new skimmer not working

[sillyfishy]

I just tried to hook up a new protein skimmer and its not doing anything. My tank is a 55 gal, the skimmer is Americal rated for a 90 gal. I have it hanging on the back of my tank and hooked up to a power head in the tank that should be pushing 270gph. The air pump is a profile 1000. I'm very confused on how this thing should be hooked up....please help

 

[reefrunner69]

Uhg, Air driven skimmers are not my favorite, and most tend to suck. One way or the other, you can't expect much from a new skimmer as it has to break in, this can take a few days.

Are you using a wooden airstone, does the air pump...pump the amount of air this skimmer needs to operate? Is the pump the recommended pump?

 

[sillyfishy]

yes we have a wooden air stone, we couln't find the recomended power head, all the instrutions said was a small air pump?

 

[24 hours? NE!]

Now I know why my skimmer isn't working very well, I didn't realize it was suppose to suck!? lol

Is it a new skimmer? Does the company have a website with troubleshooting help?

 

[reefrunner69]

I would let it run for a couple of days and then if it's not doing anything...start making changes.

 

[sillyfishy]

if I bring the air pump closer and shorten the air line will it put out more power? Its been over a week and its not working right the gunk is collecting under the cup along the walls

 

[ccCapt]

Sounds like you need more air going into it. I don't think your air pump is big enough. On an air driven skimmer you should have the biggest air pump you can find, something on the line of a Hagen Optima. The bubbles should be real dense inside the skimmer...but make sure you have a good quality wooden air block too so the bubbles are very very small.