9005 skimmer doesnt skim much :(

[CoralBeautyII]

I replaced my Prizm skimmer when the pump died with a Tunze 9005 in tank skimmer and i'm sorry to say my Prizm pulled out a ton of stuff while my Tunze pulls hardly anything at all.
Its been 6 months and all i get is a table spoon or two of skimmate per day.
The bubbles just dont seem to make it to the top quickly enough.
My tank is over a year old and overstocked so im sure theres stuff in there to skim, especially since my Prizm took out alot of gunk, sometimes i needed to clean the cup a few times a day it was pulling so well.
I'm very disapointed in the Tunze's performance, with such a good name I expected this skimmer to kick butt. I did some research and it seems like im not the only one who has had problems with this skimmer not pulling enough.
Should I hook up an airstone in it or something? I took the air plug thing off completely to get it more air, it has helped a little but it still doesnt produce much considering my bio load :(

[rvitko]

I would suspect something is broken or not properly assembled. If you can send me the skimmer I am positive we can get it working for you.

[smatter]

My 9005 skims about 200mL a week in my low load small SPS tank.

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13976963#post13976963 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smatter
My 9005 skims about 200mL a week in my low load small SPS tank.

200ml a week is hardly anything to brag about, thats less than a cup per week. I used to skim a cup to 2 cups per DAY with my Prizm.
I dont think my skimmer is faulty, its just a crappy skimmer. I thought maybe their was a mod to it or something, someway to get more air in to produce a more vigorous bubble. I do clean and empty the cup every 2 days.
I took a pic of what I got after 48 hours, about 25ml, thats pretty bad for a 300 dollar skimmer. The color is great but it just doesnt produce enough. I did a search here on "DOC" and I found several posts all saying the same thing "it doesnt produce enough"

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ewyourpoor/0027.jpg

[The Grim Reefer]

After about 6 months I noticed my 9010 wasn't doing much. When I pulled the cup there wasn't enough flow for the foam to rise into the air intake like its designed to do. Cleaned everything out and still no good. A friend had mentioned he had to lower his skimmer deeper into the water to make it work so I did the same thing. The water level on mine is now just below the top seam and the thing is working again. I think the pump is just crap. I have to keep the air valve wide open to get it to work as well but when it was new it worked with the recommended factory setting..

Both symptoms seem to indicate loss of flow to me.

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13979789#post13979789 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
After about 6 months I noticed my 9010 wasn't doing much. When I pulled the cup there wasn't enough flow for the foam to rise into the air intake like its designed to do. Cleaned everything out and still no good. A friend had mentioned he had to lower his skimmer deeper into the water to make it work so I did the same thing. The water level on mine is now just below the top seam and the thing is working again. I think the pump is just crap. I have to keep the air valve wide open to get it to work as well but when it was new it worked with the recommended factory setting..

Both symptoms seem to indicate loss of flow to me.

Yes mine too works better at the water level below the top seem. The skimmer has been perfoming like this since day one, or shall i say more like day three when it "broke in"
That little blue valve i totally removed, it does nothing. I'm dying to stick an airline tube in there and see what happends lol.
I guess theres not much that can be done for it, its just not a good skimmer. I will wait a couple of months to save up for something else..i probably will play it safe and go back to my prizm. The only reason why i stopped getting the prizm is because the pumps on them burn out pretty quickly (around 10-12 months) and it was prone to overflowing onto the floor. I thought id try something new, and Tunze has such a great name, at least thats what everyone told me
:rolleyes:

[The Grim Reefer]

I expected more from the Tunze considering the price

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13980198#post13980198 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
I expected more from the Tunze considering the price

Exactly
This performs no better than a Seaclone, but at least the Seaclone is cheap
Well, lesson learned :(

[The Grim Reefer]

The design is great. I wasn't too impressed with the materials they used but I hoped for a lot better long term performance.Mine had a obvious quality control issue right out of the box. Roger was great to get the replacement part out to me ASAP but the issue was something a blind monkey should have caught on the assembly line. So much for superior German quality.

