Skimz skimmer club

[Reef908]

Originally Posted by dendrite

There are some good postings on skimmer adjustment several hundred posts earlier. Myself, I have a monster sm 203 . I started with the gate and airline wide open, then slowly closed the air until I first heard a change in pitch in the skimmer. Its fairly low and you have to listen for it, and repeat the process several times. It works out that the airline is about 75% closed for my skimmer. Next adjust the gate valve to bring the small uniform bubble level up to where you want it. For me it worked out that the smallest bubbles were at the bottom third of the neck with the ever larger bubbles rising higher into the cup area . Hope this helps

Thanks. I appreciate the tip. I actually read through this thread prior to buying while I was doing research.

This is exactly what I tried when I first got it but it never goes past the small bubbles. No foam is ever produced and after a day or so of an adjustment i then adjust again. I originally had it going for several days and I fought the urge to tweak it and it just never produced skimmate. I get that there is a break in period but in the past I'd at least see the neck to start to get some crud in it and produce some foam. I just raised it in my sump so it's in 7inches of water. Maybe this will help. I am contemplating starting from scratch again and doing your said advicewhich is similar to the instructions. Could be that I am just being impatient haha but it seems that others starts working pretty quickly.

[dendrite]

Is it possible that you have some residual contaminant in the skimmer or in the tank preventing skimmate formation. Have you tried a vinegar soak ? Can you slow down the pump to decrease transit time. Even if the skimmer is too big for the tank, with an established and now organically filled tank you should get foam production.

[itz frank]

I'm running an sm203 on a 120. Had skim from first day and I'm in only 6" of water where recommended is at least 7. The reading on mine said to close the gate until the bubbles were just below the collection cup bottom and then fine tune with the air valve.


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[itz frank]

Also, best skimmer I've ever owned. My phosphates have been slowly dropping on their own. Started at .21 and were at .11 on a Hanna today after feeding frozen. Me likey.


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[rerr001]

I have a skimz kone sk184, looking for the collector cup drain cap. Tried BRS, but not a stocked item. any ideas how to get one, thanks.

[Reef908]

Originally Posted by dendrite

Is it possible that you have some residual contaminant in the skimmer or in the tank preventing skimmate formation. Have you tried a vinegar soak ? Can you slow down the pump to decrease transit time. Even if the skimmer is too big for the tank, with an established and now organically filled tank you should get foam production.

My thought exactly with it being too big. I can't turn down the pump which was my logic if it being too big. The tank is 1.5 years established and the sca skimmer was pulling lots of gunk when the pump died on me. Could be something in the skimmer since I just did a rodi rinse quickly and plopped in the tank. Maybe I should pull and it in in some vinegar. Thanks for the tip

[dendrite]

Another possibility is if the skimmer intake is in an area of turbulence in the sump this can interfere with proper foam formation. I had this problem a few years back with a tunze doc 9011


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[Reef908]

Originally Posted by dendrite

Another possibility is if the skimmer intake is in an area of turbulence in the sump this can interfere with proper foam formation. I had this problem a few years back with a tunze doc 9011


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Good tip. Thanks. I flipped the orientation of the skimmer so it's pulling a bit better now. Unfortunately I have a pretty small sump right now and the skimmer takes up most of the room in the compartment lol

[itz frank]

My sm203 is only three weeks old and I don't think I have it dialed in right. I get influxes of skim. What I mean by this is that it appears to produce skim at random intervals and amounts even though not a lot has changed. Last night before lights out I emptied my cup. This morning(7hrs) I have 1mm of skim. Right now I have about 1.5 in" skim in the cup.

Is this normal?


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[dendrite]

Originally Posted by itz frank

My sm203 is only three weeks old and I don't think I have it dialed in right. I get influxes of skim. What I mean by this is that it appears to produce skim at random intervals and amounts even though not a lot has changed. Last night before lights out I emptied my cup. This morning(7hrs) I have 1mm of skim. Right now I have about 1.5 in" skim in the cup.

Is this normal?


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I get that fairly frequently, and have always assumed it was related to various biological variations going on. Sometimes good foam but little skimmate for several days and then an overnight dump.of several inches. The skim produced is still usually of good quality and this usually happens overnite. Very infrequently I will get an overflow of rapid and very dilute skim production usually related to changing carbon, epoxy or glue or using a polyfilter, or otherwise disturbing the substrate.

