New tank new skimmer, should it be producing skimmate?

[TonyInVa]

My tank was set up March 1, 2010. I used about 20lbs of live rock from my old tank. I have been using Microbacter 7 since setting up the tank. The first two weeks I followed the directions recommended for tank start up. Afterwards I followed the directions for maintenance. I currently have a Yellow Tang, a Flame Hawkfish, a Bicolor Pseudochromis,and a Ocellaris Clownfish. Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates are at zero. My skimmer (GSA GS1) is not producing any skimmate. It produces very little foam. If I close the valve enough I can get it to produce enough to flow into the collection cup, But it is very wet. Should I be producing more foam? Could it be that because the tank is so new there is nothing to remove at this point?

[Coral Hind]

After a month it should be pulling something out. As long as the readings are staying zero there shouldn't be any serious concerns. Has the skimmer been running since day one? Are the bubbles real fine like they should be? Is the water depth in the sump at the correct hight?

 

 

[TonyInVa]

Bubbles are real fine. According to Dan at GSA, I have water level within the recommended depth.

[cabrego]

You should be producing something, if the water level is correct then, what about the following:

 

Air Valve setting?

Water level setting with valve?

Salinity?

 

In my experience skimmers can be very finicky, I was having issues tuning my euro reef rs135. But I think I have found a reasonable balance...

[TonyInVa]

You should be producing something, if the water level is correct then, what about the following:

 

Air Valve setting?

Water level setting with valve?

Salinity?

 

In my experience skimmers can be very finicky, I was having issues tuning my euro reef rs135. But I think I have found a reasonable balance...

 

Air inlet does not have a valve on it so it is wide open. I have the water level setting so it is just below the start of the collection cup. Which is 4" below the point of overflow. (means 4" of foam would be needed to oveflow into collection cup). Specific Gravity is 1.026.

[Chris-]

I honestly never understood under what conditions they work, per say. I think everyone that gets a lot of skim feeds VERY heavy. I have a tang, med and small anthias, med and small blenny, 3 threadfin cardinals, 5 small to medium gobies, 2 yellow clown gobies, 4 shrimp, purple lobster, 1 damsel, clownfish and a rouge crab in the fuge. All perams are in check and I barley get any skim mate from my MSX-200 !? They say "it needs to be broken in" but I guess mine is still breaking in after a year??

 

After all the reading, I think that you could have 100 nitrates and not produce skim. I believe it all has to do with how much (literally) crap you have floating in the tank.

 

I would just leave it set where you have it. If you want to play and be daring like i did in the beginning, set it up to 2" before overflow. Leave it like that, let it ride and not worry about it. In the least, the fish will be well oxygenated. There is just nothing to skim right now that a skimmer could skim......if a skimmer could skim skim

[amay121]

Tony, are you using their GSA's new pinwheel? Or are you on the meshwheel? Here's my take on the GSA1 since I'm using it as well.

 

I received the prototype pinwheel which was machined and not really molded so I had a lot of issues with the noise. I mean the thing was louder than a modified Harley. So I went to an ATB Purple Pinwheel and I still had the same issue, but I found that if I restricted the air flow from the silencer, it would be extremely quiet, only a hum. Doing this though really decreased the performance tremendously though and I wasn't able to get any skimmate into the cup at all or if I set the water level high enough to the point where it looked to be where I wanted it, I'd wake up to an overflowing cup (UGH!!!!).

 

So recently I ordered their new molded pinwheel http://www.greyseasaquatics.com/ssc/do/product/waterpumps/PSK2500-PINWHEEL. For the life of me, I never understood why it never ran when I installed it. No matter what I did, it just seemed like it would never turn. So it's been sitting on the shelf for the past month and I decided last night I'd give it a good whirl after I cleaned the Sicce pump somewhat. After cleaning out the Pump and adding the new pinwheel, everything seems to be running fine now though, but I haven't seen too much skimmate coming through, since it's only been 1/2 a day.

[Chris-]

Have you checked the link? On the site I am getting

 

 

There was a problem with the request

 

* Product PSK2500-PINWHEEL. not found.

[Chris-]

AhA! Try this link

 

http://www.greyseasaquatics.com/ssc/do/product/waterpumps/PSK2500-PINWHEEL

[Chris-]

amay121

 

What were your bubbles like with the stock pin wheel versus the newer one?

