Tunze 9002 major inconsistencies

[Taqpol]

I purchased a Tunze 9002 nano skimmer a few months back and fiddled with it for awhile and got very random skimming (either nothing or filling the entire collection cup in a few minutes). I eventually got, and took, the advice from this forum to open the venturi control valve two full turns from closed and then after 24 hours adjust the valve in 1/4 turns with 24 periods in between until I reached the desired consistency of skimmate. This worked fairly well as I dialed it in over the course of a few weeks (I found that I had to use 1/8 or less turns to not get drastic results). I finally got everything stabilized and pulling a good skimmate, but now whenever I clean the collection cup (dump the waste and clean the reaction column with the supplied brush) the skimmer freaks out and will again fill the entire collection cup in a matter of minutes it will be like this for about 24 hours and then settle back to normal. Is this normal? What should I do about the first few batches of skimmed water (that appear to be basically tank water). I feel that if I just keep dumping this water out I would lower the salinity of my tank due to the auto top off replacing collection cup sized amounts of water.

I have never owned a skimmer before this one. Are all brands this inconsistent?

[2006]

How often do you clean the collection cup?

[Taqpol]

Whenever the reaction chamber gets so gunked up it stops skimming, probably about every two to three days...

[shiveley]

if all skimmers were inconsistent I doubt that they would be as popular as they are

[2006]

I have a 20 gal. nano with three small fish and I clean my 9002 once a week. After I clean the skimmer I close the air valve 1/8 turn or less and turn it back to it's original position a few days later when the neck starts to get dirty.

[rvitko]

Water level plays a big roll, be sure the water level is constant and ideally 1/2" below the marked water level line on the skimmer. Be certain that no detergent is getting in the water.

[Taqpol]

My skimmer is located in a HOB refugium made by CPR. Water is pumped into the fuge and then flows back to the tank so my water level is constant, and (unlike what the instructions say) I do have the marked water line 1/2 inch above the water? My tank is located on a bar seperating my kitchen from the living room, is there a good way to keep detergent laden soads in the kitchen from getting in the tank?

Does anyone know how easily detergents aerosolize?

[rvitko]

I meant more in terms of, if you wash the cup with dishwashing detergent, rinse it very well. I am aware of the instructions discrepencies and it has to do with the US pump being stronger. It will be revised in the next publishing.

[Taqpol]

I don't wash with detergents, I just rinse with tap water and scrub with the supplied brush. Should I be having this much trouble? What about following 2006's suggestion, should I readjust the air after every cleaning?

[rvitko]

You could either do that or lower the air adjustment about 1/8 turn and clean the cup about every other day. What I suspect is that the air is too high but that the cup is quickly collecting an oily film or some sediment cake and so within a day this adjustment is just right to overcome the build up.