Stripping Deltec MCE 600

[scarysdad]

Reckon I'm going to have to strip down my Deltec MCE 600 skimmer; the pump won't work, tried tapping the casing switching on/off still won't shift water. I know it's getting electricity as it is emitting an audible 'humm'. I reckon there maybe some hair algae tangled round the impellor. So how do I go about getting to the pump ? There is nothing in the instructions about stripping it down......any of you guys out there done this before ? Alternatively if any of you have any ideas on how to get it started without stripping down that would be even better.....gonna have to take my lighting rig down to get the skimmer off the back of the tank.....sucks!!!!

Thanks

[GSMguy]

pull out the baffle near the return section, reach your hand inside the skimmer grab hold of the pump and pull it to the side, it will pop out of the intake pipe and then you can use the cord to lift the pump out of the body.


before you take it apart try blowing air in the airline

[DiazE]

This can be better answered in the D-D Solutions thread.
Hope someone can solve your problem.
:D

[DiazE]

Hey that was fast; as I was just ready to posting, and GSM Guy a big Deltec name, answers your question, GREAT!
:)

[scarysdad]

thanks GSMguy the baffle you are speaking about will it just pull out of the skimmer ? No screws or anything ?

[GSMguy]

right it pulls right out there are 2 baffles one permanent on the intake side one removable on the pump side.

[scarysdad]

Answered my own question....lifted the baffle a couple of inches and away the the pump went....so its 'working' again.....

While I have your attention GSMguy perhaps you can help me with my other problem regarding this skimmer......I have been running it on my tank for 2 months now and still have not produced any skimmate.....!!! When its running it produces masses of bubbles which fill the skimmer cup in a couple of minutes then dissolve leaving me with a full cup of water. I expected this at the beginning(read all the info about conditioners in the salt and plasticizers in the composition of the skimmer itself letting the skimmer 'bed in' etc) but not after running for 2 months with fish in the tank, I am quite lightly stocked 4 baby fish in an 80gal tank but I feed quite heavily as I have 2 Triggers....
I have tried positioning the cup at different levels opening the air valve different amounts and nothing seems to work.....

I use Seachem Marine salt and the tank is FOWLR

Any hints....

[GSMguy]

i think you need to take the air valve off the hose and raise the collection cup as high as it will go without falling off. of it still overflows i would be very Surprised

that is not right that it has overflowed for 2 months something must be wrong, seachem salt is fine to use.

it would be helpful if you could take picture.

[scarysdad]

Ok.....pic after running for 10 mins...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/Scarysdad/DSC03501.jpg

[GSMguy]

what additives besides the salt do you add to your water, try to think of everything.

i assume removing the airtap does not change it much.

what foods do you feed and how often


are you using tap water with conditioners?

[Harry_Fish]

I would get this when I ran Reef Crystals (AKA Mr. Bubbles)

It normaly goes away after your water ages.

[GSMguy]

HArry does running carbon help?

[scarysdad]

Thanks for getting back to me.....yes I am using tap water and Prime, I add Seachem Marine buffer with my weekly 10% w/c. I age the tapwater for at least 48hrs mix with a powerfilter which has Seachem seagel in it for Phosphate removal it also contains Matrix carbon. I have no room for a sump so i run a cannister filter with Seagel plus Algone pouches and DeNitrate plus some floss. I also add Salifert's 'All in One' to help the coraline algae on once weekly.
My neighbour had a Marine set up a couple of years ago and he used tap water plus Prime and he had a Deltec MCE 600 and his skimmed great.

[scarysdad]

Forgot to add the foods I am using I feed twice a day and use a variety of foods I use Ocean Nutrition frozen foods(mainly Formula One and Trigger mix) plus frozen prawns. Ocean Nutrition Formula 2 algae flakes and Reef flake, Hikari A and S pellets Ocean Nutrition Formula One pellets.....

[GSMguy]

I think its the prime but i dont know for sure its the prime, i dont know how to solve it other than you getting an RO system.

maybe there is another way to prepare tap water that removes heavy metals and chlorine without the conditioners.

sorry i cant be more help.

not sure what's in the seagel BUT that could be doing it, however most of the time its from water conditioners.

[GSMguy]

"hicuup":rolleyes: :o :lol:

[GSMguy]

the foods, all in one 2 part, carbon, and phosban, are all safe, its got to be the prime IMO
'

here is how to figure it out, buy distilled water or RO from the LFS for the next month and if it starts skimming buy an RO or buy your water like i do.

[scarysdad]

Thanks will try the RO from the lfs......

[supertech99]

i have heard from others that use algone that it makes their skimmer go crazy, something about the surface tension of the water they have surmised. Iam not sure on this because i have a skimmerless nano and have not tried algone, just thought i would pass along some hearsay. o by the way first post on this new forum