[CoralBeautyII]

What I dont get is what are all those nozzle holes for? I know the one with the valve, but whats the other one across from it? and the tiny little one at the back?

[smatter]

The small nipple on the back is for ozone, the larger one allows air inside. I wasn't bragging by the way when I said it pulled 200mL a week, just sharing my experience with the 9005. I just thought that nearly a cup a week in my little <40g tank with two tiny fish was pretty good. When I first put the rock in it overflowed with nasty foam, but now there isn't much for it to pull out. Something is definitely wrong with yours. You should give Roger a chance to get it working for you before you start bashing their products here.

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13981217#post13981217 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smatter
The small nipple on the back is for ozone, the larger one allows air inside. I wasn't bragging by the way when I said it pulled 200mL a week, just sharing my experience with the 9005. I just thought that nearly a cup a week in my little <40g tank with two tiny fish was pretty good. When I first put the rock in it overflowed with nasty foam, but now there isn't much for it to pull out. Something is definitely wrong with yours. You should give Roger a chance to get it working for you before you start bashing their products here.

I dont see how it can be fixed if this is the way its made? All the posts say the same things about this skimmer. You cant get pepsi from a cow ya know
As for bashing the product? well I spent $300 dollars for it, and i expect it to skim properly, and it doesnt, am i supposed to rave about it?

[smatter]

It doesn't because there is something wrong with it. There are many satisfied Tunze customers that have been using the 90xx series for years and years without issue. It is unfortunate that you mainly hear from the ones that want to bash Tunze. The best thing about Tunze is that even those people will be helped. Nobody's asking you to rave, just give them a chance to fix it. I understand where you are coming from, you spent a lot of money and you want it to work, and I am certain it can be fixed.

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13982506#post13982506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smatter
It doesn't because there is something wrong with it. There are many satisfied Tunze customers that have been using the 90xx series for years and years without issue. It is unfortunate that you mainly hear from the ones that want to bash Tunze. The best thing about Tunze is that even those people will be helped. Nobody's asking you to rave, just give them a chance to fix it. I understand where you are coming from, you spent a lot of money and you want it to work, and I am certain it can be fixed.

But what if it is the pump? like grim reaper said
How can i mail this thing lol, it has coralline all over it and sponges lol
and what if it comes back the same? like this is just how its meant to work.
You get 200ml a week, thats about what i get, so maybe yours is broken too :lol:

[The Grim Reefer]

Bashing? I didn't even mention the ill fitting panels nor brittle erection set parts that broke when I was toying with the idea of hanging the skimmer.

[CoralBeautyII]

Its just not a good skimmer, face it Smatter, 220ml per week should be 200ml per day! so yours isnt working too well either.
You may choose to stick up for it, you may be a Tunze rep or something, ater all it does say Tunze accouterment in your sig
I'm looking into the Deltec and Octopus skimmers, so far they seem to have the best rating.

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13983444#post13983444 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoralBeautyII
Its just not a good skimmer, face it Smatter, 220ml per week should be 200ml per day! so yours isnt working too well either.
You may choose to stick up for it, you may be a Tunze rep or something, ater all it does say Tunze accouterment in your sig
I'm looking into the Deltec and Octopus skimmers, so far they seem to have the best rating.

To be fair you can't judge a skimmer soley by the amount of skimmate it collects. If you have a lightly stocked tank with a clean up crew and good feeding habits it can greatly reduce the amount of crap to be removed.

[freddie40]

I also have a Tunze 9010. It has never worked well. If I have the j-tube attached it really doesn't work well. Using it as an intank skimmer with the water level at the suggested blue-line also doesn't make the skimmer work well. However, if I drop the skimmer 1 inch it skims better. This is not how it should be though.

Dave

BTW: I have cleaned the pump and skimmer and this does not help.

[CoralBeautyII]

Its a bust :(
money down the drain

[rroselavy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13983711#post13983711 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoralBeautyII
Its a bust :(
money down the drain

I'm really confused. Why don't you just send it to Roger Vitko so he can have a chance to fix it?

