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View Full Version : How long till skimmer breaks in?


impur
01/31/2007, 11:03 AM
I recently bought a Reef Octopus NW200. Its been running for 9 days now and i have yet to get any skimmate. I have the output riser at its upper most position, so the water level is almost at the top of the riser. I get lots of foam, but it just hits the top of the collection cup, the bubbles pop and the foam goes back down. The riser is completely black/brown, i cannot see into the riser any more with all the crud that has accumulated. How long till that crud gets into the collection cup?

klasiksb
01/31/2007, 11:39 AM
I don't know why your getting crud in the neck if the output riser is as high as it will go, that isn't making sense.

I would clean the neck, lower the riser to the top of the union on the neck and let it run. Give it awhile and see how that is. If your neck is accumulating crude, i'd say it's broken in and setting the water level is the next step. A dirty neck will not let the foam slide up easily and get to the cup.

impur
01/31/2007, 12:19 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9123977#post9123977 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by klasiksb
A dirty neck will not let the foam slide up easily and get to the cup.

I guess that is the problem. I had the water level lower for the first 4 days, but still didn't get anything so i raised it. I'll clean it tonight and lower the water level and see how it does.

impur
01/31/2007, 09:08 PM
Ok all clean and rippin. I'll let you know how it does in a day or 2

Thanks for the info BTW!

impur
02/02/2007, 09:44 AM
Ok so about 56 hours running it this way still nothing. The neck is almost completely black again.

Last night i raised the riser to the top most position and covered about 1/3 of the pipe opening to bring the water level up to 1/4" from the top of the neck in the collection cup, still nothing.

What gives?

davandwilk
02/02/2007, 11:48 AM
I had the the same problem, but i think mine is from not having enough to skim out. I have only a few fish in a 110g tank. I made a DIY skimmer and I think I over did it on the size of my skimmer. It skims out green tea every now and then but there are days when nothing comes out and I get no foam. I do notice that right after I feed or mess around in the tank the foam in the skimer goes flat.

Jim_S
02/02/2007, 11:50 AM
^^ sounds like thats the case to me

Roland Jacques
02/02/2007, 12:03 PM
Not sure without seeing it, but I would run it in full strenth Undistiled vinagar for 24 -48 hours. it sounds to me like you have some residual oils in your skimmer.

Jimdogg,
what the picture of? im trying to make it out and just gave up.

Jim_S
02/02/2007, 12:15 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9141631#post9141631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Roland Jacques

Jimdogg,
what the picture of? im trying to make it out and just gave up.

My Blue Face angel (http://s104.photobucket.com/albums/m199/jimdogg187/?action=view&current=DSCF3498.jpg) (Pomacanthus xanthometopon (a.k.a. Euxiphipops xanthometapon)

Jim

Roland Jacques
02/02/2007, 12:21 PM
Cool photo, i could not make out the eye as a eye. Now i look at it and dont see how i messed it. DUH

impur
02/02/2007, 04:05 PM
Thanks guys. I'll try running it in vinegar to see if it helps. I have 4 fish in my 75gal, but my previous skimmer always pulled out 3-4 cups of skimmate a week and it was a crappy ViaAqua skimmer. I have a small patch of cyano popping up now that i haven't skimmed anything in 2 weeks though.

I'm going to do the gatevalve mod while i have it out of the sump and add a layer or 2 of mesh to the needlewheel too. Maybe bore out the venturi a little.

impur
02/02/2007, 09:55 PM
Here is a pic of it in action tonight. This is 3 days since i cleaned the neck when it was completely brown and i couldn't see into it. The skimmer has been running for 10 days now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0065.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0067.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0066.jpg

Jim_S
02/03/2007, 12:48 AM
:eek:

Doesn't look like much foam in the chamber??

The chamber should have a ton more bubbles.

UCanDoIt
02/03/2007, 12:58 AM
Yep, no foaming going on here. :eek2:

manderx
02/03/2007, 01:25 AM
but I would run it in full strenth Undistiled vinagar for 24 -48 hours. it sounds to me like you have some residual oils in your skimmer
i've always wondered where the vinegar recommendation came from. doesn't seem like a weak organic acid would really be that effective at breaking up oils. i'd use a little dish soap if i was trying to break in a skimmer a few days quicker.

Yinger
02/03/2007, 08:03 AM
check the venturi maybe its clogged? Also, try modding the impellar with the mesh, I don't know about the octopus, but it doubles the air intake for a sedra, creating a ton more bubbles.

klasiksb
02/03/2007, 08:17 AM
Yep, you definately have a problem there. You should have a ton of bubbles in the chamber. You are getting very little air in there.

Which venturi are you using? Long black one? Short gray one?

dmack
02/03/2007, 08:28 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9147581#post9147581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by manderx
i've always wondered where the vinegar recommendation came from. doesn't seem like a weak organic acid would really be that effective at breaking up oils. i'd use a little dish soap if i was trying to break in a skimmer a few days quicker.

I hope you are joking.....

manderx
02/03/2007, 12:27 PM
no, why?

Jim_S
02/03/2007, 12:30 PM
Vinegar will not leave any residuals on the skimmer, an if it does, they are not harmful. Soap on the other hand can leave residuals that may cause you livestock some harm.

Jim

manderx
02/03/2007, 12:37 PM
have you ever washed your hands with soap? have you ever put your hands in your tank? have you ever used a tupperware in your tank that has been washed in soap?

i wouldn't worry the slightest bit about not being able to rinse off enough soap residue from a skimmer. or to tell the truth, i've never been in such a hurry to get a new skimmer working to feel the need to use something to break it in faster.

