problem with protein skimmer

[stevefromga2000]

i just got my new berlin hang on protein skimmer. hoo yah for me!! anyways, it has been hooked up and running for a little over 24 hours now, and i don't think that it is running right.

shouldn't there be some sort of foam or some bubbles or something rising into the collection cup? i have nothing rising into the collection cup.

there is plenty of air bubbles going into the middle tube of the skimmer, i can see the bubbles, but could there be too many bubbles?

i appreciate any help. i can provide pictures if needed to help.

thanks

 

[melosu58]

Is this a new tank? How long has it been going. You might not have anything to skim. They also should have an adjustment to raise the bubbles. Mine does on my excaliber by raising the return pipe up or down.

 

[melosu58]

I`m going to move this where you`ll get more help.

 

[stevefromga2000]

the tank has been set up for about 5 months. i don't know of any adjustment switch to raise the bubbles. there are two adjustments, there is one on the actual pump, with i have all the way turned up to create the most bubbles, and then there is a little white plastic screw that i can tighten down on the little rubber tube that comes out the top of the skimmer. the tube is connected to the front of the pump, and then comes up and sticks straight up in front of the skimmer. there is bubbles, (i saw them after turning the pump all the way up), but they are not reaching into the collection cup. they keep dissappearing right before they get into the collection cup. water continues to run out the overflows, and it seems to me that is where the bubbles stop as well.

the return pipe, which one exactly is that? the only thing that i know how to raise up or down is the rubber tubing outside the skimmer. should i raise or lower that?

 

[melosu58]

That is the one that returns the water back in your sump.

 

[stevefromga2000]

everything is working fine now. i'm not sure what i did, if anything, to make it start working the right way. thanks for the help though.

 

[melosu58]

I`ve heard some talk about a break-in period on some skimmers.

 

[stevefromga2000]

my water is crystal clear right now. i am so happy that i got the skimmer. there are a lot of fine little bubbles in my tank though, but they don't seem to be bothering any of the fish or anything. pierre, my coral banded shrimp, likes to hang out by the pump for the skimmer now. i put a few pieces of LR in front of it to help kind of hide it, and pierre found himself a little home back there. anyways, just wanted to let everybody know how happy the skimmer has made me.