AquaC CLUB! - Page 10

ShapeGSX · #**226** 08/13/2007, 03:12 PM

My 1" injector is on its way. Steve at AquaC was very helpful in diagnosing. I'll be interested to see if it makes a difference.

If it does not, I will move the skimmer or the pump.

JenDub · #**227** 08/13/2007, 06:26 PM

Hello to all, I'm running an ev400 with a 1" injector & mag24. I tuned the skimmer by adjusting the gate valve to bring the water line to the top of the box (air completely shut off) and then opened the ball valve about 2/3 of the way.

It seems really turbulent at the top of the water in the neck and I'm not getting any skimmate/foam column. Any tips?

ps- the skimmer is used and has been broken in on my system for a week

Waxxiemann · #**228** 08/13/2007, 06:30 PM

Sounds like you got everything ok. I'd maybe wait and see. What's the bio load like?

chase33 · #**229** 08/13/2007, 08:31 PM

Wow! A mag 24 on a skimmer. I'm suprised it doesn't blow the skimmer out of the water.

JenDub · #**230** 08/13/2007, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Waxxiemann
Sounds like you got everything ok. I'd maybe wait and see. What's the bio load like?

It's 480g with about 100lbs of live rock and not much else for now (new system). I was having the same issue on my established 170g system. On the 170g I got a foam head going but it was never enough to reach the cup and every time it got close it seemed to collapse from our daily maintenance & feeding. The euroreef 8-3 was pulling a pitcher of iced tea out of the 170 every week...

I noticed the clear neck extends down into the box and inch or so; is the "top of the box" the bottom of the clear tube inside or is it the top of the outer box where the clear tube attaches if looking in?

Should the foam level start about 1/3 up the neck? Seems low to me...

chase33 · #**231** 08/13/2007, 10:19 PM

I'm no expert not by any means as I just got mine dialed in after many months of anguish. I would slowly dial it down by turning the gate valve. You can see when the water level in the tower decreases (also I kept my air valve 3/4 of the way open). As soon as you see it dip below the tower and into the box stop dialing it down and wait a day or so to see if the foam rises. If the foam doesn't rise high enough dial down the gate valve a little more and wait again. I can't guarantee but this is what worked for me after months of playing with the thing. Hope it works for you too.

JenDub · #**232** 08/13/2007, 10:47 PM

So are you saying a little too low is better than a little to high? That would make sense since the skimmer needs the air gap...

Thanks!

chase33 · #**233** 08/13/2007, 11:09 PM

For whatever reason that is what worked for me. I did that and at first I had the air closed almost all the way. After a couple of hours I opened it to about 3/4 of the way and the tower has been full of foam ever since. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed though.

moumda · #**234** 08/14/2007, 06:37 PM

IMO, my skimmer works better the more air I have. I can't open the air valve all the way cause it causes a flood but I keep it as open as I can. I took the valve off the side of the skimmer altogether. I've been thinking of but a quality ball valve and installing it on the output of my pump. That way I could open the air valve up all the way and control the skimmate by restricting the water flow into the skimmer. What do you guys think?

TheMorayMan · #**235** 08/14/2007, 08:30 PM

SHould I take THe Gate valve off my EV-120? I think the elbow is messing with the skimmate, and i need the elbow on it to fit it in the sump, so shud i take it off all toghter?

pogodzib · #**236** 08/15/2007, 08:59 AM

Moumda - I prefer to leave the pump at full blast unless you can't keep the water level below the top of the skimmer box and adjust the air valve to control the skimmate thickness. With the AquaC skimmers, the more flow through the injector, the more air that gets sucked into the skimmer body. By cutting back the flow and leaving the air valve wide open, you won't get any more air than leaving the valve wide open and restricting the flow.

TheMorayMan - Unless your pump is too powerfull that you can't keep the water level below the top of the skimmer box, I don't see any reason why it would be beneficial to take it off.

TheMorayMan · #**237** 08/15/2007, 10:56 AM

my water level is in the damn tower, half water and half foam in the tower, is this wrong?

gcarroll · #**238** 08/15/2007, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheMorayMan
my water level is in the damn tower, half water and half foam in the tower, is this wrong?

Yep, it should be in the black box when the air valve is off.

TheMorayMan · #**239** 08/15/2007, 01:18 PM

well air off or on it is in the foam tower

TheMorayMan · #**240** 08/15/2007, 01:19 PM

well air off or on it is in the foam tower so thats bad

JenDub · #**241** 08/15/2007, 10:59 PM

Is your ozone port plugged?

gcarroll · #**242** 08/16/2007, 01:06 AM

EV120 does not have a an ozone port unless it was a custom add-on.

