Need Help with Protein Skimmer

[garnet13aj]

So, I made a post about basically the same problem awhile ago, but I understand a bit more about what's going on now. The water coming out of the output tube on my protein skimmer is flowing at too high a pressure and thus is producing tiny bubbles. If I put the smaller ribbed tube onto the main output tube, the water bursts out of the small hole at the top of the tube. So, for now, I have been leaving the smaller tube off which is increasing the amount of bubbles in the tank considerably. The pump is working fine and there is nothing obstructing the tubes in any way. The first idea I had was to turn the nob down to decrease the flow of water into the protein skimmer, but if I do that, it stops producing bubbles, so I'm not sure what I can do the fix the problem.
Any ideas?
btw, I have a coralife superskimmer.

 

[garnet13aj]

bump

 

[veni vidi vici]

have you given a sump any thought?

 

[garnet13aj]

I've actually been mildly considering setting one up lately. I think it would be really nice. While being able to move the protein skimer down there would probably eliminate the bubbles in the tank, it'd be nice to know exactly why the pressure is so high...

 

[veni vidi vici]

Which Coralife SS do you have?

 

[offsetfactor]

I just set up a CSS 65 HOB style on my tank...i did a couple things to make it work better, maybe i can help you. First thing to do is to remove the valve that goes between the pump and skimmer, this will put the pump about 1-1 1/2" below the water surface which will help collect more junk since organice generally collect on the surface. Second, order a mag drive 2 foam prefilter to use as a bubble trap. It work 100x better than the bubble trap that comes with it which can cause overflows. This slides right onto the ribbed outlet tube. Make sure that the red knob is open ALL the way when plug the pump in and then use only it to dial back the flow to skim as wet or dry as you want.

 

[matt819]

Yep...any simple foam prefilter works great. That's what I use as well. I just did the fishing line mod as well. You wrap simple fishing line, I used 6lb test line, around the needlewheels in the inside of the pump. It chops the water up even more, I get way more of a froth doing this...in one day with this I've already got my cup about an inch full. I noticed a big difference. I keep the water lever lower in the skimmer, yet I get way more frothy foam entering the cup than before. No bubbles either...Good luck!

 

[offsetfactor]

Next time i have the pump off to clean it i am going to do the fishing line mod, glad to hear a review from someone that it is worth it.

 

[garnet13aj]

Thanks everyone. I'll try those techniqeus and see what it does for me. As far as taking out the nozzle, how do you regulate the flow w/o it?
I'm going to go to my lfs in a bit and I'll let you know which model I have when I get back...I threw out the box and it doesn't say on it anywhere I can see at the moment.

 

[offsetfactor]

Even the directions say that once the skimmer is broken in that only the red knob on the outlet should be used to adjust flow, not the valve between the pump and skimmer. Like you noticed, when you dial down the flow with that valve bubble production stops. Sounds to me that you have the red knob closed down which is causing the water to shoot out of the hole on the outlet.
Did you find out what model you have?

 

[garnet13aj]

I believe I have a 33000 model (it's for up to a 65g tank). Does that make any sense?
Let me check on the nozzle. I though I had officially decided it was open, but I could be wrong. The directions are really ambiguous on that point I think

 

[offsetfactor]

if its for up to 65 gal thats a CSS 65...you will find more info searching that. If the skimmer is hanging on the back of the tank, the output is full open if the tab on the red knob is pointed to the front or the 6 o'clock position.

 

[garnet13aj]

Ok. I'll do a search...Based on what you described, the output is fully open.