Nothing to Skim

spoot · #1 05-09-2008, 08:11 AM

Just wondering if this situation is normal or if I don't have my skimmer dailed in properly. The thing is that I never really get anything to skim. Even after leaving the skimmer off for multiple days, upon turning it I get negligible amounts of skimmate. Maybe it has to do with the low stocking but just want to make sure.
Here is my setup:

Tank: 90g + 20g sump, Seio 820, ~300gph flow through sump
Livestock: ~75lbs of LR, 2 true percs (3" female, 2" male), 3.5" benggai cardinal, 2" bicolour blenny, 3.5" yellowheaded sleeper goby, 3.5" burrfish, 2 peppermint shrimp
Filtration: PM bullet 3 skimmer, about 5g of chaeto

Aquattro · #2 05-09-2008, 09:33 AM

no, you should probably get something. Where is the water level in the skimmer?

spoot · #3 05-09-2008, 10:07 PM

It is a couple inches lower than the rim. I get lots of bubbles inside the skimmer column. But the bubbles don't come together and form larger bubbles at the top.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #4 05-09-2008, 10:58 PM

Adjust it so the bubbles reach the top & see how it works then.

Aquattro · #5 05-09-2008, 11:15 PM

It should work there, or at least coat the inside of the tube with gunk. What size are the bubbles? It's possible the becket valve is clogged and giving you bigger bubbles.

spoot · #6 05-10-2008, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquattro

It should work there, or at least coat the inside of the tube with gunk. What size are the bubbles? It's possible the becket valve is clogged and giving you bigger bubbles.

Nope, the column is filled with fine white bubbles. They just aren't forming up for some reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Adjust it so the bubbles reach the top & see how it works then.

Yeah, the bubbles do reach the top. Except they just aren't really turning brown.

Would the low bio load affect it this much?

Here is a pic of the collection cup. Note the white foam at the top, it never form any darker than that. The gunk on the cup is collected from about 2 weeks.

Here is the skimmer column, full of very small bubbles:

Joe Reefer · #7 05-10-2008, 04:43 PM

I have a bullet 3 too, its a little oversized for my tank volume, not as much as yours though. I notice if I keep it really in tune for a week or so the skimmate production slowly drops off. If the pictures are what normal operation looks like thats pretty good.

spoot · #8 05-10-2008, 07:51 PM

The stuff in the collection cup as accumulated over 2 weeks. I'm going to have another tank, a 120g hooked up to the system eventually, so it won't be that over sized. Thanks Joe.