Nautilus Skimmer...is mine even working?

toddpolish

toddpolish

Member
Day 5 of the cycle. I have the mag7 (with valve) powering the skimmer. I'm not even sure how high the water should twirl around in the thing. I've adjusted the valve on the Mag about a thousand times...can't get it right. I think that I need to have it so the water goes up halfway to the top cup. is this right?
Most days I come home and the water is overflowing out of the top of the skimmer (then I dump the water out of the cup and readjust the valve).
it has not yet produced any of the gunk I hear about. A couple of times, my sump was filled with white foam mixed and some dark crud...but it didn't make it to the skimmer. cant understand why...
can someone lend advice. any other info you need from me?
 
goldrush

goldrush

Member
If the tank is 5 days old you probably don't have any "gunk" yet. Most skimmers,you want the water to go right to the base of the collection cup.
 
kpogue

kpogue

Member
I have the same skimmer/pump set up. Get rid of the valve and adjust the exhaust tube so the water level is 1-1.5 inches below of the black coller. I empty my skimmer cup around every two weeks.
 
marinerock

marinerock

Member
HEY TODD....
GREAT SKIMMER...
I HAVE THE NAUTILUS TE....I WILL ASSUME YOU HAVE THE SAME SKIMMER, THE TE.... AS THEY ALSO JUST CAME OUT WITH THE "EX"
ASSUMING YOU HAVE THE TE....OKAY...
FIRST, TAKE OFF THE VALVE....ITS NOT NEEDED AS THE SKIMMER
IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE A M/D#700 FULLY OPENED....
NEXT, YOUR TANK IS TOO NEW IN THAT YOUR TANK IS STILL
CYCLING...CORRECT? IF SO, THE SKIMMER WILL NOT PRODUCE
ANYTHING FOAM WISE AS IT NEEDS ORGANIC MATTER TO
PRODUCE FOAM...I WOULD WAIT 2 MONTHS BEFORE PUTTING
THE SKIMMER INTO USE...SET IT UP NOW, BUT WAIT TO
HAVE IT RUNNING...
NEXT, LOOKING AT YOUR SKIMMERS CLEAR WATER COLUMN
WHERE THE BUBBLES ARE FORMING, ADJUST THE WATER LEVEL
IN THAT COLUMN TO APPROX. 1"-1 1/2" BELOW THE BOTTOM
OF THE BOTTOM OF THE BLACK COLLAR THAT THE WASTE CUP
SITS ON...YES, THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTOM....
TO ADJUST THE WATER LEVEL IN THE BUBBLE COLUMN,MOVE THE
CLEAR TUBE WHERE THE WATER OVERFLOWS FROM,EITHER UP OR
DOWN DEPENDING ON WHERE THE LEVEL IS NOW...
ALSO, ANOTHER TRICK, IF YOU ARE GETTING ALOT OF BUBBLES RETURNING TO THE DISPLAY TANK...THE SPONGE THAT WAS SUPPLIED WITH THE SKIMMER THAT GOES ON THE CLEAR OVERFLOW TUBE, PLACE THE SPONGE SO THAT IT IS HALF-WAY
SUBMERGED INTO THE SUMP WATER....
ADJUSTING IT THIS WAY WILL REMOVE THE FILTHIEST GUNK
FROM THE TANK WATER, AND NOT JUST SO-SO DIRTY WATER...
ANYMORE QUESTIONS....JUST LET ME KNOW....
HOPE THIS HELPS
REGARDS....
MARINEROCK
 
scotts

scotts

Active Member
TP,
I didn't even put on my skimmer until I was about 2 weeks into my cycle. As has been stated before I think it is too early to get any gunk out. When you do you will know. It is nasty. It is amazing to think that the gunk comes out of the clear water.
Scott
 
toddpolish

toddpolish

Member
Here's the deal with mine...
The "water exhaust extension tube" I have never used. It was too tall and the water shot like a canon - so I took it off. sounds like niagara falls.
So I have just the regular exhaust tube (at the top are the 2 black bushings) and I had 2 sponges around the tube. One (hat like) sponge completely covered the top and the other was placed under that - half in and half out of the sump water. This kept the noise down.
is it quiet? YES
does this setup I have make the skimmer inefficient?...I really don't know.
picture...
 
