Coralife Super Skimmer 65

[Krazykarl]

Ok so i just got my new coralife super skimmer 65 in the mail. Setup was fairly simple. I put it outside my sump with the pump inside the sump and the return running back into the sump obviously. Initial start up produced great frothy foam, and skimmed a fair about of skimmate (tea coloured with some gunk) out of it. After about 2 hours of running, the bubbles died completely down to the neck of the body under the o ring. Skimmate deceased. Now, i understand that the skimmer has a break in period, but what i don't understand is do i have the damn thing dialed in right and how will i know when its "broken in"?  I have the adjustment knob completely down, its set to the lowest setting, if i crank it the other way the cup overflows. I read to leave it dialed down for 2 or 3 days and then adjust it slowly until i get the skimmate im looking for. Any suggestions, or help with this skimmer would be great if anyone owns or has owned it prior to me now! Thanks

 

[jerryvan]

Hello--I also have that skimmer on my 65. I have it running as low as it will go also. Mine is broke in and it skims about 1/2 a cup full a day. Mine produces dark tea coulour stinky stuff. I love this skimmer EXCEPT it has a habit of overflowing and causeing a flood if I don't clean the the cup every day or so.
  I drilled a hole about 1/2 way up on the cup and put in a quick coupler and a hose down to a pail in the stand. Seems to work OK. The cup has a few cracks where i drilled it but doesn't leak.
I had a 9015 Tunze on my 120 and this skimmer out performs it 10 times over. Hope this helps----Jerry

 

[Krazykarl]

thanks for your help. Its been running for almost 24 hours now....3 pm will be the 24 hr mark. I have it dialed down to its lowest setting and i used the short flex hose that came with the unit for the pump. the pump is approx. 2 inches below the water line in my sump. i put the pump in the overflow output section as to skim the nasty come out of the DT. WHere do you have your pump situated? Also, when i dial mine down to the lowest setting, my microbubbles barely even reach the collection cup. it sits pretty dormant in the neck of the body right before the cup. its the newer model of the skimmer also, so it came with the collection cup drain thank god! i have it running to a 9 l pail just in case it decides to overflow.

so i guess in short, my question is, what kind of pump is running yours? where do you have the pump in relation to the water level? is it in HOT or sump configuration? im just trying to figure this out cuz i know my levels are outta whack and im not skimming anything at all....my bubbles are just hanging out below the cup unless i raise the water level and it rises, but still doesn't foam over. thanks

 

[jerryvan]

Hello---I would just leave it running for now. It will take 4-5 or maybe 6 days to break in. I am not familiar what the difference between the new and old model are. Be patient because all skimmers seem to take a while to break in.
  My skimmer is in the DT as I do not have a sump as of now. My pump is the original pump I got with the unit and the top of the pump is about 3 1/2 in below the water. The valve above the pump is wide open and I have the adjustment  knob as low as it will go. If I understand this unit properly if you turn the knob slowly open it will give you darker skimate but they are very touchy. They are also very water depth sensitive. You have to top up every day or could have a overflow. Also my cup needs to be dumped and cleaned every couple of days. The overflow tank is good idea but mine has still overflowed twice in 2 months.
I don't know the difference between the old and new so they might be better.----Jerry

 

[Krazykarl]

Wherevis this valve in the pump u speak of? I only have a nipple for the airline that's it! I had to add an air pump to the silencer just to get it to produce enough bubbles to reach the tip of the cone... Any help pls? Maybe I dint have the "valve" u speak of open..

 

[jerryvan]

Hello--The valve is in between the pump and the body of the skimmer. Like I say don't know what the new models have!!!. Your has only been running a couple of days. It could be closer to a week before it breaks in.---Jerry

 

[Krazykarl]

woke up this morning, took a look at the skimmer. decided to see what happens when i open the output valve 100%. Upon SLOWWWWW opening, the water level in the skimmer didn't increase, it stayed right where i wanted it to and the bubbles filled the cone! After 2 hours this skimmer skimmed out a quarter cup of nasty dark green skimmate. So far, i love my super skimmer! ANy suggestions how to overcome the smell it produces? wow i smell it all through my basement. Will carbon take away that smell or is that just something that comes with a skimmer?