Protein skimmer going crazy!!!

jtwilson

jtwilson

Member
hey guys, well my protein skimmer is going crazy!! it dosent look like its pulling out anything important, just looks like clear water, and its filling the cup every 1- 2 hours. Correct me if im wrong but i think it is doing this becuase i just bought a RO unit and i have recently done my first water changes with the new RO water. I did follow all the directions about washing out the unit before i hooked it up, but i think that the bacteria or whatever it is that is in the RO unit maybe causing my skimmer to go nuts :eek: , any sugestions or comments???
 
jjlittle

jjlittle

Member
Your skimmer needs to be adjusted it should not fill in couple hours the bubbles need to adjusted by the vaccum hose. It sound that you are taking in to much air and the water is rising way to fast filling your cup with clear liquid. the bubbles are suppost to rise slowly and then they will turn greenish brown at the top of the cup. The ro unit i would say has nothing to do with the skimmer not working properly.
 
jjlittle

jjlittle

Member
You should have a hose which is sucking air and should have a llittle valve type thing on it to adjust the air intake.Most i have seen are blue little plastic valves with a little screw you turn.Do you see the air intake line?
 
jtwilson

jtwilson

Member
i have an air intake line, but no valve. the intake runs directly to the pump and i dont see a valve on that either. I currently have a cpr bakpak IIas my skimmer.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Man I totally missed that part...thought it was a new skimmer :D Ditto the "any additives?" (especially like stress coat or certain other types of water treatements - I know its an RO but you never know).
 
jtwilson

jtwilson

Member
the return does not have any adjustments, and i havent put any additives in (i try to stay away from additives). I dont know its a little frustrating, i tried to clean out the air intake thinking maybe it was cloged or being blocked, but that didnt work. im not sure what to do. anybody else have a bakpak that has done this????
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Not enough air...not, to much air. Do this, if it works we found your problem, if not then I'll give this thread back to the troubleshooters already involved, LOL. Blow into your air line yeah it's gross but it's all in the name of the hobby. :D
Blow into the airline so as to INCREASE the airflow. If it brings the water level down then you are not getting enough air in your mixture. Your airline may be clogged with salt creep or dust or whatever. If you are getting clear water in your collection cup then it's to much water not enough air...
Unless it's due to additives but this would be the first step in troubleshooting this, IMO.
If it does work, then you need to buy a new airline for 2 bucks at walmart. :)
 
something'sfishy

something'sfishy

Member
you might wanna do a maintenance by dipping the inlet valve in a hot water, maybe a cup to melt down the salt residue inside it.
My skimmer produces yellow liwuid. Is this norma?
 
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