Reef Octopus Skimmer not producing bubbles

[hlem]

So, 

 

I have this skimmer running on a 50 gallon for a few years, ~3 years. i shut it off during the weekly clean, and when i turned it back on, it wont produce bubbles anymore, so i took it apart to give it a good muriatic acid bath. approximately 9 parts water, 1 parts acid in a 5 gallon bucket. let it run over night, and cleaned it up, turned it back on, still no bubbles.

 

anyone got any idea? Took the impeller apart too, and it looks cleaned, and still in tack, doesnt look like anything is broken.

 

I think this is the skimmer here.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24783&cmpid=03cseYY&gclid=CjwKEAjwqpK8BRD7ua-U0orrgkESJADlN3YBIL31I_71d0OSKKPnzCtjMy3xjajerDO20jtn4_YWjhoC-y3w_wcB

 

[madweazl]

Can you blow through the venturi line? 

[hlem]

Can you blow through the venturi line?

Yup check the air intake line as well. I can plug and unplug it and it will produce a little bit of bubbles. But nothing like before.

[madweazl]

Hmm, thought I responded to this but I'm not seeing anything. 

 

Anyways, is the pinwheel damaged? Is the waterflow normal? If not, perhaps the impeller is failing. 

[gmerek2]

Are you doing test runs in salt water? Without thinking I test run mine in fresh water one day and had a class A freak out for a couple minutes until it hit me.

[hlem]

Are you doing test runs in salt water? Without thinking I test run mine in fresh water one day and had a class A freak out for a couple minutes until it hit me.

 

took out 3-4 gallons from the DT, and voila.... foam!!! 

 

and a 3-4 gallon wc to the DT is nice bonus