Berlin Skimmer Classic Help

[irenicus]

I just installed my Berlin in my sump and it seems like it is not working right. It floods up and wet foam overflows out of the inner tube into the outer tube and out the little nozzle (above the to water outlet tubes.) I have never done skimming before, read the book through and through and I don't have a clue. Can someone please help me. Possibly let me know what I'm doing wrong or how to set up the berlin classic correctly. I have a mag 5 500gph pump hooked up to it. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Pictures would be helpful too.
THANKS!

 

[irenicus]

bump

 

[10k]

Are you using an in sump classic or a HO classic? I have used both. Maybe we can figure it out for you...awaiting reply

 

[irenicus]

Classic, not the hang on.

 

[10k]

Do you happen to have anything attached to the outputs on the skimmer? ie hoses, or anything blocking them off partially, such as algae? You are using the correct Mag pump for the skimmer I see. I too used the mag5. The only thing I can think of right off is, a restriction on the output side of the skimmer, or possibly too high of a water level in the sump(which I assume this is where the skimmer is, right?)

 

[irenicus]

Nothing is restricting the water output. I don't even have any tubes connected yet, it is just draining down under the output noozles. Water level is not too high, actually right now its a little higher than the pumps. The skimmer is in the sump.

 

[10k]

If nothing is restricting the outputs, I really don't understand what is going on there. It's not a big concern though. Just take a piece of airline tubung, and run it from one

[hr]
, to the other. (I had to do this to a HO unit I used on a 55)The nipples are only there for ozone use anyway. Capping them off will effect nothing. It will still perform as normal.

 

[irenicus]

I restricted the airflow and the foam stopped overflowing into the collection cup so rapidlly. It seems water is comming from the waste collection nozzle, that the hose connects to. Can that be capped of will that cause eventual flooding? Before I tighted the airflow, I capped the waste nozzle and water rose up through the carbon filter screen and I suppose the whole unit would eventually be flooded.

 

[10k]

OK now your making me think you were talking about the waste collection cup... If so, it is normal for foam to come out. That means it is working. The trick is to adjust the airflow into the skimmer, so that you get a dark colored sludge building up in the cup. If it is clear, it is nothing but water, and your adding too much air. If you are getting nothing, you may need to add more air. Keep in mind, it takes a new skimmer some time to break-in and start removing wastes, even after cleaning it.
As for the waste collection nozzle. I assume you are talking about either the hose, or barbed fitting on the side of the collection cup. If so, the skimmer came with a cap to use to block off the hole for the barbed fitting, if you don't want to use the hose. If you do want to use the hose, you will have to run the hose into some sort of storage container (I use an old gallon DT's jug) to catch and store all of the junk the skimmer pulls out. This is in sense removing the cup (but not). When this container gets close to full, dump it out.