aqua c skimmer not producing

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douggiestyle

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Messages
354
Location
PA
got a ev-120 skimmer with mag 5 pump on an 80 gal tank ive followed the intructions over and over and after 1 month still no effluent worth mentioning. any ideas?

im all ears.
thanks,
doug
 
Well, after reviewing your tank stats, you have a pretty low bioload. My guess is that there just isn't much in there for it to skim. If it was there, the EV would pull it out. JMHO. I expect, as you add to the bioload in the tank, that you'll see the skimmer start to produce more and more effluent.
 
If there are no DOC's in the water, there won't be anything in the collection cup. On skimmers with adjustable air settings or adjustable cup height, you may be able to force it to put some foam in the cup, but it will be clear or almost clear. What you want...all you want...in the cup is dark, nasty stuff. In a tank with a large bioload, the stuff the skimmer pulls will be so nasty you'll wonder about even dumping it in your toilet :mrgreen: . Just be patient...your skimmer will start to work when there is something for it to skim. This is assuming you have it properly adjusted. One indicator is if you have a lot of scum building up in the skimmer neck, but nothing in the cup. If this is the case, you may need to lower the cup/increase the air/raise the water level...depends on what kind of skimmer you have. It really is kind of a hit and miss thing to start with.
 
Okay, im going to fire off a few questions to see if I can help you.
1.) where is the water level inside your EV-120
2.) is it in sump or external to the sump?
-if internal is your outlet flow submerged? How much?
3.) how do you have the blue air valve adjusted?
4.) does your mag 5 have a sponge filter on it?

Lets start there, it could very well be low bio-load, but if it is for some reason not working right i'll try to help you fix it.
 
I think Loganj is on the right track. One sure fire method I have used in the past to test if it's the skimmer or simpley a lack of nutrient, is add a water conditioner that contains aloe. You should be able to get a free small sample at the LFS the next time your there, most hand them out like candy. :wink:

Cheers
Steve
 
Okay, im going to fire off a few questions to see if I can help you.
1.) where is the water level inside your EV-120
2.) is it in sump or external to the sump?
-if internal is your outlet flow submerged? How much?
3.) how do you have the blue air valve adjusted?
4.) does your mag 5 have a sponge filter on it?
yes those items are addressed in the instructions and i have every thing currently at the factory specifications which gives me the best foam production. no there is no sponge filter on the pump.
 
I think Loganj is on the right track. One sure fire method I have used in the past to test if it's the skimmer or simpley a lack of nutrient, is add a water conditioner that contains aloe. You should be able to get a free small sample at the LFS the next time your there, most hand them out like candy.
i actually thought of doing that. not so much as a test but to get a wetter foam. i personally believe wetter is better. there is one problem with using that as a test, it will make the worst skimmer perform well.
one thing that bothers me is that aqua c recomends raising the water level in the skimmer to get a wetter foam. but when i raise the water level i get no foam?
 
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