Protein Skimmer

[batfire]

Hi all. 55 gal. FOWLR no fish yet still cycling the tank. Have done a few water changes all is well. Added a CPR Refugium with built in skimmer. With that addition I did a partial water change. The skimmer is collecting lots of foam or bubbles ???? When they enter the cup and settle it is clear water filling up the cup ?? On CPR web site under troubleshooting it states that with a new tank and or new water added it can cause this and after some time it will quit ???? What do you think. How do you adjust the cup level ?? For less collection do I raise it or lower nothing seems to help ?? Thanks again.

 

[quarryshark]

May not be anything to skim yet. If your getting foam, you are on the right track.

 

[loganj]

You'd want to raise the cup to lower the collection rate. Does the skimmer have an air adjustment? I'm not familiar with this skimmer so I can't make any specific recommendations. Since your tank is cycling, you may want to shut the skimmer off for a while until there's something in there for it to skim.

 

[RocketSeason]

if your filtration is high, you may not be skimming much. I have a canister filter that pretty much does the job before the skimmer has a chance to.

 

[malkore]

there's no air adjustment on the CPR's. on a new tank there shouldn't be anything to skim. raise the cup way up so you're not skimming out clean water. lower it once you start adding livestock (of any type, crabs, fish, etc)

 

[batfire]

Thanks everyone, CPR e-mailed me back saying this was normal for my situation. This morning the cup was half full of some ugly brownish water, so it appears to be working fine. Thanks again.

 

[quarryshark]

Ya, it takes a little time.