Euroreefs adjustability

[sharuq1]

I'm new to the euroreef crowd and not totally sure what I'm doing. My coralife skimmer (don't laugh) was easy to adjust for wet or dry skim via a little knob. However, the euroreef doesn't have anything like that and I see no way to adjust the cup (all looks glued to me). My bubbles aren't even making it to the cup and I see no way to adjust it. It has pulled out some very dark extremely nasty skimmate (about 1cm in the cup) in the last couple of days, so it is working. I just cleaned the cup as there was quite alot of build up and I wondered if it was impeding performance.

Can the skimmer be adjusted at all and if so how? Or is this normal operation and I should quit my day-job of reef-worry-wart?

[Drock169]

depends on if its an older model or newer one, older ones have an adustable riser pipe in which you simply adjust to the height you need, newer ones have a twisting pipe marked with closed on it, the closer you turn it to closed the higher the level of water in your skimmer

[sharuq1]

Ahh I did not realize that. Guess I need to buy some extra pipe and mod it because the riser tube at the appropriate level would flood water everywhere (taller than my sump).

[a4twenty]

could you maybe post a pic of your skimmer? as explained there are a couple different designs and each has a different method of adjustment. also you said that it does pull but other times the bubbles are not reaching the cup, you know if you stick your hand in the tank the oils on our skin will temporarily stop the skimmer from pulling? also you do have to keep the neck clean or it will definitely impede the skimmer.

i have the old style and installed the gate valve mod, it's so easy to adjust.

[midgetwaiter]

Ahh I did not realize that. Guess I need to buy some extra pipe and mod it because the riser tube at the appropriate level would flood water everywhere (taller than my sump).

The water should fall straight down over the foam though. My ASM, which is roughly the same design is usually adjusted to just higher than the sump and it's ok. The higher up it goes the slower the water comes out.

If water really blasts out of there you may have the wrong pump.

[fishytime]

Kelly it also has an air valve that can be used to fine tune everything. Also if it is the rs135 the water dumps via the down tube so wont go up the riser.

[kwirky]

first things first: take off that silly air valve on the end of the venturi tubing. It'll just clog every few days and never let you properly tune your skimmer. Air valves are only really beneficial for meshwheel skimmers because they can sometimes pull TOO much air through.

Now you adjust your euroreef with either the twist or extendable riser pipe (depending on how old your's is). If it's a twist type, the closer the word "closed" is to the arrow the higher up your skimmate will reach in the skimmer neck. With the extendable type you just raise the tube to raise the skimmate.

The higher your skimmate the "wetter" it will be. Lots of people will tell you "line it up to here" but it also depends on the water level in the sump too. If your sump's water level is different from their's then their recommendation might not work. Running your sump a little higher (while still allowing for power outage back-siphon) will mean that your skimmer pump doesn't work as hard to fill the skimmer chamber with water, thus allowing it to flow harder and pull more air through.

Remember to keep the skimmer neck nice and clean. I never used to think keeping it clean affected performance but I can tell you, looking after 8 euroreefs, that there is definitely a noticeable performance difference if kept clean.

Also remember to keep up with your evaporation. Top off your tank at least once a day or use an auto top-off if you don't have a dedicated skimmer section of your sump that'll keep the water level stable. An unstable water level changes the pressure against the pump which'll fluctuate your adjustment all the time.

HTH...

[sharuq1]

Well I am guessing it is an older one, it has a riser tube, but the tube comes out of the skimmer and goes straight up to meet with a sponge. The main problem is the chambers in my sump are really small, so the tube is basically right by the edge and I cannot budge it (barely enough room for the skimmer), so if I leave it that way at the right level I will still get water on my floor as it tends to dribble onto the edges. I will need to figure out how to put a down tube on it. I think that would take care of that problem. Hopefully it is not an odd size pipe... (Guessing 1", someone correct me if I'm wrong.)
My skimmer looks like this one:
http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/skimmers/euroreef/rs-series.jpg
For evaporation I am set as I finally got my tunze osmolator working yesterday. (It had no power cord) I am loving that thing!! Best "throw in" ever. (Guy threw it in with some overpriced LR--I was a major greenhorn (yes more-so than now :lol:) at the time and didn't realize the rock was overpriced, but the osmolator makes up for it as far as I'm concerned!)

Can someone please post pictures of the gate-valve mod? Or other mods? And -or- instructions on how to do it?