Eshopps S-120 Skimmer

[Almondsaz]

I have an S-120 Skimmer and it has been in the sump about a week and the tank was set up the week before. I used live sand and live-fully cured rock and never really got a nitrate or ammonia spike. The I have the bubbles coming up to the top of the neck of the skimmer and I don't get any skim. I have two coral and one bangaii cardinal in the tank so nothing in the way of a bio load.

Do I need to be more patient for the skimmer to "break in" or I shouldn't have skim mate based on the bio load?

Thanks for your help.

David

[moondoggy4]

No bio load no skimmate. I think the skimmer needs to break in some more. Nice skimmer how do you like the build on it? What size tank do you have it on?

[Re_Run]

Mine is the the Eshops 100. For about 4 days nothing then light skim mate till about day 8 then by day ten was just wonderful pulling out skimmate so dark looks almost like black coffee just green. Took about 10 days for mine to really get working well.. might try feeding a little heavier just to help kick start it.. mine works great the only problem and not really a problem at that is the bubble silencer on the return. need to keep it clean or can affect the water level in the neck so clean it and the cup at the same time .. ime I find works best for me.. had a problem with the pump siezing up about 6 months in they replaced the whole skimmer no questions asked. Just hear you go ! and sry for the problem.. Great Customer service. not the same but just love it ! One of the best I have bought for the money. and no I don't or them lol, just feel its a great product for the price.

[Almondsaz]

No bio load no skimmate. I think the skimmer needs to break in some more. Nice skimmer how do you like the build on it? What size tank do you have it on?

I do like the build quality and the footprint is perfect for my small system. I have an ELOS Concept 80 - so it is a 40 gallon tank and the sump has the capacity for 15 gallons but has a working volume of about 5 gallons.

[Almondsaz]

Re_Run: have to agree that I too feel it is a good product for the price point. I was going to get the ELOS skimmer but it was a little more. The Reef Octopus would have taken all the room in the sump so I passed just based on size of the unit. I am impatiently waiting for the skimmer to break in and show what it is capable of.

[swcc]

open the output so the bubbles are at the joint where the body meets the cup. The skimmer will then compact the water a bit and you'll get foam and skimmate. after a few weeks the skimmer will break in and you can adjust the water level up if needed/wanted.

[Almondsaz]

I now have an ato for consistent water level in the sump. Still no real skim mate and have a couple of coral and 4 fish. Any ideas? The bubbles are at the cup base

[jevolk]

I have been using the psk-150 on my 90 gallon. the adjustment is very touchy on these but when you get them dialed in they are a great product. Bring the bubble level up so it is just above the cone in the cup neck. this seems do be a great setting. Dont go above midway in the neck .

[Almondsaz]

I have tried that and will keep trying. Seemed very finicky. Now I have a storm of micro-bubbles in the DT. Any suggestions?

I also took it completely apart and cleaned it, put it back together and still have all the micro bubbles

[jevolk]

Mine only took 2 days i had no microbubbles. But you should not have it in with the return pump any skimmer for that matter.

[Almondsaz]

So I just learned that the skimmer can react to certain conditions such as lotion left on your hands, certain fish foods, etc. I had started to feed arctic pods from reef nutrition which contains gel in the food source - this can cause the PS to react the way mine did. Good news is that I did clean it all and then left it off all night turned it on this am and it works just fine. No microbubbles. I also learned that you may need to run carbon if you have this condition like mine.

[swcc]

Longer than two weeks? And that can cause micribubbles?

on a new tank it can take a month to break in.. what is your sump water level?
a good place to be is about 9" of water. Instead of having the water level at the beginning of the neck, go ahead and open the output up completely and let it run low like this till it starts to build foam in the body. It will work, just leave it alone till it does.