vetteguy53081 · Dec 4, 2020

This was the reason I got rid of this very skimmer.

carolioness · Dec 5, 2020

I did notice that in the position it is in now, it doesn't product many microbubbles no more! Still a few but not very noticeable... I also put the little sponge that comes with it in the skimmer now, so that could do the microbubble trick...
I do however find that it's not as 'silent' as people say or as it seems if I watch other YouTube videos of the skimmer. Also noticing that if I take the silencer off, it basically makes no difference at all. So going to try to find out what's up with that...

elysics · Dec 5, 2020

The thing is just not good. Maybe the dc variant is better, but the thumbscrew on the airpipe version is straight up stupid. Maybe it's one of those products that just exist to justify their more expensive version, or the dc version sucks too, idk. You can turn the screw so it is either foaming, or silent, not both. You can set up the addons so it either surface skims and releases lot of bubbles and is LOUD, or so it doesn't do what it is advertised as, is just loud, and still releases more bubbles than is acceptable.

I replaced it with a sander piccolo in a hangon. Air pump in a different room/outside. Doesnt waste tankspace, is actually almost silent, lets no bubbles escape, WORKS, and costs much much less. Oh and is easier to clean.

carolioness · Dec 5, 2020

Though many people do seem to have it working properly... Or they just deal with the noise. Or the fact that it's not skimming properly.

I played around with it a little more now and did find out that the default position has least microbubbles. In this position I barely have any and with the two others they're allover the place... You do need to put the little sponge in, then.

I also noticed: if you put a wee bit of filter floss in the tiny tube of the silencer (also read this somewhere online) and also in the two holes in the lid, it's gets A LOT quieter. It doesn't seem to affect the air getting into the skimmer... So I am going to try that maybe for the noise, hoping that it really doesn't make much of a difference for the skimming itself... The lid really seems to be responsible for the humming noise that comes from it. But if you cover the two little holes, it's gone. Though the holes are probably there for a reason, so I thought that maybe filter floss could do the trick: air can still get out/in but it does really reduce the noise...

elysics · Dec 5, 2020

Well if you can get it to work, feel free to share how. The only thing i ever managed was to get it down from "annoying to talk over" volume to "turn up the tv" volume, and that was with filter floss in the holes. I think people just deal with the noise.

carolioness · Dec 5, 2020

elysics said:
Well if you can get it to work, feel free to share how. The only thing i ever managed was to get it down from "annoying to talk over" volume to "turn up the tv" volume, and that was with filter floss in the holes. I think people just deal with the noise.

Yeah all I could find out was basically the filter floss in the holes indeed. But it's still not 'quiet' as they say. :-( Though my tank is next to the couch, so everything is pretty audible anyway if you're sitting there... I can live with the sound of my return pump (Sicce Syncra 0,5) and powerhead (Jecod/Jebao SW2)... But this thing is quite a bit louder... Which I expect from a skimmer but quieter would be nicer. Some people say this one is 'dead quiet' or 'silent'. So far I disagree to that.

May I ask you how exactly your current skimmer works and why it is a lot quieter (and better)?

elysics · Dec 5, 2020

Mine works with an air pump and air stone. I put the pump outside so i don't hear it at all, but even when it was sitting right next to the tank on the shelf, i could suddenly hear the rest of the tank machinery which i almost couldnt before and i stopped having to turn up the tv.

But i don't think it's that mines special, i think the 9001 ist just abnormally loud. I did a bunch of googling a while back and there might be a *chance* that somethings wrong with the rotor and a replacement may or may not fix it, but i didn't bother to find out since that still leaves the bubbles i wasn't happy with either. We are definitely not alone with this issue though.

If it weren't for the current situation and you were looking for a new skimmer i'd say visit someone with the skimmer you are thinking about etting and listen with your own ears, but that's kinda hard right now :/ . I think quite a few testimonials of "product xyz is deadsilent" are either because some people dont have all their hearing anymore, or because they have other stuff that's even louder so they can't tell.

carolioness · Dec 5, 2020

I might actually look into those air pump driven skimmers! Thanks. I have considered them before I got the Tunze but couldn't really find a good one yet. The Sander Piccolo doesn't seem properly available in the Netherlands (where I live) but I'll try to look at possibilities now... Not yet giving up on the Tunze, but if there would actually be a possibility to get a skimmer that is as quiet as the rest in my tank, I'd be more than pleased.

reefiniteasy · Dec 5, 2020

Can’t help you with the regular 9001 as I do have the DC version and it’s great. I do use it in my display and it does spit micro bubbles when it first turns on and then they dissipate. The ability to tune the motor really comes in handy.

Roy Arena · Dec 5, 2020

The skimmer will make some bubbles when they are new. They come with a sponge to catch bubbles during this period. If you are missing it you can order one from Roger or find it at Tunze.com. After a week you can open up the air fully and adjust the water level to fine tune your collected foam. Skimmers can take a few days to build up a film or break in. You'll get it my friend!

Coeurdenuit · Dec 5, 2020

Omg, I have the DC type... I’m so sorry. I was tired when I posted earlier

carolioness · Jan 12, 2021

A little update that might be useful for people struggling with the noise.
I did find out that the pump of this skimmer (mine at least) is basically silent and the noise comes from the air intake (and is especially loud if you listen closely to the opening of the air tube). As I read about people extending air tubes of skimmers to quiet them down, I tried replacing the air tube that comes with the skimmer with a slightly longer one. And even though I'm not sure why: it does actually seem to work!
The skimmer is quieter now! The air tube isn't even much longer, just a few centimeters. I still put the silencer on at the end... I did notice that taking the silencer off also makes a difference now, whereas before it didn't seem to matter whether it was on or off. It doesn't seem to affect the performance.
Not sure if something was off with my original air hose but I guess it's something people could try to quiet this skimmer down... Mine isn't silent now but definitely quieter than before. It used to actually be annoying and now it's just a little "background noise".

Midrats · Jan 12, 2021

As far as nano skimmers go, the 9001 is one of the best. Leave the air wide open, the more closed it is the faster water flows through the body resulting in escaping bubbles. Mount it a little higher than the recommended water level for a drier foam. Things like floss, socks, and additives can cause over foaming. I've had several of these and they work fine, just don't expect dark nasty effluent like a larger skimmer puts out.