 

My sicce vibrates like a cheap motel bed you put quarters into. I figure either the pumps windings are out of spec or the pinwheel maganet is outta whack. Did yours quiet down and become smooth running?

 

Sure wish you were close so I could try it out.

[amay121]

Bubbles are much larger now, but very fine. Seems like the foam head is a lot better than when I was restricting the air flow. Mine's mainly quiet now unless a bump it, then it start to rattle a bit until I adjust the pump into a better location.

[Chris-]

Cool! Could you tell any physical differences between the pinwheels, like more fingers and or longer fingers?

[cabrego]

Air inlet does not have a valve on it so it is wide open. I have the water level setting so it is just below the start of the collection cup. Which is 4" below the point of overflow. (means 4" of foam would be needed to oveflow into collection cup). Specific Gravity is 1.026.

 

 

It sounds like you have the right idea, I would now slowly begin to raise the water level in the skimmer. You say you think it is set for 4 inches until overflow, you should raise it by aninch, and let it run for a day and see what you get. What you are doing is increaseing the contact time since the flow through the skimmer is now slower. Continue to do this until you find a happy medium.

 

I should also note that, my current setting, which is what is working pretty good, overflows when I first start it up. But after the first few seconds, it settles down and I just pull the skimmer cup off (while the skimmer is running) empty the water into the tank and put the cup back on. Alternatively, I could probably just turn the skimmer on without the cup and let it run for a few seconds and then connect the cup.

 

Are you getting any gunky stinky nasty stuff around the neck ?

[amay121]

Chris,

 

Physically, it looks just like straight pins, no real difference among them. But if you put it up against the ATB Lg PPW, then there's a huge difference. Supposedly, it works best with the GSA skimmers though, and right now, it's working nicely for the 1/2 day that I've had it. I was about ready to give it up and buy another Pinwheel (Warner Marine Red Demon or whatever it's called) and try that out.

[TonyInVa]

Tony, are you using their GSA's new pinwheel? Or are you on the meshwheel? Here's my take on the GSA1 since I'm using it as well.

 

I received the prototype pinwheel which was machined and not really molded so I had a lot of issues with the noise. I mean the thing was louder than a modified Harley. So I went to an ATB Purple Pinwheel and I still had the same issue, but I found that if I restricted the air flow from the silencer, it would be extremely quiet, only a hum. Doing this though really decreased the performance tremendously though and I wasn't able to get any skimmate into the cup at all or if I set the water level high enough to the point where it looked to be where I wanted it, I'd wake up to an overflowing cup (UGH!!!!).

 

So recently I ordered their new molded pinwheel http://www.greyseasaquatics.com/ssc/do/product/waterpumps/PSK2500-PINWHEEL. For the life of me, I never understood why it never ran when I installed it. No matter what I did, it just seemed like it would never turn. So it's been sitting on the shelf for the past month and I decided last night I'd give it a good whirl after I cleaned the Sicce pump somewhat. After cleaning out the Pump and adding the new pinwheel, everything seems to be running fine now though, but I haven't seen too much skimmate coming through, since it's only been 1/2 a day.

Actually I ordered the new pin wheel last nite. It should be here Thursday.

[TonyInVa]

It sounds like you have the right idea, I would now slowly begin to raise the water level in the skimmer. You say you think it is set for 4 inches until overflow, you should raise it by aninch, and let it run for a day and see what you get. What you are doing is increaseing the contact time since the flow through the skimmer is now slower. Continue to do this until you find a happy medium.

 

I should also note that, my current setting, which is what is working pretty good, overflows when I first start it up. But after the first few seconds, it settles down and I just pull the skimmer cup off (while the skimmer is running) empty the water into the tank and put the cup back on. Alternatively, I could probably just turn the skimmer on without the cup and let it run for a few seconds and then connect the cup.

 

Are you getting any gunky stinky nasty stuff around the neck ?

 

I will adjust like you describe. Yes, I am getting gunk around the neck. Not very stinky though.

[cabrego]

I will adjust like you describe. Yes, I am getting gunk around the neck. Not very stinky though.

 

 

any luck on this?

[TonyInVa]

No change. I though the pin wheel would have arived Thursday, but no show. Though definetley Friday, but again no show. Hopefully I will have it soon.