TheMorayMan · #**243** 08/16/2007, 02:05 PM

yea i had it put on, i have my CA Reactor hooked up through it

TheMorayMan · #**244** 08/16/2007, 02:07 PM

i took off my gate valve and now adjust it throught the air valve, works better, that stupid elbow created too much backpressure, i mite jus directly silicone the gate valve to the skimmer, because with the little nipple attachment, it wont fit

JenDub · #**245** 08/17/2007, 05:39 AM

I'm a little confused as to what the advantages of having a large foam tower are. Seems like the foam should be skimmed out asap rather than letting it stand in the chamber and risking a foam collapse when you touch the tank.

I'm still hoping my skimmer will produce something, my euroreef has pulled another pitcher in the meantime.

Is this a skimmer for people who don't put hands in their water much? Maybe it was the wrong choice for a working tank...

ShapeGSX · #**246** 08/17/2007, 10:32 AM

Well, the 1" injector has definitely helped matters.

I now have a Mag 7 being fed by a 1/2" input. The output is 1/2" on the pump, but gets stepped up to a 1" hose barb. This feeds a 1" flexible plastic hose that goes directly to the EV120 skimmer.

Now the bubbles start getting bigger higher in the tower than before. But it still doesn't seem to be skimming as well as I had hoped.

I think my next step may be to upgrade the pump inlet from 1/2" to 3/4". There is one right angle on my pump's inlet, and upping that to 3/4" may provide the boost it needs.

After that, I may upgrade the bulkhead in my sump to 3/4" (which I would have to do before upgrading the pump, anyway). That is going to be a major, pain, of course, since the sump is glass.

chris4869 · #**247** 08/17/2007, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JenDub
I'm a little confused as to what the advantages of having a large foam tower are. Seems like the foam should be skimmed out asap rather than letting it stand in the chamber and risking a foam collapse when you touch the tank.

I'm still hoping my skimmer will produce something, my euroreef has pulled another pitcher in the meantime.

Is this a skimmer for people who don't put hands in their water much? Maybe it was the wrong choice for a working tank...

My thought exactly. I find that if you have a larger foam tower, you'll get a dryer skimmate, but you also risk having it collapse back into the water. Your Euroreef foam doesn't callapse when you put your hand in the tank?

I've been running my EV-180 with the water level set to 1 inch below the collection cup, and I'm really happy with the result. There's only 1 inch of foam space before it gets blown into the collection cup. The foam tower is now being used to increase the bubbles and water contact time. I was able to restrict the intake air even further to get smaller bubbles. I've tried it before when the water level was set at the top of the black box, and it hinder the foam production. The only difference between now and then is the 1 inch injector.

ShapeGSX · #**248** 08/18/2007, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ShapeGSX

I think my next step may be to upgrade the pump inlet from 1/2" to 3/4". There is one right angle on my pump's inlet, and upping that to 3/4" may provide the boost it needs.

I ended up doing this with the largest most gradual 3/4" elbow I could find. I ported all of the 1/2" connections out with my dremel to get more flow. I even made the 3/4" pipe in the system taper to avoid turbulence (must be the car guy in me). And I made sure that I got rid of any PVC cement that had squeezed into the water flow area.

As soon as I turned it on, I saw it was different. The bubbles were already halfway up the chamber within minutes.

Now it is skimming VERY WELL!

The small bubbles go almost all the way up the main cylinder. I'm finally skimming wet with this thing!

So the 1/2" right angle PVC pipe I had on the inlet of the pump was restricting it big time.

JenDub · #**249** 08/19/2007, 09:46 PM

Hi Guys,

Well I spoke with Jason at RAP and told him the issue I was having with putting my hands in the tank too much. He recommended that I set the water column at 3" up the neck and then add air. So far this looks pretty promising as the skimmer has started to pull gunk out.

I think I', gonna turn my 120 into an sps tank and put this skimmer on there, I've never seen the water in that tank as crystal clear as it was when I was running this skimmer!

BTW- Have you guys seen the new square AquaC Calcium reactor? It is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! Screw on lid & reverse flow and it has a small footprint & short hieght so it can fit anywhere. The square makes it hold the same amount of media as a reactor double the height. This will definitely be my next purchase!

Pacific Reefs · #**250** 08/19/2007, 10:23 PM

I will have to check out that calcium reactor...didn't know Aqua C made one.