toddpolish

toddpolish

Member
NOW...
just re-read the stupid directions that came with the thing, and put the extension tube back on.
With that tube pushed all the way down, it's still about 5" off the water surface in sump. IS THE WATER SUPPOSED TO SHOOT OUT WITH SO MUCH FORCE OR IS MINE DEFECTIVE???
pic just taken 2 min ago
 
marinerock

marinerock

Member
HEY TODD....
OKAY...LISTEN...
WITH THE EXTENSION EXHAUST TUBE PUSHED DOWN TO
THE LOWEST POSITION...IT WILL PUSH THE WATER OUT
WITH FORCE...NOW...FROM THE PICTURE, I THINK YOUR
EXHAUST TUBE IS AT THE LOWEST LEVEL AND THE WATER
LEVEL IN THE BIG CLEAR CHAMBER IS ABOUT 1/3 THE WAY UP
THE TUBE...CORRECT? IF SO, YOU WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW
THE DIRECTIONS I PREVIOUSLY SENT YOU IN THE LONG
POST A FEW POSTS ABOVE THIS ONE...
YOU HAVE TO RAISE THAT WATER LEVEL TO WHERE I SAID
OTHERWISE, THE SKIMMER WILL NOT WORK...
YOU CAN QUIET THE SPLASHING SOUND BY OTHER MEANS
SUCH AS...BAFFLES, RAISING WATER LEVEL IN SUMP(BUT MAKE
SURE ITS NOT TOO HIGH IN CASE OF A POWER OUTAGE, WE
DO NOT WANT ANY OVERFLOWS ONTO THE FLOOR)...
YOUR SKIMMER IS NOT DEFECTIVE...
REGARDS...
MARINEROCK
 
marinerock

marinerock

Member
HEY TODD....
YOUR WELCOME ...ANYTIME...
ITS A GREAT SKIMMER....KP AND MYSELF HAVE THE
SAME EXACT SET-UP....SKIMMER/MAG-DRIVE#700...
JUST LISTEN TO KP AND MYSELF AND YOU WILL BE
VERY SATISFIED WITH THE RESULTS....
LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY MORE HELP....
REGARDS....
MARINEROCK
 
toddpolish

toddpolish

Member
what I came to find out was that when I tossed out my P.O.S. Rio 2100, I accidently threw out the turbo educator. That's why mine wasn't working....hahahaha
Anyway, I wrote an email out to Kent Marine on Friday and they said they'd send one no problem....they sent me another email today (mon) and said that it had shipped. great customer service so far.
can't wait to see what it looks like when it actually works.
 
marinerock

marinerock

Member
Hey Todd....
Youre kidding, right....? You are funny....LOL
If not, did you save the piece of tubing that attaches to it?
you will also have to get a zip-tie to keep the
tubing way above water level....just attach it to the
clear tubing coming off the Mag-Drive, open end pointing up...
Keep us updated....Kent has great customer service...
Regards...
Marinerock
 
marinerock

marinerock

Member
Hey Todd...
Probably...I dont have maxis but they are probably around
the same size as those....if not, all you need to get is about
1 ft. of tubing....no big problem....easy....
Regards...
Marinerock
 
toddpolish

toddpolish

Member
Update: now SKIMMING!!!
got the TE piece from Kent Marine. Set it up and after just 15 min it's skimming. Awesome! so psyched!
 
marinerock

marinerock

Member
Hey Todd....
THERE YA GO !!!! WE KNEW YOU COULD DO IT !!!!
Just follow the directions in this thread and
Good luck with it....
Regards...
Marinerock
 
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