SeaClone Help Please!!!!

[petekc]

I jsut got a SeaClone skimmer. When I turn on enough air to get bubbles into to the collection cup they naturally become water and fill up the cup in about 15 minutes. Seems I have to run it with no air intake at all. What am I doing wrong here?

 

[jastim]

Try increasing the amount of air. The more air you inject the lower the water flow and water level in your skimmer. If you have either no air or just a little air your water level will be max (possibly overflowing). Just try opening the air intake up all the way and see what happens. If you have problems then try the other extreme.

 

[jastim]

One more question for you: is your skimmer sitting in your sump or is it on the back of your tank? Also if it is in your sump how high is the water level in your sump relative to the skimmer? This might effect what you are seeing as well.

 

[petekc]

I am hanging it off the back of my tank. The problem is when I turn on the air the bubbles fill up my collection cup in about 15 minutes and I have to empty it. That doesn't seem right to me. If I run it with no air at all the bubbles to make it up too the collection cup. I just got this yesterday so is it just breaking in or what? Also when I have the air turned on I get a gazillion bubbles in the tank. I am not sure how exactly this thing works and what is normal operation. Maybe someone can start there and jsut explain what I should be seeing.

 

[petekc]

Correction to my last post......When I run the skimmer without air the bubbles don't seem to make it up to the collection cup. But I don't get a gazillion bubbles in the tank either.

 

[jastim]

What you need to do is fine adjust your air flow. Start with the air intake adjustment completely closed. You should see no bubbles. Then barely open the air intake (by unscrewing the air intake cap). You should start to see some bubbles. Let it come to equilibrium for a few minutes. Gradually continue to open the air intake valve more and more until the water level in the inner tube is just at the bottom of the collection cup. The key is to make very very very small increases to the air flow. On mine the difference between overflowing and being adjusted about right is only about a 20-30degree turn. You probably won't see any "waste" in the collection cup right away. It may take a few days or more to break it in. Regarding the bubbles that go into the tank: I had the same problem. What you need to do is to make something to diffuse or catch the bubbles on the outlet of the skimmer. I put a small collection cup with filter floss and a carbon pad at the skimmer outlet. The skimmer output flows through the filter floss and carbon pad and out through holes drilled in the bottom of the cup. This helps to remove the bubbles.

 

[petekc]

So you are saying that there should not be a constant stream of foam continually filling up my collection cup? What is wrong with running the skimemr with the air knob fully closed?

 

[jester]

it takes a week to break in. Also, pick up a real air valve instead of the screw cap. It takes some practice.
additives like water treatment and slime coat will give you all kinds of bubbles. these will take a few days to break down. Give it a little time.

 

[lettheirberock]

give it some time,i had the same problems with my seaclone at first.it was spitting out tons of bubbles and filling the collection cup with water,but within a week everything fell into place and it has served me well since then. it will take you a while to figure out just how the settings should be.at first i thought i had bought junk, but it was just my impatience.

 

[javlavikin]

If your intersted in optimizing your
Seaclone - you might want to read this...
<a href="http://www.reefcentral.com/diy/seaclone_modifications.htm" target="_blank">http://www.reefcentral.com/diy/seaclone_modifications.htm</a>
this is what I did...
1.Shortened the most inner tube to 2.5" long.
2.placed O-ring onto where the 2" tube meets the bot. of collection cup.
3.replaced air intake with a $4 brass adjustable. valve.
4.Added an airstone- from top,right thru to
vortex chamber
For me,instantly after the above modifications it produces rich,dense frothy foam,doesn't fill up
cup to fast, and is much darker in color.
I personally enjoy a little DIY...but had I
read all the info.on this board before I bought it - I probably wouldn't have...but then again..
I was able to convert a low cost skimmer into
something thats descent for now!
(I found that since the above instructions were written,the only way to remove the inner tube is to wiggle it out 'til it breaks off at the point of the bulkhead..then using a 1" speedbore bit (dead center).. I honed the rest out from the bottom cap, then slid it up thru...used pc. of acrylic and silicone to repair hole)

 

[jond]

It seems as though you say the collection cup is filling with foam. You don't mention that it is filling with water. If it is indeed foam in the cup, then your skimmer is working. The foam will settle itself into thick liquid. I suggest running the skimmer with the air almost wide open. As the skimmer breaks in, the bubbles going into the tank will cease. It may take a week or two.

 

[petekc]

JohnD.....The cup is filling with foam that is turning into water before it can evaporate. My cup was filling up every 15 minutes or so.

 

[cyn]

How deep is your powerhead feeding the seaclone? If the pump is too deep you can get wierd skim. I have mine about 1 inch below the water and consistantly get a dry foam.
HTH,
cyn

 

[sweetjesus]

I just installed one a week or two ago on a 55 gallon. This is what i did. Screw the cap all the way closed. Start the pump. Now open the cap until the top 1/3rd of the skimmer tube is white with bubbles, You will have a few going into the tank but nothing going into the skimmer cup. Mine ran for 3 days like this, then all of a sudden started filling the skimmer cup. I get about a half of cup of medium colored water every 3-4 days so I have not adjusted it any further. You really need to let it break in for a few days.
Patrick

 

[petekc]

Thanks to everyone for all the information. So the bubbles that are shooting ito the tank from the skimmer water outlet will go away in about a week?

 

[fishnuts]

I agree with sweet jesus you have to give it a break in peroid i have a seaclone on my 75 gal and it does great if the water level goes down thats when i have trouble. the manufacture says two to three in. below water level

 

[fishnuts]

making that clearer when i say 2 to 3 in. below water level i mean the power jet where the air line goes in that should be your bottom point