Skimmer Not Skimming or Nothing to Skim?
 

About a week ago, I setup my new tank. Three days ago, I put a shrimp in to let the tank cycle. Right now the tank has everything but the live rock. The tank does not seem to have any algae yet, but it does stink. In the time that the skimmer has been running, I have not seen any skimmate. There is very little foam at the top of the skimmer and it does not rise even close to the collection cup. There has only been some water in the collection cup. It is the Seaclone 100 skimmer. I know this skimmer is not the best but I still expect it to skim, maybe just not as much. So is this normal? I am going to buy some rock tomorrow, should I also return the skimmer?

If it isnt producing a good foam then its setup wrong or your salinity maybe low. In a new tank you wont see much if any but it should still have foam.

Salinity right now is 1.021. I am pretty sure it is setup correctly since water is flowing through the skimmer and there are bubbles swirling around. I have tried adjusting the air valve, spent few hours on that.

it took me a few days to adjust my skimmer keep working on it ,and it should come together.

The depth of the intake pump does play a factor. It could just need a break in . If after a week it still isnt producing a nice foam then it may need adjusting.Im not familar with your skimmer but my super skimmer came with to size hoses for the intake pump for this.

Your SG is a bit low at 1.021. A good skimmer will still produce at this SG though. 1.021 is fine to cycle with and to keep fish but inverts and coral will prefer 1.024-.1026sg.

The Seaclone has been considered a bad investment for quite some time now. There have been threads about ways to modify them to actually perform but even then is still undersized for your size tank.

Using a skimmer during a cycle is not needed other than just to help to breakin a new skimmer.

My Octopuss NW200 skimmer didn't really start pulling gunk till about the 8 week mark. Now, with ported venturi and volute, it skims 1/4 collection cup per day of some really dark stinky stuff.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11556080#post11556080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ImprezaSTi [/i]
[B]Salinity right now is 1.021. I am pretty sure it is setup correctly since water is flowing through the skimmer and there are bubbles swirling around. I have tried adjusting the air valve, spent few hours on that. [/B][/QUOTE]

You should have added some live rock and sand to kick start your tank. You should wait until your tank is fully cycled before you add any livestock including shrimp. Definately return the skimmer. I would at very least get a coralife skimmer. Its similar in price but it works alot better. Or even better get an aqua c remora.

I don't know much about that skimmer at all. But, I was told that it could take about a week or so to "break in" a new skimmer and for the skimmer to develop a slime coat so that it produces skimmate.

With mine, which I just put on not long ago, it was almost a week and a half before the foam even rose high enough to have anything collect in the collection cup.

Is there anything in your tank besides water and the shrimp you just dropped in?

You should cycle with live rock and sand.

Also, if you cycle your water only, the tank will need to cycle all over again when you add LR and substrate. dileggi is correct, brand new skimmers often do little for a week or so but listen to the consensus. Good skimming is important and, if you want corals, it can be critical. Spend more on a good skimmer if you want to be successful long term.
My experience with reef tanks is that if you buy poorly designed (cheap) equipment you will soon find it to be the most expensive equiment in your setup. This doen't mean you can't find bargains on good equipment!

IMO, seaclone's are the more moody than my girlfriend :D

Seriously though, I used to have one.... waaayyy back.... I would spend 90% of my time adjusting the air valve, and as soon as I got it set it would be time to clean the skimmer or the air hole would get clogged or some other PITA reason that I had to take it apart.

I'll give you a word of advice I wish someone else would have giving me many headaches ago...... Throw the seaclone in the trash.... or give it to your worst enemy, or use it to hit the person who sold it to you over the head, or...... go ahead and schedule all of your free time to getting it to work. :)

Seriously though.... do what you can with it.... it's a battle I thought I could win yet ended up failing miserably. I made a DIY skimmer, took one weekend, and have never looked back. I don't even have to touch it... it just works no matter what.

Good luck with your new tank!

Thanks for the tips everyone. Got the rock in today, will see how the skimmer performs and if I will be getting a new one a week from now.