DAS skimmer club

[DarG]

To measure the flow through the skimmr is easy. Get a stop clock or watch with second hand. Get a 1 gallon jug with a large top or any container/bucket that you know how much it actually holds.
Place the output flow of the skimmer so it drains in the container and time how long it takes to fill it. For example, if it's a 1 gallon container and it fills in 20 seconds, that's 3 gallons per minute, 180 gallons per hour. I would run as slow a flow as you can get away with on your live rock tub but that will be partly at the mercy of what the skimmer needs in terms of flow to get the water level height set.

Set the water level so that it is just a hair below where the black cone start. This is with the air flow to the recirc pump bloked off. Then adjust your air downward until you are skimming some colored skimmate. If you find that you have to turn the air down too much, just drop the water level a little more (like in 1/16" increments) by cutting flow into the skimmer a little bit. You just have to toggle between air flow adjustments and water level adjustments.

Or, to make it easier ...

... for starters is just set the air valve knob so that the arrow points at about 2:00. Then just adjust the water level until you are getting colored skimmate and not overskimming. Like above, Start with the water level even with or just a hair below the start of the black cone with the air flow blocked. Then set the air knob at about 2:00 and just make water adjustments from there. If you have success with this you can try tweaking a combination of the flow rate and the air valve to tune it in better. But generally, with the air valve down just a little bit, like at 2:00, you should be able to get it skimming well with just water level adjustments.

[PaintGuru]

Originally posted by Ding2daDong
[B]Here is my ex-1 after 24 hours! Seems to work much better than my octopus200 with 0 heat from the pump!

Nice and dark....I can't seem to get mine THAT dark, nor does mine smell awful (I wonder what the cause of this is).

[kdblove_99]

MY first nog pic, This is My EX1 on my 60cube with 55 sump
without flash
[IMG][/IMG]

Flash
[IMG][/IMG]

top shot

[IMG][/IMG]

[warr40]

hey i took some pics with my camera phone this is what fills the caup in about 10-20 min

[DRC69]

Looking for a DAS BX-2 skimmer. Box unit.

Anyone selling one?????????

PM me.
Thanks

[DarG]

Originally posted by warr40
hey i took some pics with my camera phone this is what fills the caup in about 10-20 min

My guess is that there is something in the aquarium that is causing the skimmer to overskim. I posted a reply with a couple of other suggestions to help you out but ...

Do you have the air valve adjusted to restrict some air?
Have you tried cutting flow to lower the water level?

Have you used and chlorine/chloramine neutralizer?
Or, any slime coat products?

Are you using any filter socks/bags, filter pads or other type of similiar filter media?

Need some details on supplements or additives you are using. How long has the tank been set up?

Right now, for whatever reason, you need to lower the water level and/or cut back the air flow.
Unfortunately, there is no gate valve or expansion coupler on the output to allow you to control water level regardless of flow rate into the skimmer. That would really help in this situation. But regardless, you need to drop the water level and/or restrict some more air.

Help us help you ... tank details ... supplements/additives/chemicals, filtration media. Water source for top off and salt mix ... ro? ro-di? tap? well?

[warr40]

the tank is just a 20g rock curing bucket

there is no media additives or anything in it.

I use ro water for salt mixing and top-off

i put a valve on the output to get the right level and i got 40gph going threw the skimmer as of now

the air is at about 2 o' clock now

since i added the valve on the output i think its doing better

one question tho when u first start the skimmer up with both the skimmer and feed pump on where should the bubbles be?

[reef2]

warr40 my ex2 did the same thing until it broke in.

[warr40]

o ok how long did it take to brake in?

[reef2]

mine took about a week b4 it quit doing that. but it would still do it if i turned it off and then on. but after a couple more weeks no problems at all. i just kept the input flow down for about 2 weeks. after about a month of running this thing realy took off. i could run more flow through it and the skimate got real nasty.

r u the same warr40 on nr.com?

[USC-fan]

warr40 this will help you....

There are 3 controls on the skimmer:

1. INPUT controlled by gravity feed from overflow with ball or gate valve "or" pump feed with a correctly rated pump

2. OUTPUT controlled by ball or gate valve at skimmer's drain

3. AIRFLOW controlled by air valve


To set your skimmer correctly:

1. first you must be sure the water flow through rate is matched to your skimmer. most of the time, for gravity feed, one would need to tailor the rate back by ball or gate valve in control #1 as the water turnover rate is usually much stronger than your skimmer can accept. or you can feed skimmer with a correctly rated pump or powerhead.


