Breaking in a skimmer??

[SCFatz]

I've done quite a bit of reading and I've come across this a lot.

Its plastic and a pump right?Why would it need to "break in"?

Seems like it would work right a way.

Or to ask it another way.....after it has "broken in" and starts to work,what has changed?

 

[melosu58]

Some have different adjustments that need to be tweaked for example the air valves need to be set so as to allow the correct level of foam.

 

[MT79]

.....after it has "broken in" and starts to work,what has changed?

They need time to build up a bacterial coating or "slime coat" on all the surfaces in contact with SW before they start working at peak efficiency. That's the "break in period". It usually takes a week or two. After that the skimmer will perform better and sometimes quite down some. FWIW after regular maintenance, like cleaning the skimmer body, it will need to "break in" again and will produce less skimmate for awhile.

 

[phish7740]

my lfs said that the plastic has oils on it and those oils must be removed before it works better....i kind of understand this because i was at first cleaning the skimate out of the cup with water and my finger (skin oils) and then the skimmer went back into its break in mode...so now i just rinse and replace and dont touch the inside of the skimate box.

 

[SCFatz]

Hmmm...interesting explantions...niether of which I had considered.

Thanks guys