protein skimmer cup has a bunch of water in it??

[njjamie]

Can anyone tell my why my back back protien skimmer is collecting a bunch of water in the container?? Do I maybe have it positioned wrong? Hopefully this makes sense to someone out there.
Thanks

 

[fishgeek01]

you should not be getting water in your collection cup, try using less water flow through the skimmer and more bubbles, the only thing that should be in the cup is a dark brown foam, it may start to turn back into water in the bottom of the cup as the bubbles break, but it should still be a dark brown color. i am not familiar with the skimmer you are using, but this information is for general skimmer use. just try to dial it in a little bit, i know you dont want that water over flowing your collection cup. some people on here have had to add ball valves and other types of things to the skimmer to get them dialed in properly and get good function from them

 

[dmjordan]

are you dosing your tank with anything or adding water dechlorinator? these will make your skimmer go nuts. how long have you had your skimmer?

 

[njjamie]

I got this set up form a friend of a friend. I am not sure how ling he has had it. The water is not overflowing or anything but there is....I don't know, I would say 1/4 of a cup every 2 days or so. Maybe this is normal?? It is a 55 FOWLR and the only things I am really putting in it is that B-Ionic buffer. I was doing it every morning and night but I am switching that to every other day now. The water that is getting collected is far from nice looking. It is not exactly sludge, it has the consistency of water but it is brown.
Thanks for the help on this one,
New B

 

[dmjordan]

you can look to see if it has any type of adjustment screw on it and try that. i prefer the wetter foam personally. it is easier to clean.
just out of curiosty do you test your calcium and alkalinity? just try to see why you are dosing not trying to flame you only help.

 

[njjamie]

I use that B-Ionic calcium buffer and something else. Now that I am typing this I am realizing I should not just be going on one persons word and I should be asking more people like you.
Can you recommend where to get some of those test kits as I am only bringing samples to my lfs. If you can tell me all the test kits I should get, I would really appreciate it! Like the one for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite...and so on. Thanks for the help!
Jamie

 

[dmjordan]

you can buy from here, lfs, various online stores. good start off tests kits to have are ammonia, ph, nitrite, nitrate, calcium, phosphate and alkalinity. salifert makes a good test kit with the basic 4 in it and the rest you need to buy seperate. sometimes you can find a marine test kit with alot of different tests in it.