Question about my skimmer

Reggae Fish · #1 03/04/2006, 11:19 PM

I have a Coralife Super Skimmer 125 gallon.

When it shows "initial operation" it says

dry skimming-
Results- Dry foam, concentrated waste material, less volume, dark water color.

Wet skimming-
Results- Wet foam, diluted waste material, more volume, light water color.

Which should I do??? I don't understand this part.

bertoni · #2 03/04/2006, 11:24 PM

You can make a choice on how to tune the skimmer. If you choose to do "dry skimming", you'll pull less water out of the tank, and perhaps less "dirt". Wet skimming pulls more water out of the tank. I don't really pay any attention to that level of skimming detail in any case.

Reggae Fish · #3 03/04/2006, 11:36 PM

great. so your advice is don't really worry about it. Consider it done!

It also says "bubble prodution diffuser should be placed right above the water line" but if I'm not mistaken, the photo shows it underwater with the water line being right at the top of the bubble diffuser? I'm confused. I have my skimmer in a standard 10gallon aquarium. How high would you suggest putting the water? (wouldn't this all vary depending on the height of the sump you are using?)
Also, I have an option to use the "collection cup drain plug" or "collection cup tubing" What is the difference. The plug was in when it came.

By the way. What is "Make-up water" ???

bertoni · #4 03/05/2006, 12:01 AM

The top edge of the bubble production diffuser, or at lest the plastic case, should be just above the water line, I think. Mine works well that way. I think it's up about 1/8" to 1/4" or so.

If you want to do so, you can run the collection cup tubing from the cup to a drain of some sort, perhaps a sink drain. Most people just plug the hole and drain the cup by hand.

bertoni · #5 03/05/2006, 12:03 AM

"Make-up water" has a bunch of definitions, depending on what's being done. Where did the term come up?

Reggae Fish · #6 03/05/2006, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bertoni
The top edge of the bubble production diffuser, or at lest the plastic case, should be just above the water line, I think. Mine works well that way. I think it's up about 1/8" to 1/4" or so.

If you want to do so, you can run the collection cup tubing from the cup to a drain of some sort, perhaps a sink drain. Most people just plug the hole and drain the cup by hand.

My bubble production diffuser is on a J Mounting bracket that hangs from the aquarium/sump, however, it doesn't seem to be on there correct but I couldn't figure it out. So, if it hangs from the top of sump(using aquarium) would that be too high. What about people who use 20" deep buckets or stuff like that since the bubble diffuser hangs from the edge. Maybe I'm just crazy. Does the diffuser connect to the skimmer or hang from the bucket?

Reggae Fish · #7 03/05/2006, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bertoni
"Make-up water" has a bunch of definitions, depending on what's being done. Where did the term come up?

At the very beginning (pre-installation) it says to "prepare at least 5 gallons of "make-up water" to replave water used by the Super Skimmer"

bertoni · #8 03/05/2006, 12:18 AM

My diffuser hangs from the tank, because I am using the skimmer in hang-on mode. In a sump, you might not even need the diffuser. The top edge should be just above the water line in any case, or you'll have a waterfall.

So for the make-up water, your skimmer pulls saltwater from the tank, and when you empty the collection cup, you're removing salt from the system. So when the skimmer is breaking in and removing lots of saltwater, you'll have to replace the skimmate with an equal volume of saltwater. No big deal. Just be sure to measure salinity (SG) in your tank regularly and keep it stable.

Reggae Fish · #9 03/05/2006, 12:27 AM

so the diffuser just sits in the water basically? It says to use it. Should the diffuser need to be on the outside of the sump? My skimmer is inside the sump.

Man I'm confused!

bertoni · #10 03/05/2006, 12:45 AM

Your diffuser should be in the sump. The output of the skimmer goes into the diffuser. That way the bubbles have some chance of reaching the surface and popping before they get sucked into the water column. The water flows out of the diffuser into the sump, but the edge of the diffuser can't be too high or you'll have a waterfall.

