Skimmer help....

My Skimmer has an airline coming from the Venturi set and Pre-Filter. And also another place for air to be running into my Vortex Reaction chamber. (it has a cap on it) The one on the venturi put's air into the aquarium. Should I have air going there or through the other so as to have air in the reaction chamber? Or air in neither? Another question is there is no water running into the collection cup. Should it be empty or should water be running into it. The book that came with it tells me very little. What is the most effective way to run this unit. Thank you all for your help. Enjoy your week....

 

you need the micro bubbles in the reaction chamber, and as little bubbles going on to the tank as possible really

 

So ya know this is not my tank you see.

 

explain a little!!

 

i have not worked with this model, but you should hav the bubbles in the chamber and adjust the flow somehow so that the bubbles at the top that are created, are about 1/4 way up the inside tube in the collection cup, it will take time for the froth/ bubbles to mount and go inside the cup, is this a new setup?
any fish?

 

It is a new setup with two fish and the water level will not go into the tube in th ecollection cup. I assume it is because it has not completed its cycle. It said it will take 3 days or so. It has been 5 days now. Any time I adjust it To get macrobubbles in the chamber I get more bubbles in the tank. I try to turn it real slow and still cant get right seting on it. After it starts making the froth will it be easier to adjust or will I have tro get another protien skimmer all together. Kinda kills my doing this on a Disability check. But if thats what it takes. I need more input on setting this thing to work right. At the bottom of the reaction chamber there is a small tube that has a funnel of bubbles. Is that where I need bubbles or in the whole reaction chamber? thnx for everything...

 

I was reffering to the tank in the picture. It was the pic from the ebay listing. I am working this item in my tank. Sorry bout the confusion..

 

Hi Coldshot

I have not used this model , but have seen it and used the Lifetech power head (common where I am)
You need air to be carried into the skimmer Via the covered air line adaptor on top of your power head - Via a short lenght of air line and onto that you add a regulator or air line valve- so you can adjust the air /water mix - You can close down the adaptor thats on the outflow of the skimmer as you dont want or need air bubbles adding to you tank

once set up - add or reduce amount of air that is sucked in until you start producing a foam
then if the foam is to wet - and the collection cup is full of clear or slightly yellow water - reduce air again until a drier foam is created - and the resulting liquid in the cup is brown

the last picture on your post - there are very few bubbles and the bubbles that are there are to large for effective skimming - you need to create a white mist in the whole chamber of very fine bubbles ( there is not much air at all being carried into the skimmer on the photo - which means in order to get shot and make skimmer look good - they restricted the air right down)

 

The line off of my powerhead is not pushing air. It is pushing water. If I open it up for air water comes out. I will try and completely empty my skimmer and start over with the line you mentioned attached. I am lost...

 

Okay now I have macro-bubbles in the reaction chamber and nothing going into the tube inside of my collection cup? And now that I have tiny bubbles in my reaction chamber this thing has slowed down on the water return and has gotten pretty noisy. I guess this is a 49.00 burnt lesson. But other than nothing going to the cup it is at least blowin tiny bubbles. Maybe since that part is workin right now it will take another three days to get cookin properly. I wont really need it for another week or two but wanted to get it set up and in working order. thnx for your help...I will need more for sure.