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Marineland Protein Skimmer Giving Me Problems...

N

njhcnwk

I currently have a Marineland protein skimmer which i'm so close to punting across my yard. In the last week i've spent literally hours adjusting the damn thing. Won't hold adjustments through changes in water level. Have yet to get it adjusted after putting in makeup water. I've been at it for the last 3 hours. Also, it spends most of the time dumping foam into the collection cup filling it up in under a minute. I'm tired of babysitting the thing. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

unfortunately with skimmers - the "get what you pay for" motto applies.

Though at macna we learned that spending four digits on a skimmer may not really buy you that much more over a 3 digit dollar skimmer.

might be time to consider buying a new skimmer...
 
mfisher2112

mfisher2112

+1 on the punt. What size is your tank? I've had really good luck with the corallife superskimmers over the years, and they are relatively inexpensive in the grand scheme of things. Just be sure to oversize whatever the recomendation on the model is.
 
Tazmaniancowboy

Tazmaniancowboy

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
njhcnwk said:
Won't hold adjustments through changes in water level. Have yet to get it adjusted after putting in makeup water.
Click to expand...

Guys, I think you may have missed this in his post? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't constant water level pretty important for most if not all in sump skimmers? Most people have auto top off to get around this. I know somebody who has the same skimmer I had and he has no problems with it because of his ATO and when I was running the same skimmer, adding water occasionally, It would either over skim or never skim for me.

Taz
 
mfisher2112

mfisher2112

Good catch.

I have my skimmer positioned in a chamber in my sump that does not lose its water level.

Drain from tank to skimmer section, one single baffle, waterfall over to refugium, 3 baffel bubble trap that is positioned lower than the first baffle, to return pump chamber.
 
D

ds4x4

how long have you had the skimmer running with the system and is it sitting in the right water level? they all have break-in periods. My MSX250 did this for a week or so also. it really needs the constant water level to sit in, small adjustments could take a while to see any effect and over adjustments are common.
 
T

tlpmyd

i believe taz hit the nail on the head, if the water level is always changing the skimmer will never "get skimming right"
 
N

njhcnwk

I dumped the Marineland skimmer and picked up an ASM skimmer. It took 1 day to break in and has been pulling nice skimmate ever since regardless of sump level. I guess I should have spent the extra money in the first place. Oh well, live and learn.
 
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