[danrs20]

Hey guys, I'm looking at getting a Skimz 253 for my ongoing upgrade, the total volume will be around 1400liters ( DT being 1000liters). Do you think that this skimmer would be to large? I'm planning on having a very heavy bio load on it but still not sure whether it's to big.

[Reeftub]

No you should be fine

[danrs20]

Originally Posted by Reeftub

No you should be fine

Thanks Reeftub, I didn't want to purchase it and then find that it will inconsistently skim.

[yellojello]

I am getting salt creep buildup inside my air silencer, even with a tube run to the outside of the sump. Can it be coming up from the pump, or is it the nature of the 3 piece design not creating an airtight seal of the acrylic? If it's the later, anyone use a silicone gaskets or o-rings for the air silencer top and bottom?

[Eel-byte]

Originally Posted by yellojello

I am getting salt creep buildup inside my air silencer, even with a tube run to the outside of the sump. Can it be coming up from the pump, or is it the nature of the 3 piece design not creating an airtight seal of the acrylic? If it's the later, anyone use a silicone gaskets or o-rings for the air silencer top and bottom?

Your sure it's salt creep. I'm getting dust build up.


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[ericarenee]

Originally Posted by yellojello

I am getting salt creep buildup inside my air silencer, even with a tube run to the outside of the sump. Can it be coming up from the pump, or is it the nature of the 3 piece design not creating an airtight seal of the acrylic? If it's the later, anyone use a silicone gaskets or o-rings for the air silencer top and bottom?

i to was having this issue.. The fix is i totally cleaned my skimmer pump venturi valve and silencer in Vinegar for a few hours.... It was getting so bad that the silencer would whistle and gurgle.......


I think the venturi valve was causing moisture to somehow build up in the silencer .

[FuzzyZipperbaum]

I have both a monzter 201 and 301 on two 500 g. Is anyone else having problems with the powerheads, the es5000 failing all the time? In 3 years I have replaced a total of 6 powerheads. The impeller starts to come apart and then damages the inside. Anyone else having this problem? Performance is great but cost upkeep with $160 ph is getting abusive.

[kissman]

I have the Warner Marine MF181 which is the Skimz SK181 with modified bubble plate. No idea what is different about the bubble plate but I love this skimmer. Been running strong for 5 years with the same pump the ES2000.


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[BZOFIQ]

Any feedback on Skimz SC255 Octa?

BRS has them with 2x Messner ASP2500 Needlewheel Pumps

The skimz website lists this skimmer with 2 Messner ASP4000, looks to be upgraded.

I'd appreciate any feedback on this model.

[yellojello]

Well, I think the main problem was having my fan blow across the sump. Since the air silencer is pretty close to the water, it gets salt creep into the silencer, which eventually causes it to plug up and skimmer overflow. (I was wondering my skimmate locker doesn't fill up for a few weeks, then all of a sudden fill up overnight). And I was sure salty air wasn't coming in the intake since I have another silicone tube on the intake going through the wall to my other room. Plus. I tightened the air silencer parts and bolts really tight.

I did buy o-rings to try that fit in between the air silencer parts, but didn't need to try, since I extended the air silencer to pump venturi hose to hang the air silencer higher about another foot. Booom, no salt creep into the air silencer. Now my swabbie and skimmate locker goes for weeks. Probably longer now because I added an ATS.

[itz frank]

Guys help me out with this. I've got a skimz monster sm201 or 203. I forget which and I can't seem to get this dialed in correctly. I've had this skimmer since February.

I've set my D.C. Pump to 4.

Foamed gets to the top but doesn't really go in. The cup was just cleaned two days ago but muck is forming again on the top. Very little skim and the skim isn't very dark.

I've managed to get my nitrates over readable on an API so I started dosing vinegar.


This one is the first day.




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[dendrite]

Try closing the valve a 1/2 or 1/4 turn to raise the water level or closing air valve slightly will do the same thing

[Reeftub]

Or you could just turn the pump up a couple to get the same affect

[laduwac]

Quick question is any other replacement pump for skimz dc sm203 2nd one just burned and theirs just too pricey thx for help


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[ericarenee]

Originally Posted by laduwac

Quick question is any other replacement pump for skimz dc sm203 2nd one just burned and theirs just too pricey thx for help


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I think the 203 is the same skimmer body as the 201.. The difference is the 201 has a Eden dc pump which i believe is much more suitable for a skimmer..