Ranger's Tank Journal

[SkiFletch]

Its an air silencer, supposed to stop any rushing air sounds. You need it on there

Adding AquaSafe was probably what did it . Can you run some carbon anywhere in the system to clean it up? Maybe just put a small bag of it on top of the bubble diffuser? Chemical treatments are very often the cause of a skimmer going nuts like yours. If bubbles are not breaking over the top of the collection cup nozzle, go ahead and restrict the red handled valve to push the water level up in there. Then, some patiene as the aquasafe clears itself out. You may still need to go get a cheapy QD valve to put on the airline, but we wont know that for a couple days till the aquasafe is gone

 

[Ranger]

I'll see if I can throw a bag of carbon in there. It seems to be skimming fine now, i left it overnight and when i got up there was about a halfinch of gunky green liquid in there.

 

[SkiFletch]

Oooh very nice. Whats the bubble situation? Better? Worse?

 

[Ranger]

Before I left for school this morning (currently in class ) Bubbles were pretty much the same. It seems to get worse and then get better but overall there are still alot of bubbles.

 

[Ranger]

Just got home and I picked up some little carbon filled baggy things at the store. Forgot to get some kind of air regulator DOH! I'm going to assume you just want me to drop the baggies in there... so reply ASAP if not so I can take them out quick ,lol.

 

[Ranger]

Hmm, so there are still bubbles in the tank. I still think it has to do with too much water being pumped through the skimmer... because the bubbles are only coming over the top with all the water, not through the bottom where the water is supposed to come out. If you think this is incorrect, feel free to say so.

P.S. I'm renaming the thread.

 

[SkiFletch]

Could be, anyway you can take a closeup of the pump inlet?

 

[Ranger]

Could be, anyway you can take a closeup of the pump inlet?

I hope these are what you mean...

Kindof a close up...

There's the "valve"

There's the pump at a bit wider image... You can see all the bubbles lol.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah thats what I'm lookin for. Ok, I can think of two ways to solve your problem. You have to either lower the flow of water into the reaction chamber, OR, lower the flow of air into the reaction chamber. To lower the air flow, you'll need to add a small air valve in between the silencer and the pump. You can get little ones with quick disconnects on either side at Home Depot or Lowes in the hose fittings section

Your other option is to restrict the inlet to the pump (thus restricting its flowrate). You can do this by putting some foam over that little strainer on the inlet.

If it were my tank, I'd use the air valve

 

[Ranger]

I've done some experimenting, even with airflow completely(or close to it) stopped, I'm still getting water overflow and some microbubbles in my tank (not nearly as many as before). I believe they are there because when the water goes over the top of the diffuser, carries bigger bubbles with it, they hit the water and break into smaller ones. Is water supposed to overflow over the top of the diffuser? I honestly think the problem is that there is too much water attempting to get through the diffuser.

EDIT: Disregard my last comment for a minute... I need to play skimmer doctor again, lol.

EDIT 2: finished with that... didn't do anything. If I restrict waterflow too much, the airflow completely stops... Maybe if I get the pump nearer to the surface it wouldn't need as much power to get the air through the tube... Thus allowing me to lower water flow into the skimmer?

 

[SkiFletch]

Maybe if I get the pump nearer to the surface it wouldn't need as much power to get the air through the tube... Thus allowing me to lower water flow into the skimmer?

That wont matter, but changing the water level in your tank would have an impact. It doesnt matter whether the pump is 2" underwater or 6" underwater, but the level of the tank matters a lot. I'm not sure if raising or lowering it will help you though. Id think that lowering the level of water in your tank would though cause that would cause the pump to have to push water up further and decrease its flowrate. Hang on skimmers are tricky balancing acts

 

[Ranger]

Gosh I'm frustrated with this thing... I can't do anything without these tiny bubbles taking over my tank. Just curious, but the CPR skimmer I used for a few days did this same thing, lots of tiny bubbles flowing into the tank...

EDIT:
Googled the problem and came up with this... its about 3/4 down the page, around the big pics.

http/www.reefcentral.com/forums/printthr...mp;pagenumber=3

Apparently he was having the same problem with the skimmer as far as microbubbles escaping and the bubbletrap essentially not working... what he did was basically replace the "bubble trap" with a pvc pipe t-valve with an elbow covered in a foam filter... I might give this a shot and try my first fishtank mod!

 

[SkiFletch]

That looks like it might just work, lookin forward to your results

 

[Ranger]

That looks like it might just work, lookin forward to your results

Yeah me too! Unfortunately I won't be able to get it started until later on Friday afternoon. I have to work today 4pm-4am

 

[SkiFletch]

OUCH, what do you do?