What Should A Running Protein Skimmer Look Like?

[bollands]

i just bought a boyu protein skimmer to replace the old one, i know the bubbles should produce organic matter that falls into the cup but how high shall the water come up to? and should any water (clean) pour into the cup? do they produce lots of bubbles? how do i know if its working right?

soz lots of questions, just want to get it right (nitrate levels high) and this may reduce more being added to the system

charlie

 

[seffieuk]

i just bought a boyu protein skimmer to replace the old one, i know the bubbles should produce organic matter that falls into the cup but how high shall the water come up to? and should any water (clean) pour into the cup?

No, cup should be above water level

do they produce lots of bubbles? how do i know if its working right?

Lift it out of the water, the centre core should be filled with tiny bubbles, it will also make a gurgling sound

soz lots of questions, just want to get it right (nitrate levels high) and this may reduce more being added to the system

No problem, we all have to ask sometimes - well I have to ask often

charlie

Seffie x

 

[bollands]

thanks seffie i have 4mm of bubble foam stuff should that be right at the lip of the cup thing

soz more questions (probably sound like a dumb-s**t)

 

[Colin_T]

Generally you don't get a lot of bubbles going up the top tube until you feed the fish. Then the protein from the food causes the bubbles to darken and froth up the tube and into the collection cup. The rest of the time the bubbles should be fine and white and not go very high up.

If you have lots of clear liquid in the collection cup, then the water level is too high for the skimmer. Either raise the skimmer up a small amount, or lower the water level. The liquid in the collection cup should be range from pale brown to black in colour. The darker colour usually indicates a thicker foam with more waste and less water. The light brown has more water and less organic waste.

Protein skimmers will help keep the water cleaner and reduce the rate nitrates build up. They won't stop the nitrates completely but do help. If you have a problem with nitrates ad don't want to do lots of water changes, you can get de-nitrating filters. These take about a month to start working and use anaerobic (lacking oxygen) bacteria to convert nitrates into nitrogen gas and a couple of other things. The gases are released into the atmosphere and the nitrates go down.
Having lots of live rock in a tank can help reduce nitrates as well. The rock works in the same way as the de-nitrating filter. You get anaerobic bacteria living in the middle of the rock and it converts the nitrates in to nitrogen gas. De-nitrating filters work faster than live rock and take up a lot less room.

Reducing the amount of food going into a tank will help slow the rate of nitrate increasing.

 

[rabbut]

I would start by tweaking it such that the bubbles just touch the neck when going. Once this is done, you will have to watch and tweak it over the next few days/weeks untill its right. If it looks like dirty water, raise the cup to dry out the skimmate. If it looks black, sink it down a bit to dampen out the skimmate some more. You are aiming for "black tea" coloured water in the cup

Boyu simmers are a royal PITA to set-up IME and in the experience of many customers at work. If you can set-up and tune one correctly, you can do that to any skimmer IMO they are an absolute lemon of a skimmer, but a few on here love them

All the best
Rabbut

 

[bollands]

great thank you very very much, i have put some macro algae in the back of one of the compartments would this help???

 

[Colin_T]

Macro algae will use ammonia and help to limit the nitrate build up. You have to harvest (remove) some of the algae on a regular basis to remove the nutrients it has absorbed. If you don't harvest the alga and it dies, the nutrients held in it will be released back into the tank water.

 

[bollands]

OH OK AT MY LFS THE BUBBLES ARE REALLY STICKY I KNOW MINES NOT AS GOOD BUT SHOULD MINE BE LIKE THAT

 

[rabbut]

Some people regard posting with capitals as rude, it's the forum equivelant of shouting. I'm not one such person, but you should know for future

When the skimmer is bedded in and working, yes, the bubbles should be sticky. However, your skimmer is new and hasn't yet bedded in, so it is normal for it's foam not to be It may take a few days for the skimmer to settle...

All the best
Rabbut

 

[bollands]

sorry everyone ill be quieter with my typing, anyways what happens in those few days when it gets bedded in? bacteria>?

 

[rabbut]

Not realy 100% shure TBH.... I know they need their walls lining with a thin layer of protien before they work, but after cleaning this takes a few hours tops with my DIY skimmer...

 

[bollands]

sounds interesting how u make a diy skimmer pics?

 

[rabbut]

OK, here's the DIY Skimmer thread... The pics are bust ATM, just give me a min or two to fix them

All the best
Rabbut

Woops, forgot the link.... The photo's are fixed and working now...

 

[bollands]

ok i have light brown water in my cup needs replaceing daily, shall i lower the water level coming up the spout? but the bubles seem nowhere the rim ?

 

[rabbut]

If the water is light brown, you need to raise it to dry it out and make it darker