Hydor 600 skimmer - Help!

slough shark · #1 08-25-2009, 03:52 AM

I`ve got a hydor 600 skimmer its about 3 months old and for the first while it was skimming great. Lately I`ve noticed the production drop like crazy. Now its so bad that I can barely get the foam into the neck of the canister. Its still foaming a lot and i cleaned all the lines, all valves are wide open. Does anyone have any tricks to make the foam climb into the neck
Any help would be much appreciated.

JDigital · #2 08-25-2009, 03:57 AM

More fish?

slough shark · #3 08-25-2009, 04:01 AM

so does the skimmer only produce skimmate with a heavy bioload? I havent really been mucking around with livestock all that much lately.
My nitrates are at 0-5 ish.

Red Coral Aquariums · #4 08-25-2009, 04:21 AM

On your water circ. pump make sure you remove or clean the foam on the pump intake. You could also have salt in your air lines??

Kevin

kien · #5 08-25-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Coral Aquariums

You could also have salt in your air lines??

Kevin

I would also recommend cleaning or just replacing the air line. They are cheap. Toss it out and get a new one. Getting good head on my skimmer has in the past been an issue with these air lines. As things start to accumulate obviously air is restricted. The humid air in and near your sump can deposit solids and other stuff that can cause issues.

I haven't really noticed bio loads making a difference on the foaming head height, only the type of skimmate pulled. Lower bioload just tends to be a clearer more watery consistency, but still with good foaming head height.

slough shark · #6 08-26-2009, 03:55 AM

cleaned out all of my airlines and she's skimming like a champ!
Thanks for the help everyone.

Navarchus · #7 08-26-2009, 05:08 AM

Always when you change skimmer the new one take out all the old one didn’t!
If your skimmer isn’t resting now and then it is too small for your system.
If your skimmer never skims it is probably too big for the system.

Few things you should consider:

- What size is your system?
- What is the bio load?
- Try to put the air tube in a glass of hot water and let it suck all the water. This should clean the air passes from clusters of calcium, fat, and other doc.