Resetup Prizm

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sicklidkid

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Feb 29, 2004
Messages
332
Location
California
Ok i resetup my prizm, and i tried to do everything you guys told me. When you talked about the water level being right below the o ring, do you mean the fizzy level or the clear water? Right now i can hear alot of fizzing, is this right? And when i first did it the was a lot of sucking sounds which are now gone.But i can hear a soft high pitched sound a little. Does this sound like verything is going right?

THANKS
 
I'm running the same skimmer and I found it takes a bit of adjusting to get it to skim "dry foam". Just keep playing with it until you start getting nasty gunk in the cup.

If you're getting clear water, really fast, it's too far open. Nothing in the cup, too little flow.

I does take a few days to start skimming, it has to break in a bit. Water level in your tank will also effect how many bubbles you get.

Mine is set so the clear level is just above the O ring.

Also, be sure the air line is hooked up to the little nipple on the cup with II, not the I mark...

Hope this helps
Dan
 
OK, right now my water is about .5-1 inch below the o ring, if there is already some white foam oozing out of the top is it too much?

THANKS
 
I just double checked mine, and yes, the II nipple for sure.

I is for priming, to get the water started up the intake. After it's flowing, switch to II so you get air in the impeller.

It makes a big difference in the flow and amount of air that gets sucked in. If I have white/clear foam, I turn mine down a bit. It just wastes water. After awhile you will start getting brown foam at the top of the cup being pushed up by the larger bubbles in the neck as they rise...

Gotta get air in though, so switch to II and see how many more fine bubbles you get.

Good luck!
Dan
 
Wait the II is just the 1 with the semicircle near the hole? wait so explain how the neck should look if everything is going right.
 
One other thing:

It makes kind of a chattering sound when your on I. Switch to II when the water is flowing well, and you'll get a bunch of really fine bubbles in the chamber...
 
Wait the II is just the 1 with the semicircle near the hole? wait so explain how the neck should look if everything is going right.
 
the "I" is just a plug. It allows no air to get in the tube, and therefore, water only.

The "II" is open to the cup. It basically just acts a muffler to keep it a bit quieter.

IMO, perfect is clear water at the O ring and bubbles above in the neck of the cup.

You won't get anything for a few days (at least I didn't). After it "breaks in" you will start getting nasty brown bubbles at the top of the neck. This is "dry foam" loaded with the protien you don't want. The cup should slowley fill, maybe an 1/8" a day.

You'll know it's working when you empty it; it reeks!

If you end up getting the cup filled rapidly with clear, or nearly clear water. It's flowing too much...

If after a few days, you have nothing in the cup, it's running too slow...
 
Ok, after 1 day, i have about 1/3 of a inch of blackish brown water in the collection cup, there is also some white foam with bits of debris in it. How does this sound?
 
PERFECT! :D

That's what you're looking for. Just watch it and to be sure it keeps it up. It does take some fiddeling to get the most out of it... :)
 
Ok cool, is it supposed to be brown foam or brown water? I thought it was supposed to be foam but i guees that thazt ends up as water.
 
supposed to be foam but i guees that thazt ends up as water.

Exactaly... :wink:

Wait a few days to empty the cup. Don't clean the riser part completly, just a quick rinse, or you have to start the break in all over...

And smell what you dump; it be Nasty!!! :oops:
 
cant you just turn the skimmer off and remove the collection cup and do a quick rinse without messing with the flow?
 
You can, but you'll still probably have to adjust it a bit.

They're just not a set it and forget it piece of equipment.

Still have to check on them from time to time to insure they are getting the right amount of gunk in the cup...
 
My skimmer went crazy yesterday and pulled a ton of gunk out, then quickly dropped th water level too low...Like it caught up, or something.
prizm's work...but dang if they aren't finicky.
 
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