Need Protein Skimmer Help (Seaclone 100)...

[ozzfan84]

Hello!
I added fish to my 30 gal tank two days ago (just a couple of different clowns to go with the watchman and damsel already in the tank. When I added the fish, I also added Stress Coat.
Fast forward to yesterday. I never had a skimmer on the tank, so I decided to get one now that there are more fish in the tank. My LFS only had a Seachem 100 so I picked it up. I understand that they are not the best skimmers, but I think it will be more than enough for a 30 gallon tank.
Anyways... I can't get it to work properly yet. It has only been running for about 24 hours now, but it is not balancing out. Now, I know that the Stress Coat will have something to do with this, but I thought I'd list my issues and see if anyone else has any tips (besides modifications, please. I am not interested in modifying the skimmer... I am not handy enough!

).
If I open the air intake enough for the skimmer to not spill tons of bubbles into my tank, the wet foam builds up until it fills the collection cup with clear water with pieces of junk in it. Not like the dark stuff that comes out of the skimmers on my other tanks... this is almost all water.
If I close the air intake more, the bubbles just spill out of the tank. If I open it more, the "J-Tube" gets air bubbles in it and the flow slows down a lot.
Any suggestions? Will the Stress Coat from two nights ago really make it so I can't "dial in" this skimmer?
Thanks in advance!

 

[frankthetank]

I had one of these before and I really didn't have the problems that many seem to have. I think I dialed my up just enough to look like the picture on the box. It was probably only 1/3 of the way open. And yes, the stress coat will produce bubbles like you never seen! They'll go away in a few days. I would just try to find a setting and leave it. If you keep getting air in the intake tube, then dial it back a little until you never have the problem.

 

[stevenw56]

Try closing the air valve until it just barely blows the air bubble thru the J tube. Then open the air valve very slightly until you see the micro bubbles in the tank go away but don't open it so much that the air bubble in the J tube returns. These air valve adjustments are very sensitive. Just move the valve a hair at a time.

 

[fishntx]

you are going to have to wait the stress coat out. as long as it is still in the water your skimmer will not work. probably 3-4 days before you can run the skimmer. once you got the skimmer set like it says in the instructions it might take a few days to break in and actually start to work. it takes alot of tweaking but you can get these skimmers to work

 

[ozzfan84]

Hello!
Thanks for the feedback!
I don't think I was clear enough in my description of the problem. Basically, I can get it to that spot where there are not many bubbles in the tank and there is no air bubble in the Jtube, but at that point the water bubbles up and out into the collection cup.
So I can either put it higher and there is a bubble in the tube, or put it lower and all of the bubbles will come out into the tank instead of higher up in the chamber.
Which setting is better? Is it okay to have an air bubble in the Jtube? This is only day 3 with the stress coat, so hopefully I will be able to run this properly!
EDIT:
FISHNTX, I think you're right about that. Should I try to speed it up with a water change, or just let it run its course?

 

[fishntx]

i would let it run its course no big deal to have your skimmer not running for a few days. any time i put it in my tank i just turn my skimmer off. the micro bubbles coming out of the skimmer can be controled by puting some sort of filter foam from the spot to the water, it will help keep them out of your tank. i dont think the air bubble in the j tube will hurt anything jmo