How do I know if my skimmer is working?

My protein skimmer doesn't also seem to be working. I have a marisys 240 series 2 which has a mechanical and protein skimmer in a cannister. What does it look like when the protein skimmer is going? It has been on for 3 days and there is nothing in the skimmer cup, but there is water towards the top just before it flows into the cup with some bubbles?

Is that right also?

 

can you get an image up?

sounds like its working, but difficult to accurately say, when your not looking at the item

the main body should be full of bubbles, so full , it looks like the water is white when viewed from a short distance away

foam should be created at the top of the riser tube, this foam is loads of various sized bubbles, which burst, sending a spray of water loaded with the protiens that have bonded to the water surface of the bubbles

if it is a new addition, they can take a few days to break in and produce effectively

if it has been on a while, but performance is inconsistent
it may benefit from a thorough cleaning, to remove any calcium deposits that have affected its performance

 

Thanks for the advice. This is the best picture I can get at the moment because its in a bit of a difficult spot to get to.

As you can see there are bubbles and its towards top of the pipe but there is no foam or anything like that.

The tank has only had water in it for three days and is currently being cycled with 5kg of live rock while I wait for my dry rock to arrive and a few peices of raw fish.

Thanks again.

 

Im only hoping to have the Marisys for the cycling stage and maybe a month after and will move it to start a quarantine tank. I will get a sump with a proper protein skimmer but I would like to make sure its working properly.

Im going to aim to have just two clowns in the tank before I move to the sump.

 

that explains it then Ryan

it can take a few days for a skimmer to break in and perform properly and that is on a mature set up
on a new set up with limited waste to process, then it has nothing or not very much to do , hence lack of foam

you do not actually need it on there at present, during the tank cycling
it does not do any harm, having it on
but its not really required

as the aquarium becomes more populated, you will see an improvement in what the skimmer cup collects

Steve

 

Great, just what I was hoping to hear. Broken equipment would have been a major downer 3 days in! .

Thanks for your help.

 

Your welcome

good luck on the adventure