Skimmer Tuning - any tips or tricks?

[Karl]

Hey, Folks,

I have an SWC 180 skimmer in my 40 breeder sump (150 gal display). I have it sitting in around 7" of water and I'm not getting a terrific amount of skimmate out of it.

To tune it, first I got the water level into the "neck" of the skimmer with the water level adjustment. Then I adjusted the air mix amount so the bubbles are as small as I can get them consistently.

Still, my skimmate is mostly thin and yellow though I do feed quite a bit.

I also run Purigen, and I do soak food with Selcon. Could it be my skimmate quality is the result of using those products? Purigen itself is touted to soak up a lot of DOCs and Selcon does seem to mess with skimmers quite a bit...

Edit: Also, if I lower the water level just a hair, I basically get NO skimmate Also, I've taken out the Venturi inlet and cleaned it out (though it wasn't really salted up), but still to no avail.

Thanks in advance,

-Karl

 

[AJ1080]

Is your water level actually at the neck of the cone? or is it just the larger bubbles.

With mine I have it setup to where the larger bubbles are accumulating around the neck. I opened the air vent all the way and then adjusted the water level.

SWC also has excellent customer support. I emailed them on a friday night at 10:30pm and had a response by 11:30pm.

 

[redfishbluefish]

What is of utmost importance in understanding your skimmer is that it is female. Once you realize this, and have a modicum of intelligence, you will then realize that you will never understand your skimmer. She will do whatever she wants to do whenever you least expect it. No matter how much you fondle her knobs, stroke and clean her neck or wash her pumps, when you least expect it, she’ll start blowing skimmate for no reason at all. She is highly temperamental, and when you think you have begun to understand her is when you end up being most vulnerable to her whimsical ways. Always approach with caution.

I too have picked up an SWC about a month ago and am in the process of trying to dial it in as well. I have the SWC 160 and what I’ve discovered so far is that it works with the most consistency when the air valve is wide open. I actually marked lines on the body of the muffler so that I could see when I was ¼, 1/3, ½, etc., closed with the valve. At any setting, other than wide open, there appeared to be a greater chance of it all-of-a-sudden putting out wet skimmate. Again, when wide open, it seems a bit more consistent. My guess, when not wide open, is that changes in air density or pressure have a greater impact on bubble formation when the air is being restricted…..but this is just a blow-hard guess.

The other lamebrain theory that I believe in is that the less water your skimmer sits in (i.e. the more column height you have), it allows more height for bubble formation. So I think you are always better off putting your skimmer in water on the lower end of its range.

So, to summarize, I think your seven inches is great; open your air valve to wide open; adjust the bubble column height with the red valve. You should now be able to control to a less wet skimmate.

 

[Karl]

It all makes so much sense now.

I'll try the air intake wide open. I'll dial the level to "cover" the neck (seems you can't dial it in WITHIN the neck, as the adjustment isn't fine enough, at least not on mine).

Then we'll see what happens.

What is of utmost importance in understanding your skimmer is that it is female. Once you realize this, and have a modicum of intelligence, you will then realize that you will never understand your skimmer. She will do whatever she wants to do whenever you least expect it. No matter how much you fondle her knobs, stroke and clean her neck or wash her pumps, when you least expect it, she’ll start blowing skimmate for no reason at all. She is highly temperamental, and when you think you have begun to understand her is when you end up being most vulnerable to her whimsical ways. Always approach with caution.

I too have picked up an SWC about a month ago and am in the process of trying to dial it in as well. I have the SWC 160 and what I’ve discovered so far is that it works with the most consistency when the air valve is wide open. I actually marked lines on the body of the muffler so that I could see when I was ¼, 1/3, ½, etc., closed with the valve. At any setting, other than wide open, there appeared to be a greater chance of it all-of-a-sudden putting out wet skimmate. Again, when wide open, it seems a bit more consistent. My guess, when not wide open, is that changes in air density or pressure have a greater impact on bubble formation when the air is being restricted…..but this is just a blow-hard guess.

The other lamebrain theory that I believe in is that the less water your skimmer sits in (i.e. the more column height you have), it allows more height for bubble formation. So I think you are always better off putting your skimmer in water on the lower end of its range.

So, to summarize, I think your seven inches is great; open your air valve to wide open; adjust the bubble column height with the red valve. You should now be able to control to a less wet skimmate.

 

[asonitez]

I have used 2 Cone type skimmers including the SWC cone series. I found that my

#1 - Open the Air Inlet ALL THE WAY
#2 - Find out the MAX water height the skimmer should sit in (manufacturers reccomendation) and then either Match It, Go 1/2" below It, or 1/2" Above it. Sounds weird but the way I see it is that the pumps are pulling in AIR and WATER which screws with their ability to PUSH water up really high due to air being introduced causing headloss, and gravity/output stopping water from getting too high. I have always run the skimmers a little DEEPER to make sure the pump isn't working too hard to push water up and is instead focused on chopping bubbles which travel to the surface easier because its not fighting gravity to get into the skimmer neck.

