first time using skimmer

Often a new skimmer will send more bubbles into the
tank until it's broken in, but I'd be making some
adjustments now to stop the bubbles from going into
the tank.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 10:59 AM:
"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:UVp9i.3127$6h.2010@trnddc08...
ITGuy wrote:
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?
Bristle worms eat things much more substantial than the crud a skimmer
removes. Something else is killing your worms.

Actually I looked and they are alive. I think someone else hit the nail on
the head. The bubbles are sticking to them and lifting them to the top of
the tank.

So I guess the question is, will the bubbles in the tank start to go away
once the skimmer is broken in and it starts foaming?

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Just send it to a collection container.

In my opinion, it's silly to make protein skimmers with collection cups. I
think they all should just be made to feed into a separate collection
container. via hose.

Do you have any resources to refer me to where you can order kits to modify
an existing collection cup?

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Often a new skimmer will send more bubbles into the tank until it's broken
in, but I'd be making some adjustments now to stop the bubbles from going
into the tank.

Well it seems to only way to do that is to reduce the air to almost nothing,
then what happens is the cup overflows with just sal****er.




Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 10:59 AM:
"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:UVp9i.3127$6h.2010@trnddc08...
ITGuy wrote:
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?
Bristle worms eat things much more substantial than the crud a skimmer
removes. Something else is killing your worms.

Actually I looked and they are alive. I think someone else hit the nail
on the head. The bubbles are sticking to them and lifting them to the
top of the tank.

So I guess the question is, will the bubbles in the tank start to go away
once the skimmer is broken in and it starts foaming?

Some manufactures have such kits. Check with the
manufacture of your skimmer. If they don't, the most
common method that people use is to drill a hole in
the side at the bottom of the collection cup, and
put a tubing in it draining to a collection
container. Some protein skimmers are designed with
no collection cup, and they simply have a tube that
drains to a collection container that you can
provide, it can be just about any container.

If you search the net, you should be able to find a
number of DIY projects of this nature.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 2:48 PM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Just send it to a collection container.

In my opinion, it's silly to make protein skimmers with collection cups. I
think they all should just be made to feed into a separate collection
container. via hose.

Do you have any resources to refer me to where you can order kits to modify
an existing collection cup?

What brand skimmer do you have?
Dose it have a water flow adjuster?
What happens if you open the air all the way up?

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 2:49 PM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Often a new skimmer will send more bubbles into the tank until it's broken
in, but I'd be making some adjustments now to stop the bubbles from going
into the tank.

Well it seems to only way to do that is to reduce the air to almost nothing,
then what happens is the cup overflows with just sal****er.



Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 10:59 AM:
"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:UVp9i.3127$6h.2010@trnddc08...
ITGuy wrote:
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?
Bristle worms eat things much more substantial than the crud a skimmer
removes. Something else is killing your worms.
Actually I looked and they are alive. I think someone else hit the nail
on the head. The bubbles are sticking to them and lifting them to the
top of the tank.

So I guess the question is, will the bubbles in the tank start to go away
once the skimmer is broken in and it starts foaming?

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
What brand skimmer do you have?
Dose it have a water flow adjuster?
What happens if you open the air all the way up?

Just to try it, I got one of those Jebo 180 with an AP1500 power head.

It produces good micro bubbles in the chamber. It has an air adjustment
valve. If I open it all the way up, the water level goes to the bottom of
the collection cup tube. If I close it, it overflows with water.

I am keeping it open right now where the water level is at the bottom of the
collection cup tube. I think it might have worked because the cup was clean
when I left, and when I got home there was a little water and gunk in the
cup. But no foam like I've seen in a few videos.




Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 2:49 PM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
Often a new skimmer will send more bubbles into the tank until it's
broken in, but I'd be making some adjustments now to stop the bubbles
from going into the tank.

Well it seems to only way to do that is to reduce the air to almost
nothing, then what happens is the cup overflows with just sal****er.



Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/6/2007 10:59 AM:
"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:UVp9i.3127$6h.2010@trnddc08...
ITGuy wrote:
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?
Bristle worms eat things much more substantial than the crud a skimmer
removes. Something else is killing your worms.
Actually I looked and they are alive. I think someone else hit the
nail on the head. The bubbles are sticking to them and lifting them to
the top of the tank.

So I guess the question is, will the bubbles in the tank start to go
away once the skimmer is broken in and it starts foaming?

If you put an egg white in the tank, you will see
some foam :-) hehehehe

When you open the air wide open, do you still get a
lot of air bubbles in the tank?

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets

"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
If you put an egg white in the tank, you will see some foam :-) hehehehe

When you open the air wide open, do you still get a lot of air bubbles in
the tank?

Yes. I wouldn't say its alot, but enough to float some bristleworms.

I'd be looking to see how you can stop all those air
bubbles from going into the tank. Review the
instructions on the skimmer, and if you still can't
get it to clear, call the manufacture.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


ONJ wrote on 6/7/2007 11:32 AM:
"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
...
If you put an egg white in the tank, you will see some foam :-) hehehehe

When you open the air wide open, do you still get a lot of air bubbles in
the tank?

Yes. I wouldn't say its alot, but enough to float some bristleworms.

Another question I have, since the design is pretty much the same as any
other skimmer, is the real difference in the water pump? It came with an
AP1500 power head. Would getting a better head help?
I'd need it to be big enough for a 55 gallon...some ppl say get it for at
least double the size of your tank.

Also, what is the deal with a "break-in" period? This is an existing tank,
why does a skimmer have to "break-in"? All it is is plastic and a pump.