Prizm Question

chopper320

Member
I am using the Prizm skimmer on my 55g fowlr tank and have heard great things about it. My problem is that when I adjust the flow and barely turn it on I get hundreds of tiny bubbles shooting in to my tank. I have to have the flow rate almost turned off in order to get rid of the bubbles but it seems like there isn't enough flow when I do this. Is there any other way to get rid of the bubbles or is it fine to have a very low flow rate.
Thanks in advance
Ricky :D
 

rlv695

Member
i have heard this is common with prizms.. soo yes you close it as much as needed to keep bulbbes from comeing into tank..for the first few days you might have to keeppp adjusting the vavle a little..but the floww is ok at any rate..you will be supprised at to what it will do at what seems a slow flow rate...try it for a while...
 
what you can also do is find a spong of some sort(that was never used and has no chemicals in it)and place it on the return it wont help that much, but every little thing helps
 

flatfish

Member
I have exactly the same setup. You're right that the Prizm produces a lot of bubbles and has to be adjusted down to get rid of them. I've found that this is most apparent when you do a water change and when you clean the Prizm (likely to happen at the same time).
The Prizm has worked well for me with a moderate bio load, though I'm going to upgrade just out of fear losing stock. It likes to run in heavier water for some reason(1.1024-25). I adjust the flow valve open 'til I can see water (not foam) just over the o-ring. Some bubbles are usually present, but go away (mostly) after 12 hours. After that periond I can open it a little more since the water level in the throat has dropped. After that it runs for a couple of weeks untouched. You'll never be able to operate the unit anywhere near full open. It wasn't designed to do that.
I consider the unit good up to 30G, 50G with at LIGHT bio load. There just not enough flow.
Other than that, compared to the three other units I have, for a smaller tank it's an execellent unit for the cost. It pulls its weight of gunk out of the water. It's quiet for a skimmer and comparitively maintenace free.
Cheers!
 

fishfreek

Active Member
In addition to what has already been said, are you guys using any type of water conditioner in you water? I found tht this is a major contributor to the tiny bubbles. try using ro/di water and you won't need to add conditoner. I use a prizm in my 45g and it was a problem for me in the past too. Took a while but finally narrowed it down....the NovAqua and had same problem with Stress Coat. HTH
 

pufferlover

Active Member
The water level should be just below the o ring not above it per the instructions. And yes you need to close it almost completely but it still will do quite a job for you. Mine is on a 58 full reef and even almost closed it pulls out half a container full of gunk a week. It is quiet and well worth the 69 bucks I paid for mine on line. My lfs sells them for 99 bucks.
 
T

the new guy

Guest
Hey FlatFish,
If you want to get rid of your Prizm I am interested give me a price.
 

flatfish

Member
Puffer is correct, my mistake. The water level should be below the o-ring. I put mine about half way btw the throat bottom and the o-ring.
New Guy,
I am moving my Prizm to a smaller tank. It's not for sale. Sorry.
 
Im ready to get rid of mine, IMO, these skimmers are junk. I had it skimming great, the 12 blade impeller shot out, red sea replaces it for free and now the darn thing skims nothing. I know there is stuff to skim, salinity is correct, no additives and it doesnt want to skim. Actually came home the other day to find that the side that houses the intake tube had filled with water and overflowed onto the floor. Otherside was still returning water to tank normally, with lots of bubbles (as stated above), came to the conclusion that you get what you pay for and being an 'el cheepo, im tossing it and getting a different one. Anybody wants it, 40 bucks, you pay shipping. Post your email and I will send you an email you can reply too. At work and I killed my outside email account due to slow servers.
 

pufferlover

Active Member
Sorry to hear you have had problems with yours but like anything in life you can get a bad one. Mine has worked fine once I got it set right and my lfs guy where I first saw one in operation loves his on his 38 reef display tank. I run 3 skimmers the prism, a 250 Skilter (which also works for me, and a 400 Skilter which works not at all so I use it for water flow only.
 

chopper320

Member
I am very satisfied with the skimmmming the prizm does. I was just wondering if it was normal to have to keep the flow adjusted so low. Other than that I have had no problems and I feel I got a great deal for $70
 

deansreef

Member
My skimmer works great I have a 55g reef and never had a problem with this skimmer It takes out plenty of smeelly black stuff I would hate to see what happens without it Good luck Dean :D
 
Top