Reggae Fish · #11 03/05/2006, 01:12 AM

I'm sorry for the bother. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate your help.

I took a few photos of how I have it set up. Could you look at them and tell me what I've done wrong and where you would fill the water up to?

Thanks!

The gallery is http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showg...at=500&thumb=1

bertoni · #12 03/05/2006, 02:47 AM

Everything looks reasonable except the placement of the "bubble diffuser". I'm assuming the water level in the protein skimmer area doesn't get very deep. The water-air pump isn't supposed to be all that deep, at least for my model. You'll want to move the bubble diffuser down so that it's just above water level. Alternatively, the skimmer body would likely need to be moved up.

The instruction should say how deep the pump should be in the water.

Reggae Fish · #13 03/05/2006, 02:52 AM

If the pieces they give you to mount the diffuser don't allow it to go down far enough can I basically just prop it up?

You also may be able to help with this.
I have a 55 gallon tank with a Amiracle overflow box, a return with a tiny hole right above the water line. I also have just a 10 gallon aquarium for my sump with my skimmer in it. What steps can I take to make sure I never have a flood. I'm new so I'm not exactly sure how it all runs???

Thanks,
Justin

bertoni · #14 03/05/2006, 02:56 AM

Hmm, you should be able to prop it up somehow. I don't remember the details, and I have the smaller skimmer.

The Amiracle overflow should have a gph rating. Is there also some sort of return hole in the tank? What's the "tiny hole right above the water line"? I would buy a pump that's rated for about half the overflow gph, as margin for blockage. You'll want to include head loss for the pump to sump path. You could also mount the pump up off the bottom of the tank to limit the water that gets dumped on the floor if some plumbing breaks or leaks.

Reggae Fish · #15 03/05/2006, 10:50 AM

The overflow is for 600gph
The return is a Mag-7 with 1/2" tubing going into a return assembly. http://www.aquariumpros.com/p-MLD1401,FPmp.html

I was told to put a small pin hole above the water line of the return assembly because of something like back siphoning or something like that.

davocean · #16 03/05/2006, 11:41 AM

I love my coralife, and it works great.
One suggestion though.
At breakin period they can suddenly run heavy flow after feeding
or water change and can overflow.
I would hook tubing to drain plug going to a one gal. jug
This also makes it a little easier to empty.
These are great skimmers out of the box, but there are some
mods you can do to make them pretty much perfect.
On light/filt forum look for mods by MASTERSWIMMER
He has a great bubble difuser mod

Reggae Fish · #17 03/05/2006, 11:48 AM

My RO Unit will be here tomm.
I want to start breaking this in. Can I use just tap water to break this in? I don't have water in my tank.

Can I just set it in the sump and fill the sump with water. Will this work

davocean · #18 03/05/2006, 01:01 PM

I just gave some advice on your other post.
You sound like your excited and anxious to get going.
Normal, but start w/ good habits
Nothing good happens real fast w/ this hobby

tacobell45 · #19 03/05/2006, 01:18 PM

(I was told to put a small pin hole above the water line of the return assembly because of something like back siphoning or something like that.)Yes to this , I didnt understand either until I got sump going and cut power to eveything ,intake keeps siphining water to main tank, I still have to put hole in mine but just lift the intake nozzle out of water and it will stop water flowing in. just try not to worry and remember youll be fine just keep an eye on it until both tank and sump water level stays the same.... I have the same skimmer on its way next week (; this will be Of grear help when it gets here Thanks to all!

bertoni · #20 03/05/2006, 03:20 PM

I would just wait for the RO water to arrive, and save the work. The tank is going to take a long time to reach stability.

That pump might be pretty large. This chart shows gph with head loss:

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...me.asp?CartId=

The Mag 7 should deliver around 500-550 gph to a head loss of 2-3'. That's pretty close to your overflow capacity, but it should work, I guess.