Protein Skimmer (excuse my ignorance)

[roland_0313]

I'm currently using a Queen TS2000 with a Sea Quest 2200 powerhead attached to it. After having it for 2 weeks, I still have no idea how to iuse it properly. Gaano ba dapat kataas o kababa nilalagay sa tubig yun? Kanina nung sinubukan ko buksan, ang labas ng bubbles parang bula ng beer na binuhos sa baso, then after a few hours, konti na lang yung bubbles at di na umaapaw yung bubbles sa collection cup. Normal lang ba yun? Depende ba sa dumi ng tubig yung magagawang bubbles? Tinignan ko yung powerhead, ok naman at gumagana ng maayos. Palaging yung protein skimmer ang problema ko, talagang di ko alam kung paano paganahin ng maayos.

[seth]

The problem bro is the skimmer itself. That skimmer is so crappy you are wasting a whole lot of electricity just to make it froth for a bit. So no matter how much adjustments you do to it, it won't be able to skim much.

Yung bubbles, depende yun sa intake niya ng hangin at sa impeller niya. So kahit bago lang yung tank mo, meron pa rin dapat na maaalis na dumi diyan.

It can be modified though, so you would just use one 8-10w powerhead and make it work efficiently too.

See here:





A properly working skimmer should have skimmate like the pics above, and the whole skimmer chamber should be filled with microbubbles like this:





Any less than that would be just a waste of electricity.

Medyo matagal-tagal ko na rin pinost ito, around 2007 pa. (and yup, ako yang poster. Yan yung dati kong account na di ko na mabuksan.. haha)

http://www.reefphilippines.com/forums/v ... php?t=4617

[roland_0313]

Haha! And I thought I got something good here... sige susubukan ko lagyan ng mesh yung impeller ng powerhead ko, then see what happens. If it still doesn't work, what brand of skimmer do you suggest for a 50-gallon tank?

Thanks seth!

[roland_0313]

I applied the mesh mod and at the moment, it seems to be working well. Bumalik na yung "beer bubbles" though observe ko pa rin kung talagang ok na

[seth]

Remove the venturi restriction then place the air intake directly on the pump's water intake (see link on first post) then see what happens.

Sakto sa 50 yan with minimal bioload, given you do regular WCs. If you wish to upgrade, get an RO skimmer or JNS cone.

[roland_0313]

Medyo masakit sa bulsa yung Reef Octopus so I guess I'll need to check what else I can do with Queen. Kapag bumili ako ng RO, baka ibato sa akin ni wifey yung buong sump tank ko. I'll work on it once makauwi ako later... Holiday work kasi ako ngayon eh. Salamat ulit!

[roland_0313]

Hey seth,

I tried removing the venturi tube, and I ended up destroying the damn thing!

Hindi ko kasi matanggal so nilagare ko. It turns out, all of my powerheads are too strong, umaapaw lang lahat. So now, I'm trying to glue the venturi tube back in place and used neltex on it. Hopefully gumana mamaya kapag natuyo na yung neltex. If not, I'll be running a tank without a skimmer.

[seth]

That's why you have to downgrade the pump hehehe.

You can run the tank without a skimmer tutal naman kauumpisa pa lang. If you would still use the pump, try to extend the skimmer body by adding a PVC pipe with the same diameter. Or else, lagyan mo na lang ng valve yung pump or gawa ka ng ibang outlet para ma-divert yung flow.

[roland_0313]

[seth]

Itaas mo muna ng konti yung skimmer, say half or one third lang niya ang submerged sa tubig, try mo muna yang 800. Tingin ko kakayanin na yan e. Try mo rin alisin yung pang-adjust ng water level (yung maliit na pipe na may valve) dun sa mismong water outlet

Gaya dito:

[jancorwin12]

Tanong ko lang po. Para saan po yung paglagay ng mesh dun sa impeller (mesh mod)? Ano mangyayari pag ginawa yun?

[roland_0313]

[seth]

[jancorwin12]

Hehehe, thanks po. Akala ko pang filter, lalagyan ng filter yung loob ng pump para mas malinis tubig. hehehe, joke lang po.

[roland_0313]