properly tune a skimmer - how to?!

[viperfish]

I didn't know you could adjust the bubble size in a skimmer. I thought that was set by the pin wheel, so by restricting air flow would only change the number of bubbles.

It looks like Whatcanyoudo has a downdraft or Beckett style skimmer which does offer some control over bubble size. The needle or pin wheel style skimmers chop the air into bubbles without any control over the size. The Euroreef that Milan has is a needle wheel style so there is no way of choosing the bubble size, only the volume of air supplied. Ultimately the goal is to have the bubble chopped as fine as possible with as much air draw as the pump needle wheel can "chew up". I think Milan was referring to "bubble height" and not size.

[globaldesigns]

I will leave this to the ones that can explain it best, but I will add that you need to try and make the bubbles as small as possible. I found the smaller the bubbles, the better the extract as there is more surface area for the protiens to attach to.

[Milad]

i put a "gate valve" on the air intake of my skimmer to reduce the bubble size. Was i not suppose to do that? I got the bubbles really small doing that.

What is the bubble height suppose to be? and what is bubble height?

[whatcaneyedo]

You shouldn't need a valve on the air intake. The bubble (foam) height is the level that the bubbles inside the skimmer rise to. If you want to skim wet adjust your output so the collection cup fills every couple of days with light colored watery skimmate. If you want to skim dry adjust the output so that the collection cup fills with very dark thick skimmate after several days. If you get a lot of buildup on the inside of the riser tube it means you could stand to have to foam height higher.

The episode 88 series is all about euro reef skimmers and how they work http://www.lafishguys.com/

[Hangfire]

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

The episode 88 series is all about euro reef skimmers and how they work http://www.lafishguys.com/

I watched all 7 episodes and learned a lot, especially on cleaning and breaking them in.

[Hangfire]

One question that didn't get asked was what effect the water level in the sump has on the operation of the skimmer. I'm running mine at between 7 and 9 inches of water, sort of a no less and no more range. I know my skimmer is still breaking in, but it just overflows like crazy, even when opened right up. I'm running carbon in the hopes of pulling out and surfactants that may have gotten into the tank. Any other suggestions?

[Doug]

Despite the belief that bubble size affects the skimming, unless its burping large bubbles, I have never seen it affect my skimmers. I always ran the air wide open on mine. The one that it did seem to matter was a very efficient beckett, running on a Mag 24.

Sump water level also seems to matter little, unless its to high. When lower, as long as one can raise the skimmers water level, then its easier to control wet verus dry skimming. To high of a water level sometimes hinders running a drier foam if thats what one wants.

[Skimmerking]

Originally Posted by globaldesigns

I will leave this to the ones that can explain it best, but I will add that you need to try and make the bubbles as small as possible. I found the smaller the bubbles, the better the extract as there is more surface area for the protiens to attach to.

All you have to do is ask. lol
Milad when i spoke to you about the skimmer, yes the bubble size will make a huge difference. On pretty much any skimmer you can adjust the size. Size matter's just not in Bubbles.
With a skimer the ideal bubbles are the ones the 1-2 mm in size to extract nutrients the nutrients and the proteins are caught in these bubbles causign the removal. However wht makes the skimmer works the best is the contact time. in the chamber. With your skimmer having a insump skimmer there isnt a change. Once you get the ideal bubble size by restricting the air flow to the venturi or the beckett. or what ever skimmer thaty oua re running. you then are going to raise the water level to achieve the proper contact time in the skimmer.

To much Water can cause it to over flow like feeding Mysis shrimp and cyclopeeze. in a skimmer having a pump that is to powerful can cause your skimmer to overflow.


HTH

[Lance]

Originally Posted by Skimmer King

All you have to do is ask. lol
Milad when i spoke to you about the skimmer, yes the bubble size will make a huge difference. On pretty much any skimmer you can adjust the size. Size matter's just not in Bubbles.
With a skimer the ideal bubbles are the ones the 1-2 mm in size to extract nutrients the nutrients and the proteins are caught in these bubbles causign the removal. However wht makes the skimmer works the best is the contact time. in the chamber. With your skimmer having a insump skimmer there isnt a change. Once you get the ideal bubble size by restricting the air flow to the venturi or the beckett. or what ever skimmer thaty oua re running. you then are going to raise the water level to achieve the proper contact time in the skimmer.

To much Water can cause it to over flow like feeding Mysis shrimp and cyclopeeze. in a skimmer having a pump that is to powerful can cause your skimmer to overflow.


HTH

Mr. Skimmer King, you sound quite knowledgeable but how much experience do you have with protein skimmers? Have you personally owned or used any?

[Skimmerking]

Lance look below