Prizm skimmer just not working

I've had a RedSea Prizm (the 100 gal max one) in my new 55 gal reef for a few months. It worked ok at first but it has taken to stopping, and I need to prime it to start it up again. This has increased in frequency until it happens now every couple of hours. Needless to say I'm fed up with it. I've cleaned it to little effect. I've got the flow meter very low, but if I turn it up it goes into overdrive and floods the collection cup. Is this just a bad skimmer? I don't exactly have money flowing out of my ears so I am anxious to try to save this one, but I'm running out of patience.

 

Am sorry to say but I think your skommer is bad

 

It is a bad skimmer but i have one and it works ok. You just have to tweek with it allot. Do you have the surface skimmer attachement on it? Check your impeller and make sure its clean and non of the "flaps" are broken off to. But im sorry to say that its not the best skimmer to have on a 55. I have it on a 20 and it does the job just ok.

Marc.

 

Thanks Marc for the advice. Of course now it has been working fine for 12 hours or so, but I'll check the impeller when it goes down again. I bought the surface skimmer attachment but it didn't fit with the All-Glass hood; it just barely fits with the regular intake.

 

I would still try to use the surface skimmer. It does a prety good job of getting the gunk off the top of the water. Unless you already have an surface overflow to go down to a sump.

Marc.