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13986955#post13986955 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rroselavy
I'm really confused. Why don't you just send it to Roger Vitko so he can have a chance to fix it?

because i dont feel its broken, this is just the way they are made. It would be like turning a Volswagon into a Ferarri


what would be done to fix it? to make it skim at least a half a cup a day? is that possible on this skimmer?

[rroselavy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13976251#post13976251 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rvitko
I would suspect something is broken or not properly assembled. If you can send me the skimmer I am positive we can get it working for you.

[smatter]

Wow, quit acting like your avatar and just send it in. I am certain something is wrong with it unless you dump mass quantities of HUFAs in your tank daily. I can assure you that 200mL a week in my small oligotrophic system is a lot, so I know the 9005 works, and for its size, well I might add. I use mine in tank too, with the water level right at the line. If you were pulling 2 cups a day with a Prizm, your 9005 should be overflowing. Mine was when I was curing my rock. May I ask why you bought such an undersized skimmer for your 220?

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13988072#post13988072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smatter
Wow, quit acting like your avatar and just send it in. I am certain something is wrong with it unless you dump mass quantities of HUFAs in your tank daily. I can assure you that 200mL a week in my small oligotrophic system is a lot, so I know the 9005 works, and for its size, well I might add. I use mine in tank too, with the water level right at the line. If you were pulling 2 cups a day with a Prizm, your 9005 should be overflowing. Mine was when I was curing my rock. May I ask why you bought such an undersized skimmer for your 220?

the prizm was undersized too. at the time i only had 300 dollars for a skimmer, and i liked the fact that the tunze went inside the tank this way i didnt have to worry about overflow and flooding my floor (the way the prizm did)
the next size up for the tunze i believe was $500

I'd like to know first from Roger what he could do to get this thing to skim properly, not just 25ml every few days which is where im at now.
You are defending Tunze a great deal smatter, but you wont be the one fixing it will you?

[smatter]

I'd be happy to try and get working for you if you want to come to Wisconsin. Bring your warm clothes it's nine below today! I defend Tunze because I have used their products for years because they work, and because the customer service is the best in the industry. Anything I have ever sent in for repair I have gotten back in a week. The turnaround time is amazing, you won't be without your skimmer for long. Give them a chance. Roger doesn't post on RC on the weekend, but I am sure he will get you squared away on Monday.

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13988285#post13988285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smatter
I'd be happy to try and get working for you if you want to come to Wisconsin. Bring your warm clothes it's nine below today! I defend Tunze because I have used their products for years because they work, and because the customer service is the best in the industry. Anything I have ever sent in for repair I have gotten back in a week. The turnaround time is amazing, you won't be without your skimmer for long. Give them a chance. Roger doesn't post on RC on the weekend, but I am sure he will get you squared away on Monday.

9 below no thanks lol
its 25 here thats about all i can take :lol:
I just snapped a pic of the tunze, as you can see yes it does work, but needs more ooompf
I use selcon, zoecon and marine c added to the food on a daily bases, when you mentioned HUFA's it made me scratch my head. I use about 8 drops (mixed, not from each bottle) do you think that could have an impact on skimming?
I can skip a week of supplements to test it out, but my hippo tang came down with HLLE and since ive been giving him the supplements he has improved, he really needs his zoecon.
so heres the pic, the foam is white and fluffy

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/ewyourpoor/0018.jpg

[The Grim Reefer]

If the damn thing is only skimming that little bit a day what the hell, send it in and see what they can come up with. It isn;'t like it's doing anything for your tank

[CoralBeautyII]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13988429#post13988429 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by The Grim Reefer
If the damn thing is only skimming that little bit a day what the hell, send it in and see what they can come up with. It isn;'t like it's doing anything for your tank

yeah i know its like ive been basically skimmerless anyway :lol:

ok what im afraid of..
im afraid this thing is gonna fall appart when i remove it
im afraid that it will come back the same, wasting time
im afraid that the brace connecting it to my tank will break once i unscrew the screws that have been in place for 6 months
im afraid it will come back dead..then i have nothing

