Protein Skimmer not, well, skimming

[aviator]

Hi all,
It's been a while since I've posted on here due to personal circumstances, but I've finally made it back.
55 gal tank
RESIDENTS
2 false perc's hosting a BTA
1 scooter blenny
1 watchman goby and his buddy the Pistol Shrimp
1 yellow tang
2 damsels
several peppermint shrimp
20 or so crabs
2 nassarius snails
1 harliquen shrimp (fed an apstasia once a week)
HARDWARE
Rena XP3 filter
1 Koralia 3
1 Koralia nano (from another tank)
1 SKY495 venturi type skimmer
1 400W MH light on an 8 hour cycle
2 CF actinics on a 9 hour cycle
STATS
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0
phos: less than .01
Temp: 75-77
Sal: 1.020 - 1.021
10% water change once a week using RO/DI water and "instant ocean" salt.
The tank has been up and running for 15 months, everyone is happy and healthy, Algae is under control for the most part thanks to the Tang. We feed every other day -usually frozen with a copepod suppliment for the blenny. The Tang grazes on the rock all day. The Harlequen is fed an apstasia star once every other week with any excess removed quickly. So far no apstasia outbreak. Pistol and Goby are inseperable and my tank raised False Percs (ocelaris) that I've had for 14 months started hosting the BTA I put in the tank about 2 weeks ago. They had never hosted before (never had an anemone)and I was told not to expect them to host EVER, so this was a great surprise. BTA seems to have found it's happy spot and is fully inflated and healthy.
Now to my question:
I know I cheaped out on the skimmer, but I thought I'd give it a try. The skimmer is up and running directly in the display. It does seem to put out a lot of microbubbles and has been running now for better than a week. However the cup is empty. There's a good bubble column and plenty of flow in the skimmer, but nothing ever appears in the cup and the inverted cone going into the cup never really gathers a "foam" - the bubbles dissapate quickly. Is it possible that my tank is just clean enough that there's no protein to skim or do I have something set up incorrectly?
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[meowzer]

WOW that's one intricate looking skimmer...lol...So you have NOTHING collecting? Some skimmers have a "break-in" period....since you have only had it 1 week, I'd give it a little more time....
does your instructions mention anything about this?

 

[acrylic51]

You say a venturi style skimmer... Are the bubbles in the skimmer body small, fine or large? Also any pic of the skimmer?

 

[aviator]

Well, the instructions that came with the skimmer are less than wonderful, I can say that. As far as bubbles, they are very very fine. The instructions don't really mention a break-in period, but after reading online, I did get the idea that I would have to break it in, I just figured that a week would be enough to start seeing "something" in the cup.
Here's a photo of the skimmer. Obviously, the cup is above the water, but here you can see that the venturi is full of tiny bubbles and the outlet is putting lots of microbubbles in the tank. I think that eventually I am going to have to set up a sump so I can put the skimmer in there. Thats the only way I can see to keep the microbubbles out of the tank.
I do have the skimmer set up per the instructions and the water column in the cup inlet is at the proper level.

And here's the cup. So far the only thing it's collected has been some algae debris that happened to get sucked into the powerhead.

 

[meowzer]

Seems to me you have way too many bubbles entering the tank itself....I would keep making air adjustments...that's about all I can tell you...

 

[aviator]

I went ahead and closed the air inlet down so that now there's nothing but a small "tornado" of bubbles in the body, this brought the microbubble's exiting the outlet down. We'll see if that helps any.

 

[acrylic51]

To me it seems there isn't tons of bubbles in the skimmer body itself, but pic could be deceiving due to the bubbles being dumped back into the tank...You said the skimmer is new and only been setup a week?

 

[acrylic51]

Another question after further looking what are the 2 airlines for? I understand the 1 closest to the PH, that should be your venturi or what you would adjust to change air being injected, but what is the other line further up the tube?

 

[handbanana]

I purchased the exact same skimmer off that bidding site
I just want to tell you strait up. Its crap. It doesn't work correctly.
That opening directly off the pump should be plugged. the air enters through the skimmer body tube. If you look inside the pump outlet there should be s nozzle pointing INTO the jetstream, For a venturi it needs to point AWAY from the stream. Mine shot out water from that hole. came with a plug.
I really hate to say it but that skimmer is no good. Im still trying to fig out what I can make out of it. Perhaps a fluidized sand filter?
On the other hand, If you master this piece of crap let me know so I can put mine back together and perhaps use it on my nano...

Good luck

 

[acrylic51]

Why wouldn't they want to draw air right at the pump Handbanana? Sounds kind of dumb?????

 

[handbanana]

Sure it sounds dumb. I didn't make the thing however so IDK
I do have one however, do you? Ill post pics tonight, even a vid if that suits your fancy.
Notice there are two holes and YOU yourself askd why there are two holes. I told you.
It is what it is and it can sound as dumb as you want it to.
Why would you draw air in in two different areas so close together??????

 

[handbanana]

Oh yeah, I cant tell if its there but there should be an adjustment elbow on the output. an elbow with a valve...

 

[acrylic51]

I wasn't questioning you Handbana just was stating the setup is weird. They could have set it up something like the Seaclone skimmer is what I was referring too.

 

[handbanana]

sorry, It kinda sounded like you were telling me I was full of s##t. My Bad

.
I just feel bad for the OP cuz he was fooled into thinking this skimmer was decent as I was.
I just hope something can be done with it. My pump now powers my turtle river.
I hope Avaitor can get it working decently

 

[aviator]

The powerhead they supply is just a generic powerhead. I think the first connection would be for use of you weren't connecting it to the skimmer. The first tube is just used as a plug. mine didn't come with a plug. so I just kinked the hose and used it as the plug. There IS a venturi on the proper side of the skimmer, just past the second connection. it does appear to be working now, I'll give it a day or two and see what, if anything it produces. If not, I'll take it apart and see what the problem is.

 

[flower]

The only thing I am sure of about skimmers is that I hate them.
Mine puts out so many bubbles I only run it at night when the lights are off so I don’t have to look at it. So don’t get a Coralife brand.
I have never seen a skimmer like yours in a DT. I see them in sumps, but those that go on a DT are usually a HOB type.
Are you sure yours should be in a DT, maybe it was designed to go in a sump.
The only thing I’m sure of about most HOB skimmers is that they should go into the garbage. The only people I see on this site with a good skimmer and good results are those who have a sump.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3270935

The only thing I am sure of about skimmers is that I hate them.
lol.....You know I have to agree....I have a bakpak HOB, and an Octopus HOB and I hate them both, do you know the skimmer I had the LEAST issues with were my Seaclones

 

[acrylic51]

Your octopus gives you fits? Check out the other site there's a good thread where you could get help with the octopus.

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by acrylic51
http:///forum/post/3270954
Your octopus gives you fits? Check out the other site there's a good thread where you could get help with the octopus.
Yeah...I know...I've read them all...I just gave up for now

 

[acrylic51]

Flower there are some decent HOB skimmers out there. Alot of people have loved AquaC, Tunze DOC are a few..... Sure the skimmers aren't just out of adjustment?