Skimmer help

david · 03-08-2004, 10:05 AM

I have a H.O.T.-1 skimmer from precision Marine nice skimmer when it works I took it apart completely and cleaned it throughly today maybe that will fix it?
Any way here's the prob
I will have the air all adjusted good then 2 hours later it will be way up the colum almost skimming clean water into the cup so I will open the output some and lower it again then it will level off and not foam? the skinny layer of foam will stay there halfway up the colum for days and never get any muck on the surface to "build up" then after a few days of watching this I'll pull it all apart clean it put it together and if I'm lucky get another week Of good skimming (which the skim mate is still watery and green instead of thick and brown) out of it before I repeat this cycle?
It seems like more work than the skimmer should be any way!
I have a drip system replenishing my evap. so the level dosen't change ? I do have a small bio-load
some xenias ,BTA,LTA ,bubble coral,two clowns,a 6 line wrasse , scooter blenny, and normal clean up crew?
Maybe not alot there to skim?
Ant help will be appreciated
D.

03-08-2004, 10:19 AM

Where is the pump located on this skimmer?
How far down the glass is the pump?
How many power heads you you have in the tank and where are they located and what direction are they pointed?
What kind of pump is it and what is the GPH rating for it?
Where is it getting the air from?
If it works after cleaning you may just need a new pump as it may be struggling to produce anything.

03-08-2004, 10:24 AM

Have you taken the maxijet 1200 apart and cleaned it?

david · 03-08-2004, 12:31 PM

Yes that's the one!
Here is a pic of the pump with the airline attachment going into it! The maxi jet is very new and yes I took it apart and it was very clean inside. There are only two power heads in the tank. One is below the skimmer pump but the intake is well below it and the output is well below it also the other power head is on the other side of the tank. output going across the bottom.

david · 03-08-2004, 12:37 PM

Here is a good question:
What do you do with the airline? I have mine above the skimmer attached to my lighting hanging wire. I used to leave it behind the tank just dangling there, but I thought that it built up with salt inside the line faster. Thats why I put it up. It still gets salt in it and it seemed to work better when it was dangling. Is this just in my head? Does it matter what you do with the airline? What do you do with yours?

03-08-2004, 12:49 PM

I have an air adjustment valve on mine does yours?
If you do open it all the way and then adjust the water intake valve on your unit.
It sounds like it just needs fine tuned.
when you blow into the air tube do you see more bubbles and the water in the tube goes down?

Mine is in the sump area hanging over the edge of the sump.

Phil5613 · 03-08-2004, 02:00 PM

What are you cleaning the skimmer with? It should be plain water. How old is the skimmer and how often do you clean it I clean mine about once a month but didnt touch it for the first month of break in.

03-08-2004, 03:42 PM

Mine always works better after I clean the power head.
I have done in the past put an air stone down into the skimmer for additional bubbles.

david · 03-08-2004, 07:17 PM

Yeah I'm cleanin' it with just water It's working like a champ right now but I would like to try another bigger pump for it I'll have to look into it. I've been cleaning it like twice a week it works for a while after I clean it and thats when I clean the skimmer cup and not the pump