My SWC 160 Protein Skimmer IS NOT WORKING

reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
My tank (120) has been up 10 months. My POS 160 skimmer works right about half the time and I have no algae issues other than some bubble algae I need to deal with. I have super slow flow through the fuge, I doubt the return pump is moving more than 400 gallons and hour and it's a split drain so not all of the flow hits the fuge. You can barely see the water move through it. It takes like a week of not cleaning the glass to really see film algae even build up on it. I am lightly stocked but not THAT lightly stocked. I have a Biopellet reactor I've decided not to hook up for a while. I want to see if there is something to this low fuge flow thing.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
I agree if it is working for you don't change. I am happy with my set up - the water especially tonight is sparkling - don't know what it is - I don't even have foam in my sump anymore. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
I was at HD last night and saw this work light with a cfl in it. It is a square shaped one. I thought to save room with an algae scrubber to have this light inbetween two screen that are attached to a box so essentially only one side would grow algae and then have the light between them. THe light would be in an acrylic box as well. Would like to try to find these online somewhere and give it a try, might be a bit expensive in changing bulbs every 3 or 4 months.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Al I think I posted a link earlier in this thread to a great place for cfl bulbs like that. If not ill get it for u when I get home tonight I think its called 1000light bulbs .com or something along those lines. They also sell the components to build your own fixture out of them.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
No problemo amigo. Its 1000bulbs.com. Actually the prices on those 4 and 2 pin style bulbs are not bad since they run on an external ballast usually built in to the fixture. Those spiral bulbs have miniature balasts built into to the base of the bulb so that they can run in a standard socket. And you should be able to find them in 2700k temp. Maybe not that excact bulb but something similar.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
After having another small flood because of my POS 160 deciding to skim like a demon I had a thought. I am going to use the collection cup drain on the skimmer but instead of using it to drain skimmate into a collection jug I am going to try running it though a filter system I am going to make using a polyfilter pad and let the water drain back into the fuge. I figure I might as well take advantage of this POS's tendency to run away with it's self. I figure it isn't any more of a hassle to chuck a pad than dumping a skimmer cup. In theory I would be sending the water from the tank through the fuge, into the skimmer, through a filter and through the fuge again.
Thoughts? I thought about using it to gravity feed a scrubber but I don't have room in the stand for all that.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
What not have/make yourself a remote drain cup that has an automatic shut off??????
That way if it would fill the remote drain cup it would shut the air flow off to the skimmer and it won't skim at all........Sounds like either you have a possible pump issue or something going on around the tank to influence the skimmer.....Are you within the adjustment specs, and not over adjusting and then all of a sudden it goes crazy?
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/120#post_3426765
What not have/make yourself a remote drain cup that has an automatic shut off??????
That way if it would fill the remote drain cup it would shut the air flow off to the skimmer and it won't skim at all........Sounds like either you have a possible pump issue or something going on around the tank to influence the skimmer.....Are you within the adjustment specs, and not over adjusting and then all of a sudden it goes crazy?
No, it skims right for as much as a week and then for no reason I can figure it will take off like a cat with it's tail on fire and I have to throttle it back. Then after a couple days it slows up again and I readjust and it takes off again after however long....
I already have one of the AquaC collections jugs, I was just thinking of trying something different for giggles as far as cycling the waste back though the fuge.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/120#post_3426807
Might send the skimmer really wacky......What is the pad really going to filter out of the excess water?
Phosphates (if you believe the advertisements) and some of the solids that come into the skimmer cup. Might even try a live rock heap so there would be a pod population to go after the solids. People claim skimming strips out some good stuff. I am trying to figure a way to use the skimmer to concentrate the nastiness and send it through a process that will remove the bad and leave the good.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
I am kicking an idea around for an algae scrubber, my present screen is about 8 x 12 inches. I want to make an algae scrubber that has two screens - essentially I only want to use one side of the screen and have two screens - these screens would be place in a trough like box, they would sit on angled side (about 5 degrees only). The screen would sit in the trough. These would be 12 inches long by what ever the width of the craft screen is. Then there would be 5 - 42 watts bulbs in the middle in another plexi glass trough to protect them from the SW. I am thinking lights in the middle with screen on both sides this way no reflectors are needed to reflect the light. Let me know what you guys think of this idea - I am starting to draw it up.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/386748/my-swc-160-protein-skimmer-is-not-working/120#post_3427353
Interested to see the drawing Al......
When I look at these scrubbers I always think there is a lot of wasted light with reflectors and all. I know by using just one side of the screen you sacrifice scrubbing efficiency as compared to using both sides however space can be saved by putting the lights in between the screens. Essentially I want to be able to remove the whole unit from below my tank. I don't have a lot of room and putting lights on both sides takes up a lot of real estate. I might even put this over my fuge and leave the bottom clear so light can go into it as well. Just kicking some ideas out there. I like these scrubbers I think they are good.
 
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