I'm this close to giving up on my Aqua C

[builderguy]

I'm thinking of going to a needle-wheel skimmer.

Which ones are the best without "breaking the bank".

I've got a 150g mixed-reef...dose ozone...and an ADHI Model 45 Refugium/Sump (probably 20-25 gallons of water) that says it will take an ASM G3 skimmer...must be the same manufacturer since that's the one they suggest for their sump.

I'm running an Aqua-C EV180. I've upgrade the pump to an Eheim 1262...so I would love to be able to reuse that on the new skimmmer (if I get one). I'm going to try tweaking the plumbing of the Eheim into the Aqua-C this weekend...if that doesn't work I'm going for "Plan B"

[Tu Ku]

I believe you forgot to tell us what's wrong aside from the part that you're fed up with it. Forgive me if I missed it, but why don't you like this skimmer?

[oldimpala]

Tu Ku-

If it's like other Aqua C's... Tough to adjust (Either water or sludge), inconsistent bubble production, foam head collapses if you look at the tank incorrectly, and doesn't recover for hours.

AquaC's either seem to be feast or famine. I loved mine, but recommended one to a buddy that was a nightmare. Even put it on my tank, and couldn't get it to produce.


-Andy

[builderguy]

Andy, you've nailed it exactly.

It had basically stopped performing completely...so I dropped to $$$ to get the Eheim 1262...got tea-colored skimmate for two days...now can't seem to get crap (no pun intended) for the last week.

Aqua-C says it's the ozone...but it shouldn't make it so you have no organics...I feed my fish twice a day with an automatic feeder...and I've got quite a few fish.

[jtma508]

I'm a realtive newb and run an EV-180. I've had no problems with it at all. Yes, if I stick my hands in the tank it will quiet the skimmer for a short time but it will bounce back and go right back to work. I've never had a problem with sludge or salt blocks. I did have two small pieces of eggcrate get caught in the injector but it was still skimming. I only found them when I was doing a routine inspection of the injector.

From what I've been able to determine from threads I've read people just don't set them up correctly. Common problems I've found are: incorrect water height, attempting to use the gate valve to regulate the pump, improperly sized/throttled pumps, not blocking the JG fitting(s) when not used, installing fittings after the gate valve without a siphon hole and/or upsizing the pump.

Like I've said, there isn't much to the skimmer. If mine is working without problems (me being a newb) anyone else's should too. I run a Mag 9.5 on mine and am still using the (stock) 3/4" inlet plumbing (some people swap that out for the 1"). I also run ozone into the JG (which I upsized to 3/8" and plan to add a second JG for the Ca reactor.

[builderguy]

How did you plumb the 9.5 into the inlet...did you just use 3/4" tubing. I've got a gate valve, a union, and a barb elbow to get back to 3/4" to attach to the standard inlet...I think I'm losing the "horsepower" I gained by upgrading the pump.

Thoughts?

[JRaquatics]

Something is not right with the way the skimmer is set up. Yes, Aqua Cs are on the touchy side when it comes to skimmers but do work well once they get dialed in. Pics would be helpful. I would use the AquaC over the ASM.

[builderguy]

The skimmer is pretty high above the water...the outlet is probably 4" above the surface water in the sump...so I think I need to lower it. Also I think I've got too much restriction from the plumbing I describe above. Also I'm running the eheim with the internal sponge filter that comes with it...think about going to the nozzle instead with no filter.

I'm running the eheim wide open and the air intake mostly open...if I close it down much it stops producing.

I shut of the ozone this morning...so I'll see how it's performing tonight and over the next day or two without ozone.

[watergator]

I have a EV120 that I took out the intake and cleaned debris from the nozzle. It narrows down as soon as it enters the body. See if your nozzle is blocked as they clog easily.

I also had bad luck, feast or famine, I replaced it with a jebo520 that kicks butt...

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12638730#post12638730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JRaquatics
Something is not right with the way the skimmer is set up. Yes, Aqua Cs are on the touchy side when it comes to skimmers but do work well once they get dialed in. Pics would be helpful. I would use the AquaC over the ASM.


IIRC AquaC builds and assembles their skimmers by hand. No two are exactly the same.


I've seen some that no matter what you do with them, will not work, and I've seen some that work great out of the box.

[sabbath]

Mine did not do well until I raised my salinity to about 35ppt for some reason. Now it is turned to about 80% and skimming wet.

[builderguy]

That Jebo is CHEAP! Does it really work that well?

[jtma508]

I just have a female 3/4" coupling with a 3/4" barb on the Mag 9.5 then 3/4" tube to the skimmer. I had a throttle valve but because I put a 90deg elbow on the gate outlet (to reduce noise) I found I didn't need the valve so I pulled all that out. Sounds like your skimmer is WAY too high. Water level should be right at the bottom of the gate valve outlet. Fix the water level and I think you'll be all set.

[builderguy]

I'm going to do that this weekend and simplify the plumbing as you did. I have a TLF ball valve 3/4" with barbs to throttle back if I need to.

[jtma508]

I think that's your problem. The installation notes AquaC provides stresses the critical nature of the water height (both the height of the skimmer in the water [water to bottom of outlet] and water level in the skimmer [water to bottom of grey housing]). AquaC uses a 1" injector fitting on the 240 and up models that you can order from them ($10). I had ordered one but not installed it until after I responded to your post. I put it in yesterday afternoon and am now running 1" hose from the Mag to the skimmer. It's running even better now (although I had no complaints before).

With the 3/4" wide-open I had to have the air valve about 25% closed with 6 SCFM coming into the JG fitting from my O3 mixing station. With the 1" tubing I'm able to run the air valve only 10% closed with 8 SCFM coming into the JG. I'm getting nice, dark skimmate and a solid bubble column.

[builderguy]

So did you need to tap a larger hole for the 1" inlet since it's threaded for 3/4"?

[jtma508]

No. It's essentially the same fitting but with a 1" barb instead of the 3/4". Just screws in (with some teflon tape, of course). It does have a pretty dramatic efffect on water flow to the skimmer. I'd say it's worth the $10. Just understand that you'll need to dial-in the skimmer again.

[builderguy]

I simplified the plumbing from the pump to the skimmer, lowered the skimmer 3", and removed the gate valve. I'm getting wet skimmate! We'll see how it performs long-term...still might want to change.

[jtma508]

Cool! Seriously, the water level is key. I've read so many threads of people overlooking this somehow and having the skimmer not work correctly. Now you just have to back the airflow valve off incrementally to get the 'dryness' of skimmate you want.