2. next, with the water flow through rate adjusted correctly, the water level within the skimmer must be at the right level for the skimmer to perform optimally. water level should just at the bottom edge of the bayonet connection between the collection cup and skimmer body. the highest water level you should have is no higher than the top edge of the bayonet top edge and the lowest is no lower than 3/4" below the bayonet connection. i like the skimmer water level on the high side, so even when the water flow through rate is correct, the water level is too low for me. so, in order to tailor back the outflow from the skimmer drain and to raise the water level within the skimmer, i use a ball valve or gate valve on the output, which is control #2, and the drain does terminate underwater in my sump. so, the comment that the outflow should not be underwater is a preferred situation, but works great even if you terminate underwater (unless with the correct water flow through rate, the water level in your skimmer is already at the top edge of the bayonet). all that happens when the exhaust terminates underwater is puts a little backpressure on the system, but that just increases the water level in the skimmer, which in my situation is on the low side when the water flow through rate adjusted correctly. the benefit of having the drain terminate underwater is no splashing noise at all, but your sump water level must remain constant or the change can put variable backpressure on the exhaust. i found that the best sump water level is within an inch below the exhaust T-fitting.


3. adjust the air valve for maximum foaming with control #3. on both my Deltec and H&S skimmers that i own, it is tailored back approximately 1/4 - 1/3 which gives me the finest bubbles and good foaming head. if the bubble breaking level isn't correct, close down the exhaust valve a little to raise or open up to lower.


HTH, this is just one example of how it can work. many others have different ways that they setup their skimmers.

[DarG]

Warr ... I believe that the issue is probably having all that live rock in relatively low volume of water. Either that or there was some type of residue on the plastic container assuming it was new and not adequately cleaned. Or a combination of both.

Anyway, with the output valve you installed you should be able to get things under control. You'll just have to play with turnover through the skimmer, water level and air. Assuming that you lowered the ouput T fitting when you installed the valve you should have a good degree of control over water level regardless the input flow rate.

[warr40]

yes i am warr40 on NR.com too

USC-fan i followed those directions and its getting better

I think the skimmer just needs to break-in and i wont know for sure until i set it up on my 40B

[PaintGuru]

What sort of regular maintenance (beyond cup cleaning) are people doing on their skimmers?

[petedoc]

Not much, so far I just clean the cup and dump the overflow bottle about every two weeks. I imagine I will eventually clean the rotors.

[HBtank]

I am just going through my first full body and pump cleaning. Basically remove it, run it full of vinegar/water for awhile, scrub the interior and inside of the pipes until clean, clean all the parts of the pump individually, reassemble and run in water for while to remove any residue.

THen hook it back up.

[flaco626nj]

or you can use muradic acid ...think thats how you spell it

[petedoc]

Muriatic acid

[DugJ]

Are you guys gluing your return piping into the skimmer? Will it leak if not?

[DarG]

If it's in sump, I wouldnt glue it. If it's external, I would and did. You are talking about the skimmer output right? I have several spare schedule 40 spears unions so I can re-do the plumbing from the output side of the union if I ever need to. But I would glue it if running externally. I dont glue the vent pipe on the top side of the output T, that's not necessary as the water doesnt get that high.

[USC-fan]

Originally posted by PaintGuru
What sort of regular maintenance (beyond cup cleaning) are people doing on their skimmers?

I just clean my whole skimmer. Its been running for about 8 months. The pump still look new so i didn't soak them. I just scrub the skimmer body and that was about it.

Sometimes my air lines get salt creep in them and i run hot RODI water through them. That is about the only thing i do beside clean the skimmer cup/neck twice a week.

[flaco626nj]

i have a ? have the ex1 and i use the minijet 606 fully open ,with valve fully open and i have 1/4 ince tubbing in the veturi going to the top of collection cup to muffel noise .should i be useing a bigger pump like a maxijet of some sort cause i get one collection cup a week .granted it is black not see threw at all ?

[DarG]

If you can get your water level high enough then the pump is fine.
How hig is the water level with the recirc. pump shut off or the air line blocked or the air valve closed all the way?

[USC-fan]

I like my water right around here. \/

That is with the skimmer pump off.

Now if you can't get the water level near there, you have to get a new pump..maxijet 900/1200 or you have to do a gate mod.

[flaco626nj]

cool guiss imma have to get another pump thanks you all