How do you know if the protein skimmer is working

queshibo · 11-27-2006, 08:54 AM

I am new to this hobby. I purchased a 75gal tank about a year ago when I was back in the states. I built my own stand and everything except for the filter. After about 9 months of putting this tank together, I was finally able to get it set up. Live rock is illegal to collect here in Hawaii, or have it imported which makes my case a little more difficult. None the less there are ways ways of getting rock. So now I will start. My wet/dry filter has a protein skimmer built into it from pro aquatics. How do you know if its working right and is it supposed to be running all day 24/7. If i let it run, it will take out about a 1-2 gallons a day of water. I dont really get the mud type fluid that I see alot of people talking about. Can someone help me out with this problem.

inwall75 · 11-27-2006, 09:23 AM

I couldn't find anything from Pro Aquatics on the Internet to help you. However, I did find some things from Proclear Aquatics. Is that what you have?

Pro Wet Dry

nemo79 · 11-27-2006, 10:09 AM

How long has the skimmer been running? Some of them take a week or two to kick in. I have the remora skimmer and mine doesn't remove thick gumk either but it still removes a brown liquid.

Are you planning a fish only or a reef set up? If you could get one or 2 pieces of liverock the rest could be a base rock and the liverock would seed the base. I have 40lbs LR in my tank and 20lbs of tufa rock which has already seeded from the LR. In only 5 months and my tufa is turning purple, has critters on it.

Blade_Runner · 11-27-2006, 10:20 AM

I'm not familiar with that brand either.

It does sound like you have WAY too much output for a 75. I have 600g in system and don't draw that much in a week. What type of controls do you have on it? Off the cuff, it sounds like the water level is too high in the skimmer. Is there a waste gate or adjustable output that you can open up?

queshibo · 11-27-2006, 10:53 AM

sry it is the proclear rated for 150gal. i have the water level in the sump just below the egcrate. The only control that i have is for the pump which allows to turn on and on off the bubbles or amount of air going into the skimmer part