super skimmer

[ccCapt]

By the looks of it, that skimmer is getting nowhere near enuff air. That neck should be white with fine bubbles. I'll try to take a pic of the fishing line mod I did. Here's my skimmer using the Gen-X with the air intake bored and restrictor on the water intake.

[hotimportknight]

In that picture your micro bubbles end way lower than mine. I have to have the level of my micro bubbles halfway up the collection cup to get anything out at all... I see in that picture you have large bubbles starting at the first tapering line before the collection cup. I saw the fishing line thing somewhere online, and heard about boring out the air inlet thing, but didnt see how the boring was done.

[hotimportknight]

anyone have any idea why my CSS 125 doesn't make enough bubbles? I'm sitting at work bored on my new iPhone killing some time. I would really appreciate some advise on getting this skimmer to work better. I moved the pump up to just under the surface of the water and it didn't do a whole lot if anything that I notice. Tomorrow I might try the fishing line on the needle wheel trick. Maybe just bore out the air inlet a bit too, I'm sure doing that without even adding a pump it would help it let a lot more air in.

[ccCapt]

The pump..or more specifically the impellor, pulls the air into the skimmer. Have you ever cleaned out the air intake nipple? That does get crusted with salt creep. Did you ever take out the impellor and soak it in vinegar for a few hrs to remove any calcium buildup? That can slow down the impellor and pull less air.
I don't know what size drill bit I used, but it was bigger than the current hole in the air intake, but not too big that it went thru the plastic nipple.

Here's a pic of the fishing line mod I did.

[ccCapt]

Here's the Gen-x pump I used. I bored out the air intake and restricted the water intake. Improved the skimmer 100%. The pic above was using this pump.

[hotimportknight]

I searched fosters and smith for that Gen-X pump, and all i came up with was out of water pumps that didnt look anything like that. Could you pick out one that would work best for my CSS 125 that fosters and smith sells? I can drive up there monday if its not snowing too bad. Aquarium Water Pumps & Powerheads: Pumps, Powerheads & Wavemakers for Freshwater & Reef Aquariums
Which one of these would be the best for me do you think?

[jhnrb]

The more air you pull the less water you pull. now if you increase the air, the water slows or if you slow it, your dwell time will decrease. if you have set the skimmer up in accordance with the manufacturers specifications and you are not getting the bubbles you desire, you can (believe it or not) reduce the air intake and the flow will increase moving the bubbles lower in the chamber which increases dwell time and producing a dryer foam. The Gen-X also is only for submerged use, Also, as mentioned, you need to clean out the air intake nipple as a regular maintenance item say once a week. This can be done by using a needle without the metal neddle part and pushing warm R/O water down the air intake tube. fill it up and let set for 10 minutes or so and it will help dissolve the buildup in the nipple. then as mentions every so often pull it and soak in white vinegar. The wire thing on the impeller only serves to cut down on the air bubble size and lowers the performance of the unit. it may seem to be doing better but in fact is not as you should not need to increase the air opening to get enough air in. (I use a euroreef 250 RC and my air is 3/4 closed. if i open it all the way the bubbles only go down about half way and the recircualtion flow decreases. I know your skimmer is not the same type as mine but, hopefully you will get the idea.) Hope this helps.

[hotimportknight]

How would you recommend going about decreasing the amount of air thats getting taken in? If I'm reading it right I think thats what your saying, If i decrease the air its taking in it will actually make it better, right? When I try to blow into the air inlet tubing it lowers the water drastically, but i cant tell if its better off or not with more air because I cant keep the flow steady enough to see.
What do you think will be more effective, adding air with an air pump, cause that would reduce the water flow and increase the time he bubbles are in the skimmer, or limit the air? I dont quite get it as of right now.

[Oscarsdad608]

I don't see how limiting the air would help anything. I think you need lower water and more air.

[ccCapt]

Check out this thread on RC. Rio 600 is the pump and it's about $20 at Drs F&S.