Coralife 65g Skimmer

[Eversurf]

Edit: I changed the title of the thread so it would be easier for people to find how to make this thing work.

Enjoy!!!
-Surf

There are only 3 pages to the instruction book on how to make it work. I got a Coralife Super Skimmer 65.

1. The silencer doesn't seem to work. When I plug it in there are not microbubble created.
2. I don't understand how the nobs work, the one by the entry and the one by the exit.

Anyone has any experience with those?

thanx

 

[Ranger]

I read your post in the other thread which said "you understand better" or something along those lines... Are you still having problems?

Anyways, just to help answer your questions and so we can be clear, try not to refer to anything as "it", there are going to be alot of parts your going to be pointing out and it would be great if we could be specific as to avoid confusion.

Valves:
I would remove the "entry" nob entirely, I found it useless and only caused problems.
The Red valve(outlet valve), control the amount of water that is let out of the skimmer, by doing so you are able to raise and lower water level inside the skimmer reaction chamber.

FYI, if you just got your skimmer today, it's gonig to be acting funny for a week or so. So don't give up and give it time. I use your skimmer and its a bit frustrating to get going, but works beautifully when you get it right.

 

[Eversurf]

Thanxfor the support. When I said I had a better understanding I meant on how the skimmer functions. I still don't have any micro bubles while the silencer is plugged in. Is this should take a few weeks to get some bubbles?

 

[Eversurf]

when you blow/suck through the silencer does air come out/in? I think mine is plugged from the factory or something

 

[Ranger]

Yeah, if i blow air through the tube bubbles will come out... Is your pump making any loud or funny noises? Is the skimmer just pumping water trhough the skimmer? Does the skimmer produce bubbles without the silencer on the air intake tube?

 

[Eversurf]

1. When the silencer is on there is no bubbles with the silencer off there are bubbles. In the silencer I can take a toothpick and go deep on one side, but the other I can't.
2. The bubble diffuser is overflowing.

Is the foam supposed to go into the collection cup or the air bubble carry the gunk into the collection cup?

 

[Ranger]

1. When the silencer is on there is no bubbles with the silencer off there are bubbles. In the silencer I can take a toothpick and go deep on one side, but the other I can't.
2. The bubble diffuser is overflowing.

Is the foam supposed to go into the collection cup or the air bubble carry the gunk into the collection cup?

1- Hmmm. definitely sounds like some kind of blockage... You should try your LFS store and see if they have any in stock, if not, I'm sure they'll know where to get one...

2-Your bubble diffuser is acting normal. In this case normal is bad. As I found out the stock bubble diffuser... sucks. This can be fixed by using some 1" PVC pipe and Pondmaster Mag filter (its like the foam in your current bubble diffuser but its cylinder in shape).

If you choose to redo your bubble trap heres what you need to do: Get some 1" PVC pipe, a 1" PVC elbo fitting, Pondmaster Mag filter(cylindrical), powerdrill.

-Cut off enough of the PVC pipe to fill up one end of the elbow joint(this is so it will fit onto the water outlet of your skimmer).

-Cut another piece which will fit into the mag filter(the mag filter has an opening on one end, while the other is "closed") and make sure to leave enough pipe on this piece so it will fit into the elbow joint.

-Put it together, slap it on the skimmer.

-Problem solved.

 

[Eversurf]

Ok here is what I have done.

1. I drilled the hole in the silencer and go figure....now it's working. Bad engineering
2. I cut the white media that goes at the bottom of the diffuser in half and that resolved the overflowing.

New problems

1. I do get a lot of micro bubbles in my tank from the diffuser
2. I'm not really sure how the goo is suppose to make it to the collection cup.

 

[Ranger]

Ok here is what I have done.

1. I drilled the hole in the silencer and go figure....now it's working. Bad engineering
2. I cut the white media that goes at the bottom of the diffuser in half and that resolved the overflowing.

New problems

1. I do get a lot of micro bubbles in my tank from the diffuser
2. I'm not really sure how the goo is suppose to make it to the collection cup.

Glad to hear you fixed your silencer.

1. Probably because you just cut a whole in the media which prevented microbubbles from escaping. How many micro-bubbles? Like ALOT?

2. You should have your water level at the bottom of the funnel of the collection cup. Like around where the funnel begins to narrow. From there, as there becomes less of an area for the bubbles to occupy, the bubbles will "bubble" up and into the collection cup, carrying dirt and goop with them. It doesn't happen instantly.

 

[Eversurf]

Yeah a lot of bubbles. My yellow tang had to turn on his headlights

I think i'm done experimenting for tonight...we will see what the morning brings

 

[Ranger]

What size is your tank and what's your stocking?

 

[SkiFletch]

heh, at least you fixed the silencer. If you still get bubbles in the morning, try what Ranger mentioned for fixing the bubble trap. Seemed like it worked well for him.

 

[Ranger]

heh, at least you fixed the silencer. If you still get bubbles in the morning, try what Ranger mentioned for fixing the bubble trap. Seemed like it worked well for him.

Thank goodness.

 

[Eversurf]

I think it's a 55G, but my cousin says it's a 75G. I'm more of a 55G. I have bunch of invert a yellow tang and a scooter blennie.

BTW it picked up a lot of green goo overnight

 

[Eversurf]

Where can I pickup that filter? Home Depot, Petco or somewhere else?