Skilter???

[kimkissyfish]

Hi,
Is anyone here using a skilter? I bought one for my 15H seahorse tank... I HATE IT! Or maybe I just havent seen one before and I am still questioning its mechanics..
Its noisy, so I turn it up when I am not home..
Thanking you kindly, Kim

 

[slick]

Never used one but heard they are junk.

 

[cap'n pete]

A good reason to ask here before buying. Sorry, but you just threw money down the drain. My skilter was the only thing I ever threw away instead of selling it!

 

[kimkissyfish]

OH NO!! Well, I chose it because this is a 15H and I didnt have room for a skimmer inside it! What would you suggest I buy? I will pick one up tommorrow??
I have a biowheel 330 sitting around from my old 46 tank before I went to a fluval.. but then I need a skimmer... HELP!!
Thanking you very very much..., Kim

 

[hurley]

Well KK Fish I have the same problem you have. I have a 15 gal. and not alot of room. What is your problem? maybe I can help you, thats what MEMBERS are here for. Oh by the way here is some pics of my 15 gal. using a skilter

 

[hurley]

.

 

[kimkissyfish]

Hurley,
Thats a great looking tank! How is your skilter??? My problem is, If I get rid of the skilter, what do I use for a skimmer and filter?? I will check out the hang on one that was just posted..
Hurley, how long have you had the skilter and how well does it work? I haven't had to empty mine yet, it just bubbles and is loud and doesnt foam! lolo OH GEESH! I only have 2 small pieces of LR but I do have 20 lbs of LS because it is a seahorse only tank...
Thanks a bunch, Kim

 

[hurley]

My skilter works fine as you can see the results. In the begining I have to admit I thought it wasnt any good, but that was only because I installed it wrong. So it was only operator error. There should be nothing wrong with your skilter. You shouldnt have to go out and buy another, that's not to say that their isnt a better skimmer out there that is alot easier to take care of. The only problem I have had that wasnt caused by me was the o-ring started to leak but I think I caused that too. I have had my tank running over a year. I am guessing that you dont have the magnet housing installed properly from your discription. Everything has to seated properly for the skimmer to work. also if your tank is too new no foam/waste is going accumulate in the resivoir.

 

[erozfish]

Hurley, does your's put alot of bubbles in the tank? Mine did not work at first either, but now I don't have a problem with it producing foam and junk, but it puts so many bubbles in the tank. Any solution? THANKS!

 

[marinerock]

HEY KIM....
IT MAY NOT BE YOUR SKIMMER AT ALL AS SKIMMERS ONLY
PRODUCE FOAM WHEN THERE IS PROTEIN TO
BE SKIMMED...SEAHORSES ARE NOT REALLY BIG PRODUCERS
OF WASTE AND YOUR PROBABLY NOT OVERFEEDING AND
THIS MAY BE WHY YOUR SKIMMER IS NOT PRODUCING FOAM....
REGARDS....
MARINEROCK

 

[rane]

Marinerock I think you need a new keyboard, everyone of your posts have the caps lock on, is the caps lock broken on your keyboard? PLEASE STOP YELLING AND TAKE THE CAPS LOCK OFF!!

 

[hurley]

EROZFish ; You might not have the pump and the elbow that connects to it that draws water from the tank seated properly. Also make sure that the magnent and fins are seated properly to. I had the same proplem to.

 

[broomer5]

Skilters are what they are.
Good mechanical filtration.
Some biological filtration too.
The skimmer part is very weak, relative to other skimmers on the market. It will skim to some degree, but it's very loud and not the best design.
But - some skimming is better than no skimming in my opinion.
I threw my 250 away too, and would not recommend buying one.
But since you have it, and it's on a small tank, I see no harm in running it while you are not home
You'll eventually see some light greenish watery waste begin to fill the collection chamber - eventually - if there are wastes to be had.

 

[erozfish]

Thanks Hurley - I do believe that everything is set up right. Maybe I just need to adjust the airflow coming into the airline. I never thought of this. I'll try it and see if this helps, without reducing the efficiency. If not, I'll try the airstone technique. I did it once before, and it seemed to work. I just didn't want to have to bother with the extra cost and hassle of buying airstones, and running an air pump!

 

[michaeltx]

another way for you to Fix the skilter is to drill a hole in the top of it and take out that piece of crab air tube they supply and add an airpump with a fine mist air diffuser and dropit about 3/4 of the way down the draft tube and it will work a ton better, I use a one and off on both my tanks i dont run them all the time only anout once a month for a few hours but thats just me LOL.

 

[saltynewbie]

i dont see how in the world they stay in business... the few positive comments posted above are the only positive ones i have heard.. haha...

 

[michaeltx]

as purchased they SUCK. just had to say that LOL modified they are decent but still not great but will do in a pinch or something
Mike