Aqua Medic Midiflotor Protein Skimmer

[SkiFletch]

Because I bought it ages ago now.

Here is a picture of it in the sump.

From what I read at the time, they seemed to work very efficiently.

This picture illustrates why you're struggling. The skimmer operates by adding air to the stone. As the air rises through the water column it will pull "some" water up with it, but not much because air realy isn't a good pump. Since it's designed to be an internal skimmer, the water level looks like it needs to be higher so that the air can be more effective.

 

[TigerIssey]

Has been skimming since 26th now so 3 days. Do these pictures look as if it is operating as it should now?? Or do you think the water level still needs raising??

I have not emptied the cup at all yet, the skimmate seems quite dry and seems an OK colour to me. The corals (except pulsing Xenia, no surprise there) seem to have responded very well since the skimmer started to work.

 

[BigC]

Certainly looks like its starting to draw the gunk out
The additional air flow to the skimmer helped a lot with the water level being where it is but
Ski's correct the water level needs to be increased somewhat. and you will probably then be able to use a lot less air from your pump (it will need turning down as it may overflow the collection cup) as the skimmate will be much wetter.
I missed that first time around.

(except pulsing Xenia, no surprise there)

Pulsing Xenia and Skimmers don't seem to go hand in hand Tina, judging from my experience.

ATB
C

 

[TigerIssey]

I will have to have a look for some deeper acrylic to increase the height in that first section of the sump. I am presuming it will be OK skimming as it is until I can sort this out.

QUOTE
(except pulsing Xenia, no surprise there)
Pulsing Xenia and Skimmers don't seem to go hand in hand Tina, judging from my experience.

Aye, thats what I thought, they prefer nutrient rich waters don't they. It is still OK and pulsing, it is just not as expanded as it was. I would rather have my Euphyllias and bubble expanded more though.

 

[BigC]

I think your finding out what I did some time ago Tina, that if you try to offer one coral species ideal conditions for it to survive and flourish those exact same conditions may well have an adverse effect on another species and cause it to retract.
You cant please all of the species all of the time... syndrome

ATB
C

 

[rabbut]

Two issues with the set-up that I can see;

Not enough air

Too higher water level.

You need a bigger air pump really, or the airstone/airline is blocked, either way, as the bubbles should be a good 1.5-2" above the water line that the skimmer is sitting in, inside the reaction chamber when correctly tuned Also, these only give a reasonable skimmate when the bubbles just touch the neck before they have gunk collected in them. Get those two things fixed and that skimmer will supprise you with performance It can fill the cup with "Stewed tea" coloured skimmate in 24 hours on a lightly stocked 50g system!

All the best
Rabbut

 

[TigerIssey]

Hi Rabbut, I am very confused now. Some say too high water some say not enough??

The instructions say 200 - 300 lph, there is a brand new Eheim 400 lph going through it. I must admit, I did try getting a new wooden airstone today and will definately try to get one when mom takes me out tomorrow.

Today I purchased the double gang valve so will replumb the airline tonight.

Rabbut do you know in relation to the inside tube, where the water level should sit??

I really do want to persevere and get this PS skimming right, I read alot about them before buying it and they really seemed to pull out some gunk when set up correctly.

IMO the instructions are severely lacking in set up info, it just says to move the skimmer up and down till its set ok. Does not help me much really, where would the max water line sit at, and I can raise the skimmer from there.??

 

[rabbut]

I'd gestimate that the water line whould be 3-4" above the inner tube with the bubbles not going, or 5-6" below the foam line when the foam is clean. That 400LPH pump should be more than enough, so your airblock/airline must be blocked or leaking somewhere

HTH
Rabbut

 

[TigerIssey]

Okay, the water line is only 1.5" from the top of that tube so I do need to raise the water level slightly. I will get round to doing this over the next few days, when I reset the PS up with the new water level, I have a new wooden airstone to replace the existing one. I have also replaced the black airtube that came with the PS as the tube was very rigid, air pumps seem to like nice supple silicone tubing.

I have also purchased a second smaller air pump today to run the hatchery and the copepod culture as I think there was an air leak somewhere around the gang valves, to have enough air for the hatchery, there was not enough going to the PS. This hopefully should sort that.

 

[TigerIssey]

You can see it is now skimming perfectly. I have raised the water level in the first chamber, changed the airstone as I believe it was blocked and I can now run the outlets on low, if I need to turn the skimmer up, I can adjust with the air controls on the eheim pump.

Thanks everyone, we got there in the end. That skimmate is about 17 hrs worth.

You can also see the nice acrylic box I made for my Copepod culture, added the old culture pods to the tank, to replenish and started a nice new culture today. The copepod food I have from Reef phyto does not need to as dark in the culture as it would if you used just phyto. That colour is about right apparetly.

You can just see the algae floating that arrived from Anguilla this morning. I have made a temporary v shaped retainer for it from egg crate to stop it being dragged into the return pump.

All is good down in the Sump