Jim_S
02/03/2007, 12:50 PM
I wash my hands all the time. But never before I put them into the tank. In fact, I wear gloves. I also never put any tupperware in my tank as well. :)

But I'm not saying that soap will make your tank crash. But if you didn't get all that mixed up soap off your impeller, body, exaust etc. your corals might not like it ;)

And I agree, I've never been in such a hurry that vinegar was a consideration.

I usually just plumb it in and lett'r rip

Jim

impur
02/03/2007, 01:54 PM
I'm going to take it apart and check the venturi. Also add some mesh.

Thanks for the suggestions!

impur
02/03/2007, 10:06 PM
Ok added 2 layers of mesh, and cut out the tabs inside the sump to give it a better fit in there. The pump intake now is about 2" away from the side of the sump. I see what you guys mean about the bubbles in the chamber. It appears much better now. Its been running an hour at this point.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0070.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0069.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0071.jpg

impur
02/03/2007, 10:07 PM
For comparison

before
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0067.jpg

now
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/100_0069.jpg

davandwilk
02/05/2007, 11:48 AM
From my experiance with bubbles and falling water in saltwater. It seems like that water coming out of the skimer would cake salt all over the inside of that cabint.

impur
02/05/2007, 12:21 PM
Well i plan to do the gatevalve mod. But no it doesn't cake salt anywhere in there.

Mr Bojangles
02/06/2007, 04:26 PM
impur, did you cut off any of the impellers? can you explain where you placed the mesh? Mine looks just like your in bubble production and I have been waiting over a week so I would like to copy you. Do you have any curent skimate production pics too?

impur
02/06/2007, 06:19 PM
I just added 2 layers to the top of the 2 needlewheels, i didn't remove them. I used 3 small zipties. I'll try to get a pic of the impeller for you.

Over the weekend still no skimmate. This morning i'm finally getting foam up to the top of the riser in the collection cup. I will have to see when i get home in an hour if i finally have some skimmate. This has been running for 2 weeks now and i have yet to get a drop of skimmate.

impur
02/06/2007, 08:27 PM
Here is a pic from this eve. Still no skimmate, 14 days of continuous use. I'm now contimplating selling it and going back to my $65 Via Aqua, it pulled 4 times the skimmate of this skimmer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0079.jpg

dmack
02/06/2007, 10:07 PM
impur, my skimmer is on day 17, and still no skimmate. Mine bubbles up just like your last pic. I don't get it.

impur
02/07/2007, 11:08 AM
I wonder if that T inside the skimmer creates some back pressure on the pump? Maybe drilling some holes in it would help?

I had a little foam actually falling into the cup this morning. Nothing to get excited about, but its something i guess :/

klasiksb
02/07/2007, 12:52 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9177126#post9177126 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by impur
Here is a pic from this eve. Still no skimmate, 14 days of continuous use. I'm now contimplating selling it and going back to my $65 Via Aqua, it pulled 4 times the skimmate of this skimmer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0079.jpg

Is this pic accurate with what your seeing now? Because that water line in the neck shouldn't be visible like that.

klasiksb
02/07/2007, 02:10 PM
Here are some pics of my NW-200. I have the longer black venturi on mine, I drilled out the hole to fit RO tubing in. I also opened up the elbow from the pump to the skimmer . This is with the stock impeller.

I just cleaned it out and turned it back on for these pics.

Bubbles in the skimmer
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/ereefic/IMG_5430Small.jpg

Neck - Notice no visible waterline
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/ereefic/IMG_5433Small-1.jpg

Just above union
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/ereefic/IMG_5435Small.jpg

impur
02/07/2007, 03:06 PM
Yah thats the water line. I don't know whats up with this thing. It seems like after a day or 2 of running the bubbles inside the thing are significantly reduced somehow. I only rec'd 1 venturi, its grey and short and IMO isn't the best design. Maybe i'll take it apart tomorrow and drill out that venturi. I hope that is the extent of the problem.

impur
02/07/2007, 04:21 PM
Ok i just went home on lunch. I put about 1/2 cup of RO water down the venturi intake. Immediately foam went up over the riser into the cup. The chamber is real white again, and i can't see the water level in the neck.

Its gotta be this crappy venturi.

impur
02/07/2007, 08:36 PM
Here is what i did, and i am getting much more bubbles in the chamber i think. It seems to be a lot more white than before.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0091.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0092.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0093.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0096.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v292/impur/Feb%2007/100_0097.jpg

Now we'll see how long that lasts ;)

Mr Bojangles
02/08/2007, 04:29 PM
well just to let you know I did the same mesh to mine right after you did yours and I can say I just started to make foam after 9 days, we will see what happens

Mr Bojangles
02/09/2007, 02:13 PM
well just to let you know impur that I "Had" some foam starting then I turned my gate valve a smidgen to rise it up a bit and I have lost all of it, so now I have nothing but bubbles.

leeweber85
03/30/2007, 12:03 PM
any updates? I have troubles with my NW-200 too. It was fine until I tried drilling out the venturi to see if i could make it even better. That seemed to make it worse so i put the other venturi on that came with it...this one seems to have a smaller air hole than the original and now it seems like there is too much flow going through the skimmer.

also what waterlevel are you guys running it in, it does better in deeper water.

USC-fan
03/30/2007, 12:33 PM
wow that sucks you guys have to mod a new skimmer to work.

klasiksb
03/30/2007, 01:57 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9607563#post9607563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kb-smoker
wow that sucks you guys have to mod a new skimmer to work.

You don't have to, they work fine out of the box. But modding will make them even better, so why not? :D