beginner question on protein skimmers

[cicadae]

I have a 55 gallon saltwater tank with seven small fish and coral. My filter is marineland and can filter a 110 gallon tank. The other day I added coral and rearranged the live rock etc. My protein skimmer started acting strange in that the little tornado in it looked more like a really dirty sand storm and the output poured a fog of tiny bubbles.
I took it out, took it apart and cleaned it and put it back. Now I can get the tornado back but it is not bubbling into the upper chamber (discharge cup) at all. If I turn the air intake up, I get the sand storm effect again. At this point, I have a small tornado and my output is releasing clear water with intersperced larger bubbles. It is doing what it did initially on installation for about 2 months. then one day, somehow it started to bubble up to the upper cup and I was happy that it was working.
I read that unless I want to do lots of water changes, I need a protein filter. I am happy to keep it but do not understand it at all. Do you think it is working from my description?
Thanks in advance!
Karen

 

[bang guy]

When you cleaned the skimmer did you just wipe out gunk with a paper towel or did you scrub it?

 

[cicadae]

I ran water through it and then scrubbed it with an aquarium brush. I found large chunks of salt in the air tube and the intake was messy although not totally clogged. I used no chemicals or cleaning liquids although I saw on utube that vinegar is used sometimes but did not use it.
When I turn the air control to the right almost totally, I get the tornado but no bubbles coming into the cup. When I turn it to the left almost totally, the thing makes a loud rattling noise and bubbles do come up towards the cup. In that position, the skimmer sends out bubble foam into the tank and instead of clear water and a tornado in the skimmer body, I see only foamy bubbles moving very fast. I cannot get a happy medium.
I hire a guy to take care of my tank. I paid him that day to change the filter, reorganize the tank, and put in the new corals. He saw that the skimmer and the filter were putting out foam (filter only little puffs now and then and still doing it) but said that they would adjust very soon and that these changes were due to the work he had done. This was three days ago though and last night we decided to clean the skimmer. I think that what we are learning is that it is best to know how to maintain your tank yourself so that you can be prepared in an emergency.
We have had this tank going for the last three months. All of the water parameters are good and we are not overstocking on fish. What I find interesting is that the protein skimmer had only been putting stuff into the cup in the last month and now, we are sort of back to stage one.

 

[cicadae]

I just did some research and found out that I am not alone in regards to this skimmer. It is a SeaClone Instant Ocean and repeatedly the reviews I read indicate that it is very difficult to set up and work, it is very noisy, and it spews out foam/micro bubbles.
What would be a better one?

 

[nukinfuts]

I have the same skimmer as you and I hate it. Just don't have the cash to get a better one at the moment. It is noisey and it seems that I have to mess with it everday. Right now I have no activity in the collection cup. There are ideas on the net to improve them, but I'm scared that I will only make it worse. IIs it supposed to put alot of micro bubbles in the tank? Hope I didn't hi-jack. Just having the same issue as the OP. Any help would be great.