Skimmer performance

[JVU]

I hear what you are saying.

However, I’ve been watching this for two months at this point. I have two skimmers, both Red Sea. The Frag tank and display tank are ten feet apart. This bubble interface happens and the skimmer won’t produce skimmate until I take the skimmer out and clean all the parts (the skimmer has no buildup on them). Which has become as frequent as every 4-5 days, and that is why it’s a struggle. Meanwhile the frag tank skimmer hums along without this issue.

So that indicator for this skimmer is abnormal and impacts performance.

When the skimmer is operating correctly the entire body down to the top of the pump is the milky white color and collects skimmate.

All I’m saying is that the level you are pointing out is the normal interface. This interface is harder to see when the skimmer is fractionating out more organics (working better), and easier to see when the bubbles are weak and pop more quickly. So I think your issue is that your bubbles are not being allowed to form up correctly due to something, from time to time. I notice when I add certain things like some chemicals or some certain foods maybe that my skimmer makes weak bubbles and fractionates out less sometimes. I didn’t dig deeper because it doesn’t seem to cause other problems in my case, so I don’t have specific suggestion of what to look at for a cause, other than just that it might be something you are adding as opposed to something wrong with the skimmer.

 

[JVU]

Would you like to swing by and measure it? I fail to see the relevance to the question I posed.

Yikes. Not if I’m gonna get shouted at. Just trying to be helpful, but obviously failing.

 

[richiev]

Outside observer of the thread: seems like this turned a bit aggressive oddly. The skimmer just looks like it's normal but with the water level set really high, and wet skimming. That's why you're getting all the standard "what's it look like normally? that looks expected" responses. People could in the future likely help more effectively if more backstory was provided. Somewhat a cliche, but "Assume Good Intent" is a pretty solid saying in my experience.

My quick take, explaining what you mean by cleaning it every couple days would likely be helpful. What you're cleaning? What you're cleaning with? Pictures of what you think it's like when it's in good mode, ...

My guesses would be that maybe the pump is going, or the pump's needles are getting clogged, or the air intake is getting clogged. Any of those could lead to to the water level increasing and/or less bubbles. I'd also be curious if it resets immediately after cleaning or if it works not great, then later works great, then stops. In that case it might seem like the skimmer cleaning fixing it, but really it's the fact that the skimmer stops working well for a bit and it's overskimming.

And yes, half a gallon of skimmate a day is a shocking amount and does raise questions about something else being going on (eg salinity swings from half a gallon of saltwater being daily replaced with ATO water).

 

[Blaise006]

Any aggression is inferred…

There were no exclamation points. Just not sure what short of someone else confirming the amount of normal skimmate I produce, which isn’t relevant, that I can do. Naturally leaves the only option as “you’re welcome to confirm it since your questioning it”.

Im not in the wrong for wanting to focus the post on the problem.

The solution isn’t telling me I don’t have an issue when I know how my equipment works. That isn’t helpful and doesn’t progress anything.

The solution was reducing the head pressure to improve the air and water mixture. Hopefully that continues to work.

There is no backstory, or additional details beyond what I posted.

Assuming good intent is a two way street, because I wasn’t saying anything rude. I was stating that any individual is welcome to confirm for themselves, because me saying it multiple times doesn’t change it.

 

[jhuynh]

what kind of rsk skimmer are you running? what is the water level in your sump? i run a rsk900 at 8" water level and i open the valve so the water level is below the collection cup for dry skimming.

 

[Blaise006]

what kind of rsk skimmer are you running? what is the water level in your sump? i run a rsk900 at 8" water level and i open the valve so the water level is below the collection cup for dry skimming.
View attachment 47250

It’s the 900, and when it is working properly that’s where my water level sits as well.

The last three days the foam head is almost completely flat and the water level is 2/3rds the way up the cup. It will stay that way typically till I pull it all apart and reassemble.

I raised the water level to 10 inches to reduce head pressure and increase air. That improved it, but still need to see if it holds long term.

Sometimes resetting the skimmer will get it to work for a day or two but the. Always turns back to this.

