Super Skimmer Modifications

[hotimportknight]

I thought I saw a picture posted somewhere a little while back where someone put an air pump on their super skimmer to force air into it instead of it just using the water pressure to draw it in. I searched but cant find anything relating to that. I tried a free pump my friend gave me, but it was too weak and it actually slowed down the air flow, lol. I'm just trying to find out because I want to try it to get a dryer skimmate and I want to know what kind of pump they used... I saw a pic of the air pump on the silencer and the collection cup, but cant find it again. Could anyone please help?

 

[yote]

The best way I've found to get dryer skimmate is to adjust the skimmer so that the bubbles are about 1/2 inch below the neck of the cup.
I dont remember seeing a thread on moding a super skimmer.

 

[hotimportknight]

I try adjusting my micro bubbles to be down a ways, so it doesn't get too wet of skimmate, but if its down a little ways too far it doesnt collect anything at all, takes a week to get an inch of skimmate, move it up the slightest bump and it collects more and doesnt do too bad, then all of a sudden at a random time 2 days in the future it will just start gushing water and fill the cup in 5 minutes...

 

[fishbait]

mine does the same crap sometimes. matter of fact, it's done that twice in the last week! I'll end up throwing the damn thing in the trash before long.

I did notice the lfs had a air pump hooked up to his 125 css. I tried it on mine, but I don't guess my pump was strong enough either.

 

[yote]

I've not had any problems at all with either one of my super skimmers.Both have worked perfectly since day one.

 

[down and outman]

Ah the dreaded CSS overflow. I drilled a hole in my cup and ran a tube to a 2.5 gal jug to handle overflows. Two things I've done are: 1. put a 5 gal plastic aquarium in my sump under the drain to maintain an even water level and 2. be careful what I feed and put in my tank. I use a lot of frozen Spirulina brine shrimp, etc. and you have to rinse it off in a net before you put it in the tank. That stuff is full of phosphates and junk. I figured that out as every time I used it, my skimmer would go nuts for a couple of days. Since I started rinsing it, no problem.

 

[SSalty]

I've not had any problems at all with either one of my super skimmers.Both have worked perfectly since day one.

I am with Yote on the super skimmer. Mine has worked great. I get about 1" of moderatly dark skimmate each day.

You guys who are having trouble with the SS, are you ever cleaning it? Every other month I will break the skimmer down, soak the parts in vinegar for a couple hours, give it a good scrubbing and rinse.

 

[hotimportknight]

No, that could be my problem. I cleaned the air injector nozzle thing once when it was clogged. Its SO hard to get my skimmer out of the sump area other than just the top which I clean every once in a while. I can't get the tubing off of the pump, it took me like half hour to get it worked on there, I'm afraid to take it off now for cleaning. But I suppose I should get over it and clean the pump and needle wheel at least tomorrow...

 

[Oscarsdad608]

Keeping the riser tube clean is the most important thing to keep a skimmer running well. I have a mrc-1 skimmer with a becket head. I clean mine every three days just because it works so much better when the bubbles can slide smoothly up the tube.

 

[yote]

The only thing I ever clean on my skimmer is the nipple where the airline attaches and the cup.
I think that one of the biggest things with the super skimmers is to keep a constant water level.And the pump should never be any more than 4 inches below the water surface.

 

[hotimportknight]

Alright, I got my skimmer all cleaned up and it was working great, then I feed some frozen food (dont remember the brand, the usual frozen cube stuff) and its going nuts again... My question is, what should I do? Turn the water level down so it doesnt skim as wet and wild? Or just let it run its course? It was skimming perfectly before hand for a solid day or 2, got a nice few inches in my pop bottle of dark nasty skimmate. What do you guys think I should do? If its freaking out like that is it actually skimming a lot? or just wastefully skimming lots of water for some reason?

 

[hotimportknight]

I see someone said that they rinse the frozen food and it doesn't do that, but the particles in those frozen cubes are so small would that really work well? Do you guys rinse your frozen cubed food before feeding?

 

[Piggy]

Are you sure your pump isn't to far below the water? As long as your sump water level stays consistent it shouldn't over flow. Mine is set so the foam come to the top of the container lid. So I get a more dryer waste. I just hate to think of it over flowing and all that crap going back into the tank.

 

[Piggy]

Forgot, I do not rinse my frozen food. I figure the finer particles are good for my corals.

 

[hotimportknight]

Thats what i was thinking, that the finer stuff that goes into the water the coral and filter feeders can eat, i dont change anything, it was running the same, its in my sump where the water level is constant in the first compartment, i fed some frozen food and checked it out and it started flooding almost immediately, the skimmate is fairly dark and nasty looking even though the 2 liter bottle is half full in 15 minutes...

 

[Piggy]

Try turning it down so the foam just comes up to the top of the tube (inside the container). Watch it to see if it falls down just a tad if it does let it stay like that if not adjust it till it does. From what your saying your getting very wet crap. Hope you understand what I'm trying to say. It's a lot easier to show.

 

[yote]

Cory,Is your skimmer pump more than 4 inches under the water?If it,raise it up.Then adjust it so that the foam is up in the funnel about 1/2 inch.
I also like to unplug my skimmer when I feed.

 

[fishbait]

mine used to be right at 4 inches deep. I raised it up to 2 inches and it works much better. It hasn't overflowed since. and it has been skimming much drier. maybe this will work for you too.

 

[Oscarsdad608]

I have a becket MRC-1 skimmer that goes nuts if I don't rinse frozen foods. They are packed high in phosphates.and cause hair algae if I don't rinse. If you want your filter feeders to get the fine particles you should turn your skimmer off.

 

[hotimportknight]

I'm not really sure how deep my pump is, its on the stock piece of tubing that came with it to attach the pump when hung on the side of a tank, probably 4" of tubing, the top of the pump is about 4" under water I guess? Is that right or did I use the wrong piece of tybing or something? I thought I used the right one for a hang on application in my sump...