More Prizm questions

[maryc137]

I've been told that my Prizm skimmer problems were because the tank is so new there is nothing much to skim yet. We turn it way down, almost off, to keep the top cup from filling. Then all of a sudden it will run the bottom part empty! I figure the pump will burn out at this rate.
Is this simply because I dont have enough to skim yet, or is this skimmer just no good. What type of skimmer would you recommend?

 

[predator]

I used a back pack for a little while. Then had a custom sump and skimmer made. My new skimmer has gone buck wild ever since. Those back packs are not that good.

 

[justinl]

What do you mean by run the bottom part empty? Are you sure you have the tube connected to the 2nd hole on the top of the lid to let air in and not the first? I have mine set almost to no flow but still have a good mix of bubbles just so the foam stays below the start of the funnel at the top. If I set it any higher I get lots of watery foam.
You just have to play with it. Mine works great.

 

[ren]

My prizm is working great. Make sure that the induction tube is locked when you have waterflow you should be able to unplug it and it will stay primed. Mind is set near off for waterflow too - just enough to allow the bubbly foam into the neck. over time dryer foam will overflow into the top tank to dump n clean. As for the air tube - i left mine off - not connected to the top collection tank- i had to plug it to get it to prime initially.

 

[chrismilano]

My prizm is LOUD. Not broken loud or anything, but the fizz and hum will fill a room. Is this normal, anysuggestions?

 

[beecher]

Wow...I've never heard of the bottom chambers going dry on the Prizm. My first guess is that you have a leak somewhere in the unit. It is phsically impossible for the unit to "pump" all the water out of the chambers. I would take the unit down and fill it with water in a sink to see where the water is going. As far as the sound brought up by CHRISMILANO, make sure you have the 18 blade impellor. Until recently, the units came with a 12 blade impellor that was noisy. You can call Red Sea and they will send you one for free. I also found that if you stuff the dry chamber that the inlet tube goes in with cotton balls it helps with the buzzing sound. You will never eliminate sound from a skimmer......I have yet to see one that is truly quiet.

 

[cronin]

Chrismilano: I had a similar problem with my prism when I first got it. I was wet skimming which means water was moving up the cone instead of dry foam. I thought the wider open it was the more it would skim but then I read the directions. You might want to turn down your flow to be barely open. Mine is only open to about one tenth of the possible flow it cuts the noise drastically and the skimmer actually skims.

 

[thewolfman777]

the guy at the lfs told me (not that this matters because the guys at the lfs are do-do's) that you should not use a skimmer until the tank has fully cycled because there will be nothing to skim. is this true???