Skimmate

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ekean45

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Messages
154
Location
Marietta, GA
Is there any rule of thumb for the color or texture of skimmate?

I completely modified a Seaclone 100 - shortened inner tubing, shortened collection cup tube, put an o-ring under the collection cup, added skimmer quality wood airstone, etc to name a few.

I'm getting a ton of tiny bubbles and foam coming up into the skimmer. Also been adjusting it over the last 2 weeks but the skimmate is basically clear to a very light green tint. No pieces or goop like I've seen online. Tank only has fish and inverts now and running for about 2 months.

Without the advice that Seaclones are crap (I know this already), I will eventually upgrade.

But what should be some clues that the skimmer is tuned (I've been doing almost daily), and that I am not just skimming out water?

Thanks.
 
I am also running a seaclone 100. Yes, total crap. It took a long time for mine to get dialed in. Your adjustments will probably help you in the long run, where I am just letting mine go until I decide to upgrade it. To get mine working to its potential, I opened the air up as much as possible and let it sit for a week. I was then collecting a wonderful wet soup of dark green. From everything I have read you should want your skim to be dry and not wet...but I have been totally unable to get such results with the seaclone after much tampering with it, which then resulted in it not skimming again.

Long story short, fully open airway and walk away.
 
I'm running an Eshoppe 100 in my sump. Since the water level in the sump changes a little, I notice that I have to keep it at a pretty consistent level to keep the skimmer dialed in. I just changed the layout a little in there and am making the water level quite a bit deeper so I'll have to adjust it again.

One thing that I do to help is to put a piece of masking tap on the outside of the tank to mark the level and I top off to there. I'll probably pick up an auto top off eventually so that I stay at a constant level though.

John
 
Some people skim wet, some skim dry. It is fine if it is wet but it shouldn't be clear. You also may be skimming out oils and stuff (from skin, manufacturing oils, etc) and this would be kind of clear. You'll want your skimmate to be dark, that is the good stuff.

Yes, the seaclone is crap. I had one, and I upgraded.
 
Since I do not have a sump, can you make recommendations on HOB skimmers that won't break the bank but are efficient?
 
I'm new too (my tank's only been up a little over 2 months also), but from what I've heard, HOB skimmers aren't as effective as the others.

I'd look on craigslist and pick up a cheap tank to use as a sump and get one of these depending on how big your tank is:

Amazon.com: Protein Skimmer Psk - 75 Up To 75g Tank: Pet Supplies

You can get a return pump and diy your overflow out of pvc (I did mine for under $20). I have this pump and am very happy with it:
Amazon.com: Rio Plus 2500 HP Aqua Pump, 782 GPH: Pet Supplies

The skimmer and pump would fit in a ten gallon tank (although I've seen some people run a sump in a rubbermaid container).

If you have a rubbermaid bin that you can use around the house (even as a temp solution until you pick up another tank) you could pull off the whole thing for $160ish. Like I said, I've got one of the eshopps and that joker is great.

John
 
They can be as effective, but you have the issue of the ugly thing hanging on the tank and the issue of possible micro bubbles entering the display.

I would want my skimmate to be dark enough that you couldn't see through it.
 
mr_X said:
They can be as effective, but you have the issue of the ugly thing hanging on the tank and the issue of possible micro bubbles entering the display.

I would want my skimmate to be dark enough that you couldn't see through it.

That's how mine is very dark. If seen those sea clone and thry are like 100 to 120 a pop. U mine as well of bought a reef octopus or something for fifty bucks more. If u didn't have it than wait a paycheck or so. Now it going to buy another skimmer for around 200 and u will be out 320.
 
+1. I had the seaclone as HOB before I had my sump finished. It was awful. Did not skim as well as it is now in the sump and there was a ton of micro bubbles in the tank.
 
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