:D

[CoralBeautyII]

forget it, its not worth the time. do a research like i did, i found like over 100 complaints on this skimmer and i was only on page 7 on google.
now im not about to bore anyone and link 100+ complaints but i will show one thread that pretty much says it all.
i guess 50% of the tunze doc skimmers out there need to be fixed

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f6/i-keep-reading-about-the-tunze-doc-skimmers-are-they-really-that-good-104397.html

[CoralBeautyII]

well heres someone who sent it to Roger for fixin
(pulled from marinedepot reviews)

Unsatisfactory
Cross Your Fingers by JOSE ORTIZ
Experience Level: Intermediate
Posted on 3/31/2008 from West Palm Bch, FL U.S.A.
Comments: I purchased this skimmer months ago and it has yet to give me more than a teaspoon of foam. I walked through all the steps with the Tunze rep to repair it he had to send me parts, put them in and it still does not work. I sent it to the rep in Texas to fix, meanwhile my $50.00 sealife systems skimmer skimmed the gunk out, got the tunze back, put it back it in sump and it still does not work. Long story short, the skimmer does not work. It is collecting dust in my garage while I save up some extra money to by a different skimmer. Be careful, Marine Depot does not let you return these if it was used in an aquarium. There goes $400.00.
I would not recommend this product to my friends.

smatter are you still going to defend this piece of garbage?

[CoralBeautyII]

I just purchased a different skimmer

BYE BYE Tunze in the garbage you go

[wartskin]

I think your posts alone tell the whole story. Roger made an effort to see what the problem was and fix it for you. It appears all you wanted to do was bash the skimmer and knew that you had no intentions of ever wanting fixed. You and a few others are not the normal feedback that we get about this skimmer and I am deeply sorry that this happened to you but I think both parties are better off now. Good luck.

[rvitko]

Usually these problems are the cumulative result of a few very small problems and the majority of people who give us even the slightest chance to remedy them end up satisfied. The most common culprit is a faulty venturi nozzle, a fair number of nozzles were made in 2007 that were not properly drilled, holes were too large leading to water seeping in and reducing air flow. Shipping damage is another culprit, I have seen quite few pumps come back that the nozzle was broken off the pump and most people don't even realize it is broken because it breaks at a glue joint and is a clean break. Another common culprit is a high sediment load or a pinched hose. If you have a couple of these issues the performance is quite poor.

[rroselavy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13993648#post13993648 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoralBeautyII
BYE BYE Tunze in the garbage you go

Uh... I'll take it... :eek1:

[rroselavy]

Or better yet, send it to Roger, and he can send it back to me fixed... :)

[smatter]

Jose Ortiz can send me his dust covered one.

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13994445#post13994445 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rvitko
Usually these problems are the cumulative result of a few very small problems and the majority of people who give us even the slightest chance to remedy them end up satisfied. The most common culprit is a faulty venturi nozzle, a fair number of nozzles were made in 2007 that were not properly drilled, holes were too large leading to water seeping in and reducing air flow. Shipping damage is another culprit, I have seen quite few pumps come back that the nozzle was broken off the pump and most people don't even realize it is broken because it breaks at a glue joint and is a clean break. Another common culprit is a high sediment load or a pinched hose. If you have a couple of these issues the performance is quite poor.

The venturi on mine was bad out of the box and you sent me the new housing which handled that problem. The issue now seems to be with the flow. After about 6 months I noticed the fall off in performance and finally it got to the point where it wouldn't skim at all. With the cup removed the foam level wasn't close to what it had been previously. I ripped the pump apart and everything looked fine. Lowering the skimmer down about as low as you can without sucking water into the air intake has it skimming again but not great after looking at it today. Less than a half inch in the cup in almost a week.

[CoralBeautyII]

Is there a bin drop off for rejected Tunze skimmers like the ones they have for old cell phones?

garbage is garbage no matter how ya look at it

[beerguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13996056#post13996056 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CoralBeautyII
Is there a bin drop off for rejected Tunze skimmers like the ones they have for old cell phones?

garbage is garbage no matter how ya look at it

The horse is dead. Stop beating it.

[beerguy]

Also, please PM me and explain the need to have two accounts.