Ranger's Tank Journal

[SkiFletch]

Yes, putting more intake foam would reduce the bubble amount as that would reduce the efficiency of the pump.

Have you tried testing the skimmer on freshly mixed saltwater? . Sorry if I wasn't clear, but testing it on RO water only will yield no results. The skimmer only operates properly in the high specific gravity environment of saltwater. All forms of freshwater are not similar enough to an actual reef tank to simulate proper operation of the skimmer. Gotta use mixed saltwater to test it outside of your tank.

 

[Ranger]

Yes, putting more intake foam would reduce the bubble amount as that would reduce the efficiency of the pump.

Have you tried testing the skimmer on freshly mixed saltwater? . Sorry if I wasn't clear, but testing it on RO water only will yield no results. The skimmer only operates properly in the high specific gravity environment of saltwater. All forms of freshwater are not similar enough to an actual reef tank to simulate proper operation of the skimmer. Gotta use mixed saltwater to test it outside of your tank.

Yeah, I meant RO SW . I think SG was a little low around 1.019 , but there were still alot of bubbles. If you think it will make a difference I'll redo it

Yes, putting more intake foam would reduce the bubble amount as that would reduce the efficiency of the pump.

Wouldn't it only reduce the water intake, but maintain the amount of air/bubble intake?

 

[SkiFletch]

1.019 is enough sg to simulate. If it was still out-putting bubbles, something is mechanically out of whack.

Well, time to put on the professor beaker moniker for a second to explain whats goin on . Any pump works by creating a difference in pressure from its inlet to its outlet. At a given pressure difference for any pump, you will have a given flowrate. As the pressure difference rises, the flowrate gets lower by some kown and defined curve. Closing off either the inlet OR the outlet will increase the pressure difference and lower the flowrate. For every pump there is a point of maximum pressure difference (usually measured in feet of head) where the pump will no longer be able to move water.

Adding foam to the inlet of your pump causes the pressure difference to rise and the flowrate to lower. Lower flow, less bubbles. Ideally in this case you would restrict the outlet of the pump directly but that is hard to do without chopping up the skimmer and adding a valve between the pump and the reaction chamber. Putting inlet foam on the pump is much easier

 

[Ranger]

Adding foam to the inlet of your pump causes the pressure difference to rise and the flowrate to lower. Lower flow, less bubbles. Ideally in this case you would restrict the outlet of the pump directly but that is hard to do without chopping up the skimmer and adding a valve between the pump and the reaction chamber. Putting inlet foam on the pump is much easier

Not sure how these are different. Where on the pump do you propose that I put the foam?

EDIT: BTW, I'm not losing faith in this! Every wrong answer leads us closer to the correct one!

 

[SkiFletch]

Whoa wait a minute, I just looked back at your old pics with the air bubbles and noticed you have a control valve right after the inlet allready? Lucky, mine never had that... So let me get this straight, you have a valve to control the airflow into the pump, a valve to control the water coming out of the pump, and a valve to control the height of the water in the reaction chamber? You cant slow down the outlet of the pump and achieve a low enough bubble injection to prevent them from leaving the reaction chamber?

Also, did you try either raising the level of the bubble trap, or lowering the water level in your tank?

 

[Ranger]

Whoa wait a minute, I just looked back at your old pics with the air bubbles and noticed you have a control valve right after the inlet allready? Lucky, mine never had that... So let me get this straight, you have a valve to control the airflow into the pump, a valve to control the water coming out of the pump, and a valve to control the height of the water in the reaction chamber? You cant slow down the outlet of the pump and achieve a low enough bubble injection to prevent them from leaving the reaction chamber?

Also, did you try either raising the level of the bubble trap, or lowering the water level in your tank?

yeah, lots of valves. I've tried alot of combo's, I'll try to explain what happens with them when i fool with them. (FYI just tried playing with them again).

It seems like no matter what I do microbubbles are escaping the bubble trap. Even now with water intake, air intake and skimmer outlet restricted, I still get some (only a small amount) coming out the trap. If i close the outlet too much, water shoots up into the collection cup.
If I close the water intake too much, it stops producing bubbles, so it always has to be open to a certaine extent.

Bubble trap is about 2-3cm out of the water btw.

EDIT: Also, if I lower the bubbles too much no skimmer happens, even if I move the water level higher up the funnel.

 

[SkiFletch]

Ok since we might be mincing words, what happens when you close off the valve that is just above the pump?

Also, can you humor me and try lowering the water elvel in the tank at least an inch just to see what hapens?

 

[Ranger]

If I close that valve, the water level inside skimmer drops. The pump makes a loud vibrating noise (Which I assume is due to buildup of pressure as its trying to push water through a closed valve) and effectively turns off the skimmer, except the pump is just pumping nothing. I'll try lowering water level now.

 

[SkiFletch]

Ok, here's what you want to do, I think . Turn that valve to lower the flowrate, prefferably not to the point at which the pump starts squealing. Then, turn the red valve that controls the height in the chamber to bring the water level back up to the level you want it at. This should lower your bubbles in and allow the bubble trap to work better

 

[Ranger]

Waterlevel: Just makes the bubbles "worse" as it seems to concentrate them and the only come out the bottom of the trap(which is the only part in the water).

Valves, the problem is taht the bubbles only engage at a certain point with the pump valve. For example, if I close it too much, will there will still be water flow, it can't pull the air down through the tub it seems.

I'm going to try a crazy idea really quick...

Isn't it like 2am in new york?

 

[SkiFletch]

pfft, who needs sleep. So if you limit the pump too much, there isnt enough suction force to draw airinto the pump, I see. Try pulling off the air inlet silencer, opening your air inlet valve all the way and then close off the pump valve to the point where the bubbles are JUST forming.

Actually, now that you mention it, I prolly should sleep since I have to make sure our subject doesn't die tomorrow. Prolly shouldn't be wired on coffee when I have to monitor someone diving in 40C water

 

[Ranger]

Ok, but before I try that, will you humor me for a second here. I thought I recalled you saying you had the same type of skimmer as me (slightly different tho) if its similar enough, how do you keep your settings?

 

[Redstratplayer1]

Hey here are some mods for the super skimmer. some stop bubbls and some improve proformance

 

[Mr.September15]

Hey here are some mods for the super skimmer. some stop bubbls and some improve proformance

Where are they?

 

[Redstratplayer1]

My bad here they are look