first time using skimmer

Well here is something I noticed this morning. Quite a few bristleworms,
can't tell if they are dead or not, floating at the top towards the back of
the tank. I heard that a skimmer removes the proteins that some of the
clean up crew need. If this is the case, could I be killing my clean up
crew with the skimmer?


"ITGuy" wrote in message
...
I bought a new skimmer and this is my first time ever using one.

It is a hang on the tank type and is rated for 180 gallons, but I have it
on an already established 30 gallon tank. Reason I got it so big is I
plan on setting up a 55 gallon in the near future.

Anyway, it seems to operate...the column is filled with bubbles. But no
gunk is coming out and the return water puts lots of micro bubbles in my
tank.

Am I doing anything wrong, or have I just not had it set up long enough.
This is the first day its in operation.

I even stirred up the tank so that some of the crap rose up into the tank
hoping it would suck alot of it out.

Look to see if you are getting so many bubbles in
the tank, that the bubbles are sticking to the
worms, and floating them up.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ITGuy wrote on 6/5/2007 8:39 AM:
Well here is something I noticed this morning. Quite a few bristleworms,
can't tell if they are dead or not, floating at the top towards the back of
the tank. I heard that a skimmer removes the proteins that some of the
clean up crew need. If this is the case, could I be killing my clean up
crew with the skimmer?


"ITGuy" wrote in message
...
I bought a new skimmer and this is my first time ever using one.

It is a hang on the tank type and is rated for 180 gallons, but I have it
on an already established 30 gallon tank. Reason I got it so big is I
plan on setting up a 55 gallon in the near future.

Anyway, it seems to operate...the column is filled with bubbles. But no
gunk is coming out and the return water puts lots of micro bubbles in my
tank.

Am I doing anything wrong, or have I just not had it set up long enough.
This is the first day its in operation.

I even stirred up the tank so that some of the crap rose up into the tank
hoping it would suck alot of it out.

ITGuy wrote:
If this is the case, could I be killing my clean up
crew with the skimmer?

I doubt it. A skimmer is a fairly passive device and it would take much
longer to starve worms.

It's more likely from stirring things up.

--Kurt

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Look to see if you are getting so many bubbles in the tank, that the
bubbles are sticking to the worms, and floating them up.

Ya...thats is what is happening. They are alive. The skimmer even sucked a
few of them up.

Someone said the bubbles will go away when the skimmer starts producing.

And right now the skimmer water is bubbling several inches below the top of
the collection cup tube. I didn't think I wanted bubbling water overflowing
into the cup. Am I correct in thinking that if I leave it at this level
that it will start to foam later and then start going into the cup?

Also, I see all these videos or pics of foam/froth boiling over into the cup
and makes me think this cup will fill up with water and gunk within a few
hours.....I'd hate to think I'd have to come home every few hours from work
just to keep the cup from overflowing.

Yep, I'd advise that you reduce the air input.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/5/2007 10:50 AM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Look to see if you are getting so many bubbles in the tank, that the
bubbles are sticking to the worms, and floating them up.

Ya...thats is what is happening. They are alive. The skimmer even sucked a
few of them up.

Someone said the bubbles will go away when the skimmer starts producing.

And right now the skimmer water is bubbling several inches below the top of
the collection cup tube. I didn't think I wanted bubbling water overflowing
into the cup. Am I correct in thinking that if I leave it at this level
that it will start to foam later and then start going into the cup?

Also, I see all these videos or pics of foam/froth boiling over into the cup
and makes me think this cup will fill up with water and gunk within a few
hours.....I'd hate to think I'd have to come home every few hours from work
just to keep the cup from overflowing.

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
nk.net...
Yep, I'd advise that you reduce the air input.

Ok, so if I understand you correctly. Even though it is just bubbling water
at this point and no foam, should I reduce the air input and should the
bubbling water be spilling into the cup? Keep in mind at this point thats
all it is, bubbling water, no foam yet.

My fear is if I do it will fill up during the day when I'm at work and
overflow.



Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/5/2007 10:50 AM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Look to see if you are getting so many bubbles in the tank, that the
bubbles are sticking to the worms, and floating them up.

Ya...thats is what is happening. They are alive. The skimmer even
sucked a few of them up.

Someone said the bubbles will go away when the skimmer starts producing.

And right now the skimmer water is bubbling several inches below the top
of the collection cup tube. I didn't think I wanted bubbling water
overflowing into the cup. Am I correct in thinking that if I leave it at
this level that it will start to foam later and then start going into the
cup?

Also, I see all these videos or pics of foam/froth boiling over into the
cup and makes me think this cup will fill up with water and gunk within a
few hours.....I'd hate to think I'd have to come home every few hours
from work just to keep the cup from overflowing.

ONJ wrote:
My fear is if I do it will fill up during the day when I'm at work and
overflow.

You need to skim very wet to have this happen. It only happened to me
once (because I started kalkwasser), but my skimmer is in the sump, so
not really an issue.

If it hasn't generated skimmage yet, chances are it's not going to
overflow anytime soon. If it's a worry, just unplug it until you can
monitor it again.

Adjustment depends on your type of skimmer:

My ASM G3 has an outlet pipe that is the only adjustment. I could move
the outlet higher to skim wetter and I suppose reduce bubbles in the
outflow.

Some have an air jet that can be adjusted and if you have this, you can
adjust downward to reduce bubbles.

And, still others allow you to move the collection cup up or down to
adjust wet versus dry skimming. If you have this and are worried about
overflow, move your collection cup up.

Let us know what brand and model you have.

--Kurt

"KurtG" wrote in message
. ..
ONJ wrote:
My fear is if I do it will fill up during the day when I'm at work and
overflow.

You need to skim very wet to have this happen. It only happened to me
once (because I started kalkwasser), but my skimmer is in the sump, so
not really an issue.

If it hasn't generated skimmage yet, chances are it's not going to
overflow anytime soon. If it's a worry, just unplug it until you can
monitor it again.

Adjustment depends on your type of skimmer:

Well I guess my question is, do I run it so that the bubbling water is at
the bottom of the collection cup tube and it will foam up to the top later?
Or do I run the water level towards the top of the tube?

ONJ wrote:
Well I guess my question is, do I run it so that the bubbling water is at
the bottom of the collection cup tube and it will foam up to the top later?
Or do I run the water level towards the top of the tube?

Definitely at the bottom or lower. I currently run mine about 6" below
the lip to the collection cup, and I had to use an anti-foaming agent to
get it to condense.

Start off with the water level low. If you don't get any skimmate, you
can always raise it later.

--Kurt

Hope that stinking sloppy soupy skanky Gill P.'s breath smelling
crap over flows the collection cup and runs all over your parquet
floors or wall to wall carpets, and your house smells like yours wifes
crotch!

On Tue, 5 Jun 2007 13:59:48 -0500, "ONJ" wrote:

"KurtG" wrote in message
. net...
ONJ wrote:
My fear is if I do it will fill up during the day when I'm at work and
overflow.

You need to skim very wet to have this happen. It only happened to me
once (because I started kalkwasser), but my skimmer is in the sump, so
not really an issue.

If it hasn't generated skimmage yet, chances are it's not going to
overflow anytime soon. If it's a worry, just unplug it until you can
monitor it again.

Adjustment depends on your type of skimmer:

Well I guess my question is, do I run it so that the bubbling water is at
the bottom of the collection cup tube and it will foam up to the top later?
Or do I run the water level towards the top of the tube?




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I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!