skimmers!!!!??

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melissadotson

AC Members
Mar 30, 2009
274
0
0
parkersburg wv
:swear: i HATE skimmers!!! i just bought a new corallife 65g skimmer for my 55 gal. tank. and i still can't figure it out! the cup on top that is suppose to collect the waste wants to keep filling with water. i have tries to adjust the air and water flow. but it still keeps filling with bubbles that turn into water and fills the cup on top and then it wants to over flow..so i put a drain hose on the attchment on the cup so it would flow into a 5 gal. bucket..and the bucket get's full..it just doesn't want to stop. i also did a 40% water change..and i haven't added any meds. or chemicals to this tank in for months..just do my water changes .. so i have no idea whats wrong with it...except it must be JUNK...any ideas out there of what i might be doing wrong??? the skimmer is brand new and i hooked it up right..i even made the guy from my LFS come and look at it..he can't understand it either..he told me to do the water change and to hook up the hose and let it run..but it still not working right..sorry for such a long question..but any ideas would be greatly appreciated....
 

guelphite

AC Members
Feb 1, 2010
9
0
0
Guelph
Hey!

I've had this proble, although I didnt take it as far as the waste bucket. What kind of airstone are you using and what airpump? also do you have some spare aiflow valves or a manifold? I'm pretty sure this is just an issue of too much airflow. Shouldnt be a big issue to fix.
Goodluck!
 

Robert04

Aspiring Self Proclaimed Expert
Dec 31, 2008
492
0
16
I have had experiences where it bubbles way to much because of the cheaper brands of water conditioner, almost turned the water soapy(water changes and stick to prime). Also it is abit finicky, Turn the pump down till you can just hear the venturi still working.. If it stops making the suction noise then you have gone to far.. then use the other dial to adjust the water level within the skimmer. I run mine low and turn it up till it stays at the level I want, I also wait 5 minutes between adjustments because sometimes it looks like it's done climbing then you come back in a couple hours and collection cup is full.. Once it breaks in it works fairly well took mine 3-4 days the first time.. I adjust mine every couple days. When you top up the sump/tank turn down the dial so it dosn't overflow the skimmer cup because of the added volume.
 

davocean

AC Members
Nov 18, 2009
215
0
0
San Diego CA
There is a break in period on these, and if you read the instructions it will tell you to not set for skim for a week or 2 until it does break in.
They are very sensitive at first due to production oils that need to break down.
 

melissadotson

AC Members
Mar 30, 2009
274
0
0
parkersburg wv
how do i turn down the choke or tubing? cause there is no adjuster on the pump..? it is just straight rubber tubing.there is no way to adjust it from the pump..
 

z28sseater

AC Members
Nov 16, 2008
36
0
0
38
I agree with davocean on the oil. I had a Turboflotor for about 6 months never had any problems. I bought a fluval fx-5 canister filter. When i started the fx-5 the skimmer went nuts for 24 hours then calmed down. In those 24hours i called tech support to see what they thought and they said the oil in the canisterr filter during manufacturing. They were right. What i would do is put the collection cup hose back into the tank or sump. and let it return back to the tank. Eventually it will start calming down, and then just move the hose into a bucket and keep emptying it.
 

jayghmi

Senior Member Wannabe
Feb 3, 2007
419
0
16
Western Michigan
http://www.tylermerrick.com/blog/index.php/2009/10/08/modifing-the-coralife-super-skimmer-css/

Hopefully this link will get you there! Lots of help on that skimmer. I had that skimmer and eventually took it back because it is hard adjust on so many levels. It skims great, but it is loud, ugly and a bubble machine.

I love my remora c pro with overflow box. It may not be the best skimmer in the world but it looks good as a HOT and is not super loud. I have been very happy since I traded the coralife to the remora.
 
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