Prizm Skimmer

[Lee]

Hello,

Has anyone got a Prizm Skimmer, We just got our selves one today, and seem to be getting no where... They say it should be making a foam looking liquid and then a dark sludge liquid, It does not appear to be working at all, I was wondering if there was a simple thing maybe that we were doing wrong. Any advice would be greatly appriciated.


Cheers Lee.

 

[Anemoneman]

Is it producing any bubble at all?
Is there water coming from the outlet back to the tank?
Is the airline hooked to the correct fitting (one is for priming the pump, the other is for normal operation)?
Is the water flow valve throttled back about half way or more?

Mark

 

[Lee]

Hello Mark,

Yes it producing bubble, yes there is water coming back into the tank, yes the airline is hooked up right and we have changed the water flow valve throttled heaps of times. But it still does not seem to work

 

[Guest]

How old is the water? It may just take some time, My protien skimmer took about 2 days to get it pumping caramel gunk. just watch it and keep it as close to the water line that you can and it should be fine. You may not have enough DOC in the water yet. ?????

 

[Lee]

The water is only two days old, when you say keep it close to the water line. do you mean the water fall type part? it is only just under the water level. We had alot of trouble getting it to fit the tank.

 

[Anemoneman]

The water is only two days old

That's your problem. Skimmers don't work on new tanks. I would just turn it off for a month or two. When you tank is fully cycled, wait another month. WHen you turn it back on, make the water level in the skimmer just below the top section where the o-ring is. You should be able to see the water level almost to the top of the trapezoid shape chamber. It will take some tweaking to keep it from producing too much foam to not producing foam at all but you are just frustrating yourself trying ot get it to work this early. You won't even need it for a few months.

Mark

 

[Lee]

Hello Mark,
I am sorry I should of made myself a little clearer, it has only been a few days since we did a water change, the tank is about 3 months old.
Thankyou for the advice on how deep to have it, I feel a little more relaxed about it now. I guess its a matter of waiting and playing with the flow a little. I have atached a pic of the tank, thanks again for your help.

Cheers Lee.

 

[loganj]

I have a Lee CC skimmer (which isn't much of a skimmer) in my 10 gal. It took it about 2 weeks to really start pulling anything. Strangely enough, once it started extracting gunk from the water, it hasn't stopped...doing a pretty good job now. Seems like you have to wait on everything in this hobby .
Logan J

 

[Guest]

Seems like you have to wait on everything in this hobby .

Isn't that the thruth.

 

[jackdp]

my prizm took a few days to really start extracting the brown gunk. It does take some tweaking to get the foam level right. I try to keep it just below the lower o-ring anemone said.