Protein Skimmer Help

[rocknurworld2006]

hi i bought this protein skimmer for my tank and am unsure how far down yu place it in the water as it doesnt say? as i cant seem to get it going its working fine but not producing foam .
so how much of the whole thing should be in the water??
here is the one i have
ebay item number 370394599804

 

[StandbySetting]

You'll have to adjust the height, set it so that the large bubbles created are just coming over the little mesh bit at the top of the collection cup, it might take a few weeks for it to begin working properly.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

i am putting it right down so only collection cup is above waterline but it doesnt seem to be producing bubbles/foam. but is just pouring out water out the outlet fine but nothing been produced in cup etc only normal water

 

[StandbySetting]

That is normal, it takes a while for the insides of the device to become coated with proteins and for bubbles to be produced properly, is it on a new set up?

 

[rocknurworld2006]

yes new set up.
right ok think im getting it now. the cup is just above water line and the air intake valve the more i open that the more bubbles are now been produced so it opened, then the out take valve which in the picture is the long tube coming from the base or sponge.
but the normal tube has a valve and for example if you close that it will just keep rising and overflow etc into collection cup.
so need to adjust that so my question is how far should it be bubbling away from the top of it before overflowing into the collection cup at? and as news set up how much is usually produced at the start say over a period of first week etc

 

[StandbySetting]

From experience these skimmers produce little skimate and are hard to set up, for the first week you'll probably get nothing, you want it set so that the very top bubbles are just reaching the top of the cone with the holes in it, you'll have to play with the venturi quite a lot in the first month or two of use, and if the tank has nothing in it yet then you'll get nothing.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

just noticed that the top bit with the holes in is actually missing? does that matter or not? so instead of going through holes it would just go over

 

[StandbySetting]

So it's just one large hole? No grate? You could just fit something over it but if it's missing the skimmer wont be as effective.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

yes just one large hole ill try get relacement bit for it

 

[rocknurworld2006]

well decided to scrap this and go for a tmc v2 120 skimmer