Red Sea Prizm protein skimmer
- Thread starter Apestyler
- Start date
initially you let the skimmer run while the tank is cycling without air injection. after the system cycles and you have added some live inhabitants you turn on the air injection. the skimmer if left on with air from the beginning will slow down the breakin period for the skimmer and for the system.
If the system is already cycled, the skimmer will required up to 2 weeks to break in. it will break in all on its own. remember what a skimmer does, if your system is fairly balanced you may not get a lot of skimate. so keep the skimmer properly adjusted and after the first 30 days clean the skimmer at least once a month or more as needed. emply the collection cup daily. see the hepful articles you will find some information on skimmers there. good luck with your skimmer.
If the system is already cycled, the skimmer will required up to 2 weeks to break in. it will break in all on its own. remember what a skimmer does, if your system is fairly balanced you may not get a lot of skimate. so keep the skimmer properly adjusted and after the first 30 days clean the skimmer at least once a month or more as needed. emply the collection cup daily. see the hepful articles you will find some information on skimmers there. good luck with your skimmer.
Skimmers
My Remora started working at making lots of skim soon after I installed it. My tank is several years old and, even though I try to do the water changes, etc., I'm sure that there was plenty of muck to skim out. I am having trouble with keeping my alkalanity up...any suggestions?
Ed
My Remora started working at making lots of skim soon after I installed it. My tank is several years old and, even though I try to do the water changes, etc., I'm sure that there was plenty of muck to skim out. I am having trouble with keeping my alkalanity up...any suggestions?
Ed
minireefer
Reefing newb
Welcome to the forum,lemonmo said:
You need to have roughly 1 to 1.5 lbs per gallon.When you add the rock the tank may go through another cycle.
This post should be moved to a new topic since the original was about a prism skimmer.
skimmer
So, if bubbles are coming out of my skimmer and into the tank, that is not good? I get about a 1/2 inch of brown slimy every couple days. It seems to foam ok but not every day. It is an aquarium systems by Instant Ocean skimmer. I have to adjust the air intake valve frequently. Sometimes it stops pulling air. It may be getting a little salt in it. I may look to upgrade. Everyone seems to like the prism. I wonder how much difference it really would make and why they are better.
Burney
So, if bubbles are coming out of my skimmer and into the tank, that is not good? I get about a 1/2 inch of brown slimy every couple days. It seems to foam ok but not every day. It is an aquarium systems by Instant Ocean skimmer. I have to adjust the air intake valve frequently. Sometimes it stops pulling air. It may be getting a little salt in it. I may look to upgrade. Everyone seems to like the prism. I wonder how much difference it really would make and why they are better.
Burney
minireefer
Reefing newb
What kind of skimmer do have.You might be able to get a buble trap.tangboy said:
I fist liked my prism skimmer,but now have a coralife super skimmer.This thing blows the the prism out of the water.Super qiuet and get good cup black goo out of it,and it is only 2 weeks old.Cost differance is about $10 more than a prism.Check for bubble trap for your fist though
minireefer
Reefing newb
Is it a visi jet or a sea clone made by Aquarium Systems.Aquarium Systems makes salt called instant ocean.let me know and I will see if I can locate some kind of buble trap.My coralife supper skimmer has a hang on box with sponge filters that the output tube of the skimmer flows into.
minireefer
Reefing newb
Use approximately 2" x 3" x 1/8" piece of foam block and stuff the foam right behind the skimmer outfall slot. It's should be just the right thickness to fit nicely between the outer tube and the intermediate tube, and large enough that after a little tucking it's in no danger of washing out.The unit should mmediately be nicely productive. The the foam stop the micro bubbles that are invading the tank, the increased backpressure in the system will raise the water level into the collection cup,effectively shortening the distance the froth had to rise to get into the collection cup.My corallife skimmer has box with foam in it and output flows into it to stop buble production.Hope this helps out.
air bubbles
hello everyone i read some of the advise on prizm skimmers. all great but can anyone help me as im a complete novice.
is the air intake the small plastic tube on top of skimmer.it seems to be skimming okay as im getting coffee coloured water daily. but getting a load of micro bubbles in tank. i turned skimmer to half open but still bubbles thanks
hello everyone i read some of the advise on prizm skimmers. all great but can anyone help me as im a complete novice.
is the air intake the small plastic tube on top of skimmer.it seems to be skimming okay as im getting coffee coloured water daily. but getting a load of micro bubbles in tank. i turned skimmer to half open but still bubbles thanks
minireefer
Reefing newb
When I had a prism found if I kept my water level a little above the bottom of the out tube(part) it kept the bubbles down.Also I used to use an air pump tied into the air tube instead of plugging it into the collection cup barb.It produce a much darker skimmate.
christadore2
Reefing newb
I have used the prizim now for 3 years and now have it on a 90 gal. tank with a full load of live rock, coral and fish. I found that it does take a break in period and adjustment, but works very well. If you adjust the foam to the bottom of the "taper" and allow the semi dry foam to flow to the top of the "stack" you will get less wasted water and more of a skimming action. also as the bio load of the tank changes so will the skimmer have to be adjusted. usually downward a little to prevent overflowing of the cup, then within a day or so can be turned up. Mine is running almost wide open now and i have to clean it every three days or so, not empty the cup but clean the buildup off the stack. the only reason i cannot run it wide open is the amount of bubbles that get transfered into the tank. use that as a guide as to how much to have it open along with balancing the flow up the stack.
First off let me say hello, i'm new to here. second about the Prizm skimmer..through the years i have ran a few differant skimmers..old air lifts to berlin torbo's..IMO the Prizm a good little skimmer, yes it needs to be broke in and can drive you nuts setting it I've ran one for years on a 55 reef, put the upgrade kit you get surface skimming and carbon basket.. the main gripe is dry skimming is you have to run them slow, so heres a hot rod mod..I've seen people take a berlin air lift skimmer put the tube and collectioncup on the prizm and run it wide openand pull nice skimmate..but if you take the price of the Prizm+30 or so dollars for the air lift you should of just went ahead and bought a CPR..now for a reef hill billy mod, take a gravel vac with a removable head, remove the head and cut 1/2" off the head and push that down where the collection cup for the Prizm attatches now cut the tube 3" push it into the adapter you just made then put the prizms collection cup on that, run a longer air line to the cup and turn the flow up it worked for me...
