Help needed

[habs247]

Hi guys - at my wits end. Can't, for the life of me, get my skimmer set up correctly.

It has everything to do with the fact I have never used a skimmer before (first marine tank) and the fact that the documentation online for this skimmer (skimz sm 121) is sorely lacking.

If anyone could walk me through setting it up it would be really great. I'm in the SW by Westbrook.

I can pay for your time if required.

Ray

[Cal_stir]

here's some instructions on pg 2

http://www.skimz.sg/downloads/Skimz_e-series_SM_int.pdf

[habs247]

Thanks. I used those to set up the skimmer. Unfortunately, I don't know what I'm looking for I terms of signs that I have it tuned correctly as I've never used a skimmer before.

I've read that I should aim to have the bubbles in the neck twice the size of the ones in chamber. These seem too big. But I can't turn the air down anymore.

I also verified that the water level is perfect for this brand of skimmer.

Here's an attempt.

[Cal_stir]

try turning the air down so the bubbles are breaking halfway thru the skimmer cup.
how long has it been running?

[habs247]

I bought it used so I believe it's been broken in. I have had it "running" for three weeks with frequent restarts because I don't know how to tune it properly (resulting in filling the cup too quickly or the opposite, level falling too low so no foam is created).

Thanks for getting back to me. Turn down the air correct?

Here's another attempt.

[Cal_stir]

yes, turn down the air, the bubbles will drop, do small adjustments and let it stabalize a few minutes, drop the bubbles to the bottom of collection cup and let it run awhile.
some foods will cause the bubbles to drop drastically and it can take a while for them to get back up, an hour or so, also if you put your hands in the water it will kill the bubbles (it affects the surface tension of the water) so you don't want to make adjs right after feeding or having hands in water, let the skimmer run and monitor it, the bubbles should rise after a while, a head of foam should start to form, tweak it so the foam is just below the top of the cup, the bubbles should be breaking half way thru the cup and the foam head should be floating on the bubbles.

[habs247]

Oh wow. I had no idea re: surface tension of water. Makes sense!

I) How can I tell if there's too much/little air?
2) Also, is there such a thing as the foam rising too fast through the cup? If so, how to remedy that?
3) so when I do a water change and shut off the skimmer for cleaning - is it safe to assume that the adjustments should all be correct and all I need to do is fire the skimmer back up or will I have to fiddle with it every time to reset it??

Here's my next attempt based on your feedback.

[waynemah]

Do you have a lot of fish in there yet? How often do you feed the tank?

When I started my tank there wasn't an impressive amount of skimming taking place until the whole thing cycled through and I had a bunch of fish. At first it was murky, now it's nasty dark green with nasty sludge.

[habs247]

Hi Wayne. Just two tiny clowns at the moment!

I have no doubt this skimmer works, and well. My questions are just how to get it set up and what I should look for to know it's dialed in as I don't have any experience previously.

I think I may be getting close as now, I have:
- bubbles breaking to foam halfway up the collection cup
- bubbles twice the size (ish) in the neck vs the chamber


-

[Madmak]

Keep in mind that it can only take out what's in the water. With a small bio-load there might not be much in there. It looks to me like it is tuned ok for now but it takes time to get it just right.

Here is mine on a big tank with lots of fish after 4 or 5 days.