Protein skimmer question.......

[psycho]

I bought a " aquatic life systems" essor ais-90 yesterday it is 16in tall 3in wide cylinder and is made to go in sump, the guy I bought it off of said he just used a small powerhead with the air tube hooked into pump to make the bubbles into this unit, however I have a maxi jet 900 pump that I hooked up to this unit yesterday and it would fill the skimmer with water but no bubbles.... It has the knob on the PVC pipe to adjust the water level inside if skimmer, I played with it for an hr yesterday and never could get bubbles when it was hooked up to skimmer but would get bubbles when I unhooked it. Checked the connections nothing is clogged ...... What's the problem??? Is the pump not big/ strong enough or do I need to do something different. Thanks in advance.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by psycho http:///forum/thread/386498/protein-skimmer-question#post_3395346
I bought a " aquatic life systems" essor ais-90 yesterday it is 16in tall 3in wide cylinder and is made to go in sump, the guy I bought it off of said he just used a small powerhead with the air tube hooked into pump to make the bubbles into this unit, however I have a maxi jet 900 pump that I hooked up to this unit yesterday and it would fill the skimmer with water but no bubbles.... It has the knob on the PVC pipe to adjust the water level inside if skimmer, I played with it for an hr yesterday and never could get bubbles when it was hooked up to skimmer but would get bubbles when I unhooked it. Checked the connections nothing is clogged ...... What's the problem??? Is the pump not big/ strong enough or do I need to do something different. Thanks in advance.
I am not familiar with that particular skimmer but it sounds to me that the power head is too strong, it is just pulling water in. When you disconnect the energy drops and that's why you get a few bubbles then. There should be bubbles on the top of the water, and the water inside the cylindar should be churning as you turn the dial the water level should climb with the bubble being carried on top, to the edge of the collection cup and bubbles should form in the cups tube as foam touches the very top (not constantly, bubbles should go up near the top and drop back down) waste drips into the cup.

 

[spanko]

Does it have the needle wheel impeller with it?
Is this it?

 

[psycho]

That pic is the exact same set up in have, even down to the air hose on the side of it.

 

[psycho]

What is a needle wheel impeller? I tried to send pic off my iPad but apparently u can't.... :flame:

 

[psycho]

Ya there is no bubbles at top or even in skimmer..... Just a lot of water flow. Lol. Should I down grade the power head? Or could I drop an airstone in and just also use an air pump along with the powerhead?

 

[spanko]

What is the section that I have circled there? Does it come apart? If it does, what is inside there? Is that a filter or some sort?
The pump should not be pulling in an water. The intake of the pump needs to be pulling air to create the bubbles. That black thing at the top of the airline tube is a noise supressor and should not be under water.
I think!

 

[psycho]

Yep basically on mine that part you circled is where my control valve is located to adjust the water level in the skimmer... No filter or anything there on mine it's just a 90' angel com in out the bottom pipe, with a control valve, then another 90' angle. Yea I knew the top of my airhose should stay bove the water line that's in the skimmer other wise I get water flowing OUT of that air hose instead of it sucking IN air

 

[flower]

Well I'm out, that doesn't look anythig like what I have had.....where are you trying to attach a pump?

 

[psycho]

The way the guy I bought it off of showed me was the other 90 angel at top with the clear hose coming down.... That's where u hook up your pump, the end that u circled is the exiting end where waters returns back into sump. If you get that. Lol

 

[spanko]

Where do you have the water level set in the skimmer? In other words how deep in the water is the skimmer set? Soulds like you may have it set too deep in the sump and may need to raise it up some and then adjust to get the bubbles building up.

 

[psycho]

I just have it sitting in there in the bottom, water level in sump is probably ..... 6 in deep. I've tried the water level low inside the skimmer then slowly increasedit to c ifi can get any bubbles and nothing.

 

[psycho]

I may have to try and figure out away to raise it up out of the water some... I've had other skimmers I actually upgraded... I had my 12g nano set up for 2 years with a 150w metal halide over it.... Lol a lill over kill but yaa all my stuff grew like crazy and my cheto grass in back sump grew into a big garden and started growing out into the actual tank. So I upgraded to a 56g tall it came with some older pc in the hood but I put my hailde on it and it glows pretty good. Just this skimmer is giving me issues and I need to get it skimming as I moved all my stuff into this new tank.... No frets ....the guy still had it up and running so I brougt all his water back with tank and used it to put back into tank, along with my water and live rock out of my tank it should be fine...... Except skimmer....

 

[spanko]

Can you still talk to him about the setup of the skimmer? Maybe he has some suggestions. You can raise it by using like some tupperware containers of different sized to see if that helps.
"It has the knob on the PVC pipe to adjust the water level inside if skimmer, I played with it for an hr yesterday and never could get bubbles when it was hooked up to skimmer but would get bubbles when I unhooked it."
When you unhooked what?

 

[spanko]

Also I have seen others with this skimmer using a maxijet so I don't think that is the problem.

 

[spanko]

And off topic but why can't I edit my posts???????????????????

 

[psycho]

Ok I had the power head hooked up to the airline and also connected to the skimmer, .... When I would disconnect the power head from the hose going into the skimmer With the air hose still connected the the power head it would immediately start blowing out bubbles. But when I'd hook it back up to the hose to skimmer... Bubbles would stop.

 

[1guydude]

have u tryed to raise it up a lil in the water? Use eggcrate and stack it up!
On my CPR HOB, u open up the airline more with the knob to get more or less bubbles. Obviously closing the knob or turning it to the right will get rid of the bubbles and overflow ur skimmer with water and no bubbles. Have u tried to open the airline more?