Aqua C Remora Pro

[Kurt_Nelson]

Also... while we're talkin' about it, make sure you clean your collection cup a couple times a week. Specifically, you want to clean out the tube leading up to the cup with just plain water. The efficiency of the skimmer gets in to how easy it is for the bubbles to "crawl" up the tube. As it gets dirty, it makes it harder for the bubbles to crawl up the tube into your collection cup - decreasing the amount of skimmate.

[ajbully]

Originally Posted by Kurt_Nelson

Somewhere in between is where you want it. The whole purpose/function of that skimmer is to create tons of microbubbles... think "ocean surf." You want all those bubbles that are carrying all the nasties to climb that tube that leads into your collection cup. If you set the cup too low, then the foam that makes it to the top of the tube will be too wet because it didn't have sufficient time for the "good foam" to drain back down the tube, into your tank. If you set the cup too high, then you make it too difficult (perhaps impossible) for ANY of the foam to get into the cup in the first place and it returns to your tank... in the form of bubbles.

I have this skimmer and it's not a set it and forget about it deal. I tweak it maybe once a week depending on the amount and color of skimmate produced. Right now, the black o-ring on mine is set maybe 1 inch below the top. Some mornings, I'll wake up to a full skimmer cup with pretty light color skimmate, for no obvious reason. I'll adjust the o-ring down a little and keep an eye on it. Then I'll usually end up creeping the o-ring back up. Over time, you'll get a feel for it.

This type of skimmer will produce a wetter skimmate than other skimmers, and that's OK. You just don't want it clear!

Thanks for all your suggestions. It just seems that no matter what the height of the collection cup (high, low, in between) a ton of bubbles continue to pour into the tank. I have found the optimum height of the cup where I get a dark brown skimmate but still get a ton of bubbles. After almost a month I have the same amount of bubbles pouring into to tank as the day I turned the skimmer on for the first time and there is enough bubbles that cloud the entire tank. I called Aqua C and they gave me the same instructions as everyone else has and continue to tell me there is a "break in" period. They are sending me a piece of fiberglass that they told me to stick in the return chamber and this should eleviate some of the bubbles. I guess I will try this but feel that since this is a brand new skimmer I shouldn't need this sort of alteration to make the product work correctly. I'll give it a shot, if not the skimmer is going back. Thanks again for all the suggestions, everyone has been very helpful!

[ajbully]

yup still bubbles. Has anyone ever used the pre skimmer/bubble trap? Is it worth it? Seems rather bulky.

[MommaFishels]

I have it and have mixed feelings about it. It is a bit bulky, and its design leaves a bit to be desired. It has the overflow notches on both sides of the "box", yet one side of the box effectively is touching the inner back wall of the tank, making the overflow notches on that side worthless. Therefore you only have overflow notches on one side that actually work. This means the unit can be really, really touchy to water levels. A water level that works great with the unit, if it falls say 1/8" or so, enough water can't flow in and the pump sucks the chamber dry. When that happens, the unit becomes more bouyant and raises even further out of the water.

Also the unit is held in place by two plastic thumb screws that screw to the side of the pump. It's not the most secure of attachments and is prone to moving around some.

I will eventually replace mine with a custom made surface skimmer. Do search on here, someone made one and posted about it.

[ajbully]

Originally Posted by MommaFishels

I have it and have mixed feelings about it. It is a bit bulky, and its design leaves a bit to be desired. It has the overflow notches on both sides of the "box", yet one side of the box effectively is touching the inner back wall of the tank, making the overflow notches on that side worthless. Therefore you only have overflow notches on one side that actually work. This means the unit can be really, really touchy to water levels. A water level that works great with the unit, if it falls say 1/8" or so, enough water can't flow in and the pump sucks the chamber dry. When that happens, the unit becomes more bouyant and raises even further out of the water.

Also the unit is held in place by two plastic thumb screws that screw to the side of the pump. It's not the most secure of attachments and is prone to moving around some.

I will eventually replace mine with a custom made surface skimmer. Do search on here, someone made one and posted about it.

what size tank do you have? I have a 90 gallon and I think the size of this thing will crowd the tank

[MommaFishels]

Originally Posted by ajbully

what size tank do you have? I have a 90 gallon and I think the size of this thing will crowd the tank

I have a 75 gallon. It's a decent size box, but doesn't seem to crowd the tank much, if at all.

[Kurt_Nelson]

I've got an unused, never been in saltwater, prefilter skimmer box for the Remora Pro/Mag3 Pump setup. You can have it for $20 plus whatever it costs to ship it to you. Just PM me. (I've put this in the classified section long ago, but no bites!)

I'll echo what MommaFishels said about it though - it's got some "interesting" design features. That, and the size of it, was why I never put it in use on my 46g. In my tank, it was too big and took up too much room.

[ajbully]

Originally Posted by Kurt_Nelson

I've got an unused, never been in saltwater, prefilter skimmer box for the Remora Pro/Mag3 Pump setup. You can have it for $20 plus whatever it costs to ship it to you. Just PM me. (I've put this in the classified section long ago, but no bites!)

I'll echo what MommaFishels said about it though - it's got some "interesting" design features. That, and the size of it, was why I never put it in use on my 46g. In my tank, it was too big and took up too much room.

Thank you for the offer but I have 100+ lbs of liverock and I would need to aquascape the entire tank again if i want to fit the box in.

[MT79]

One thing I think worth mentioning is new tanks and tanks with high organic levels in the water will have more problems with micro bubbles than established, "clean" tanks. So if the tank is new or had only a low end skimmer on it before, the Remora may need a couple more weeks to clean it up in order to start producing less bubbles. Also, if your using any type of water conditioner that will upset the skimmer and cause it to spew more bubbles than normal. Just some quick thoughts...

[ajbully]

Originally Posted by MT79

One thing I think worth mentioning is new tanks and tanks with high organic levels in the water will have more problems with micro bubbles than established, "clean" tanks. So if the tank is new or had only a low end skimmer on it before, the Remora may need a couple more weeks to clean it up in order to start producing less bubbles. Also, if your using any type of water conditioner that will upset the skimmer and cause it to spew more bubbles than normal. Just some quick thoughts...

Tank has been up and running for almost 2 years. I did have a l"ow end" skimmer on prior however 15 gallon water changes are done weekly. Ironically the "low end" skimmer didn't produce any micro-bubbles.

[MT79]

Then I'd say it's a safe assumption that you probably have a fair amount of dissolved organic compounds in the tank, even w/ the water changes. The skimmer may produce less bubbles after some more time.
FWIW all skimmers will put out some bubbles, but until now I've personally never heard any complaints about the Remora being any worse than the others. Good luck with it.

[ajbully]

alright so after 5 weeks of an insane amount of micro-bubbles I finally returned the skimmer and had another Remora sent out. I set the new one up and ironically not one bubble pours into the tank . I gotta beleive the first one was defective. Anyway completley happy with this skimmer!