skimmer problems

[Calgarynewtankguy]

This is my first SW tank i just got everything up and running and fired up my skimmer (Red Sea c-skim 1200, that i bought used) and it is very noisy and wont produce bubbles at all. I have tried changing both the water flow and played with the air adjustments and nothing seems to work. I have never used one before but it sounds like a bad bearing to me but I know this are magnetic pumps so i am unsure.

any help would be appreciated.

[FishyFishy!]

Take the pump apart, clean it and put it all back together. Then take the pump out of the skimmer, submerge it under water, plug it in and see what happens. If the impeller isn't turning, I find that sometimes you have to bring it above the water, then dunk it back in to start them up. No idea why, but I've had a few pumps like this.

[scubadawg]

It takes time for a skimmer to start skimming since you need a bioload in there first

Yung

[FishyFishy!]

Originally Posted by scubadawg

It takes time for a skimmer to start skimming since you need a bioload in there first

Yung

Yes, but there should be little noise, and it still should produce bubbles.

[Calgarynewtankguy]

I took the pump off and submerged to see what it was doing and it was really not doing anything at all, so i pulled it right out and removed the impeller shaft. I am new to these, so correct me if I am wrong, but isn't the impeller supposed to turn with the shaft?? the shaft in the centre spins but the impeller does not.

[Delphinus]

No the shaft should not spin. The impeller should spin freely over the shaft however. When I clean my pumps or powerheads I always do a spin test with the impeller. I hold the shaft at the ends and then spin the magnet. If it spins freely and lasts a while, then all is good. If it stops after a turn or two then there is gunk or calcium in between the shaft and the groove and I either use the shaft itself to scratch it out from the inside of the magnet or sit in in a tub of vinegar for a bit to soften up the gunk buildup.

[Delphinus]

Wait, what? The shaft spins but the magnet does not ?? That's really weird.

It kind of sounds like you might have a broken impeller shaft. Or the impeller magnet has detached from the impeller blades. Either case can explain the noise and lack of function. Can you post some pictures?

If the shaft is broken you can usually get replacements. If not for the pump brand itself you can get other brands that might fit. Or in a real pinch, go to a bike store and ask to buy a few titanium spokes. You can take those and with a Dremel or other tool cut to the length you need and make do with that as a replacement shaft.

If the magnet is broken, depending on the level of damage you can use superglue to fix it, or you may need a whole new impeller assembly (usually around $20 but I'm not familiar with that skimmer or what brand of pump it is using).

[Calgarynewtankguy]

Just found it!!!! Got sold a bum skimmer. I think I can fix it

[FishyFishy!]

Yup thats the culprit!

[Calgarynewtankguy]

Problem solved and bubbling away!!

Thanks for the help!