This cycle has become more frequent over time.

 

[jhuynh]

i wouldnt worry about it. its all about the organics and nutrients in the water column. i overfeed my fish along with some ab+ when i remember. i barely get any foam during most of the day until i start feeding at night. to me, looks completely normal.

 

[Flagg37]

i wouldnt worry about it. its all about the organics and nutrients in the water column. i overfeed my fish along with some ab+ when i remember. i barely get any foam during most of the day until i start feeding at night. to me, looks completely normal.

Agreed, maybe you just don’t have much in the way of nutrients to continuously skim. Maybe they accumulate over a couple days and then finally get to the point where the skimmer can actually make it up the neck and into the cup.

If my skimmer was pulling out 1/2 gallon a day, I’d be looking at ways to tune it so it skimmed dryer. Same with the cleaning schedule. I wouldn’t want to clean it more than maybe once a month. If it only seems to work when it’s clean, I’d again look for ways to tune it. I don’t look for it to be consistently flowing over into the cup though. I look more at my no3, and po4 numbers.

 

[Coral reefer]

Agreed, maybe you just don’t have much in the way of nutrients to continuously skim. Maybe they accumulate over a couple days and then finally get to the point where the skimmer can actually make it up the neck and into the cup.

If my skimmer was pulling out 1/2 gallon a day, I’d be looking at ways to tune it so it skimmed dryer. Same with the cleaning schedule. I wouldn’t want to clean it more than maybe once a month. If it only seems to work when it’s clean, I’d again look for ways to tune it. I don’t look for it to be consistently flowing over into the cup though. I look more at my no3, and po4 numbers.

I agree with the dryer skimming(to each their own) and the tuning to achieve that, but not necessarily the build up of “nutrients” (if by nutrients you mean nitrate and phosphate). I don’t think it will pull out accumulated nitrate and phosphate. More like dead bacteria and organics that haven’t yet decomposed into nitrate. I could be wrong. Wouldnt be the first time.

 

[PjFish]

Wondering if loosing a seal on the venturi air line below water level as time goes on decreasing air flow. Sometimes the tubing gets flimsy the more times it's taken on and off on cleaning. I run a simplicity which the air intake is adjustable for better tuning on whatever size bubbles you think is best wet/dry skim for your system. My air intake does get clogged at times from salt creep. Like mentioned above their are also several factors in water that can randomly produce wet/dry skim. In the past different salt mixes have produced more skim after water change then others not sure why? maybe binders but then usually decrease after a week. Natural saltwater bought at different times of the seasons have produced different levels of skim as well. Those observations were on simple tanks no dosing and no live stock changes just water changes kiss style. Just tossing those out there for what it's worth. On skimmers that had no air intake adjustment I added two pieces which helped a lot tuning... 3/8 inch inline ball valve push connect used on rodi filters then 3/8 stem to barb or whatever size airline tubing was on the skimmers. Don't remember the brand maybe murlok whatever was in the leftover Rodi parts box in the garage.
Best
Paul

 

[PjFish]

At the time I only put the ball valve and stem on the skimmer then ran the rodi hard tubing outside for fresh air to see if their was a negable difference. Didn't really observe anything probably cause I always have windows open or cracked. But the biggest observation was better air bubble control from that valve so ditched the outside line and kept the valves on the skimmer lol.

 

[Flagg37]

I agree with the dryer skimming(to each their own) and the tuning to achieve that, but not necessarily the build up of “nutrients” (if by nutrients you mean nitrate and phosphate). I don’t think it will pull out accumulated nitrate and phosphate. More like dead bacteria and organics that haven’t yet decomposed into nitrate. I could be wrong. Wouldnt be the first time.

Right, that’s my understanding as well. The smaller particulates are attaching to the bubbles to be filtered out before they are left to decompose in the tank and become no3 or po4.

I suppose it’s entirely possible that the particulates could breakdown and decompose in the neck of the skimmer if it never reaches a point where it overflows into the cup. I’ve heard of this happening when people try to way oversized their skimmer.