Vertex IN100 Skimmer?

rvlockhart · Jun 12, 2010

I've had the skimmer running for four months now and still no foam head. It's a Gen2 and gave it a vinegar bath when I got it. I have it sitting in 7in of water with the return pipe halfway out of the water. All parameters are dead on I do weekly water changes and feed the fish thats all that goes in the tank no additives. Flow rate thru 20gal.sump is 550gph. I was wondering if anyone has theirs set up different then that with good results?

mojo · Jun 12, 2010

can u take a picture of it running? I am sure I can help you get your prpblem resolved if I could see a pic.
I have had the gen 1 and gen 2 in 100 and they both worked well.
Thanks Much
Mojo~

rvlockhart · Jun 12, 2010

Here is photo of skimmer. Thanks

mojo · Jun 13, 2010

I wonder if anyone else would catch this. but in the background is a nice BRS deluxe reactor, correct me if I am wrong but it appears to have both gfo and carbon in it. If you change your carbon regular it will pull out most of what your skimmer would. You can raise the level a little in the skimmer but I would say your tank is probably pretty clean. Not much for the skimmer to pull out.
I wouldnt be concerned. you can check my answer by turning off your reactor for a couple days and see what happends... But with water changes, carbon, and gfo your skimmer isnt going to have much work left to do.

Mojo~

Troylee · Jun 13, 2010

How often do you feed an what do you feed and dose???? I think your foam head is not building from something contaminating the water personnaly.... I hear what mojo Is saying and a simple test is put a white filter pad in the sump between baffles for a few hours and see if it gets dirty.... If it turns brown or green the skimmer should be pulling..If jt stayed nice and white that would be the case that mojo states... Also what kind of bioload we talking here???

rvlockhart · Jun 13, 2010

I do have a filter sock attached to the overflow pipe that is changed out once a week which is brownish/green. I run a Geo 612 calcium reactor to keep Alk/Cal. stable. Tank is a 50gal. with a bioload of mated pair of clowns 3 1/2"& 2 1/2", 3" Yellow Tang, and 30 LPS&SPS corals. Fish get feed once a day and corals once a week. Flake,pellet,brine shrimp,and mysis for fish and LPS Phyto & Marine Snow for SPS. I will get a foamhead starting to develope a couple times a week but after a couple of hours the neck is all turbulant again without touching it.