With a perfectly clean skimmer I adjust the bubble/water level to the bottom of the skimmer cup and leave it there for a few days. Karl another issue YOUR having in your tank is that you do not have an ATO. Your water level fluctuates through out the day. Even though your skimmer compartment is baffled I've noticed screwing with my water or ATO causes my skimmer to stop skimming temporarily.

 

[NJ Reef Farm]

we have a swc 230 in 10 in water air open all the way and large bubbles starting just below neck
also just set up a swc 180 have it in 8 1/2 in water same settings and is producing the same as one in pic

 

[redfishbluefish]

#2 - Find out the MAX water height the skimmer should sit in (manufacturers reccomendation) and then either Match It, Go 1/2" below It, or 1/2" Above it.....

Tristan, this is interesting….running the skimmer in deep water. I’ve got to play with that as well, even thought it is counter to my twisted logic and theory.

Let me see if I can put you to sleep with my twisted thoughts:

Boyle’s Law states, simply put in this application, that the greater the pressure (the deeper water you are in), the less volume of air. Granted we are only talking inches, but it’s still something.

Skimmer design - these cone skimmers are modified venturi type skimmers with air fractionating pumps. The pumps aren’t designed to really pump “volumes” of water. They pump enough water to draw in air that is then pulverized by modified impellers into tiny little bubbles.

Actual volume of water being pumped - Here’s a “plus” for your thought process….The deeper the skimmer sits in water, the more you need to open the exit water value, actually allowing more water (and therefore more air) to be drawn through the skimmer. So the deeper you go, the more water that passes through the skimmer and therefore more air…..this potentially counters the loss do to Boyle’s law..

Bubble formation dwell time. By putting the skimmer in deeper water, you reduce the amount of time for bubble formation and coalescing. I just reflect back to the days of co-current skimmers that were six feet tall. More recently, with becketted venturi skimmers, you could purchase additional riser sections to increase the total height of the skimmer, thereby increasing bubble time. This is why I’m thinking that lowest depth would give you the best bubble dwell.

Now this is my thought process, but it is just a bunch of gobbly-gook theory. So that means I’ll have to try your deep water theory with my SWC 160 and see what I get.

Ok, I’m done, you can wake up now!

 

[NJ Reef Farm]

how often are you adding selcon ? selcon well change the surface tension of your water and cause fluctuations with your skimmer
if you are adding it every time you feed there may not be enuff time in the day for things to settle back down
when i add rods food to the tank the skimmer stops production for almost 2 hours just a thought

 

[Nickjr000]

Selcon could impact your skimmate production. So could putting your hands in water, oily foods, etc.

 

[asonitez]

Tristan, this is interesting….running the skimmer in deep water. I’ve got to play with that as well, even thought it is counter to my twisted logic and theory.

Let me see if I can put you to sleep with my twisted thoughts:

Boyle’s Law states, simply put in this application, that the greater the pressure (the deeper water you are in), the less volume of air. Granted we are only talking inches, but it’s still something.

Skimmer design - these cone skimmers are modified venturi type skimmers with air fractionating pumps. The pumps aren’t designed to really pump “volumes” of water. They pump enough water to draw in air that is then pulverized by modified impellers into tiny little bubbles.

Actual volume of water being pumped - Here’s a “plus” for your thought process….The deeper the skimmer sits in water, the more you need to open the exit water value, actually allowing more water (and therefore more air) to be drawn through the skimmer. So the deeper you go, the more water that passes through the skimmer and therefore more air…..this potentially counters the loss do to Boyle’s law..

Bubble formation dwell time. By putting the skimmer in deeper water, you reduce the amount of time for bubble formation and coalescing. I just reflect back to the days of co-current skimmers that were six feet tall. More recently, with becketted venturi skimmers, you could purchase additional riser sections to increase the total height of the skimmer, thereby increasing bubble time. This is why I’m thinking that lowest depth would give you the best bubble dwell.

Now this is my thought process, but it is just a bunch of gobbly-gook theory. So that means I’ll have to try your deep water theory with my SWC 160 and see what I get.

Ok, I’m done, you can wake up now!

Its nuts right? I'm no scientist and dunno Boyle but for w/e reason it works lol..
I've had the Warner Marine K2, an SWC , a Vertex Cone/Hybrid and am currently using a Cone Hybrid. I've always found matching the manufacturers recommendation, going 1/2" above it or 1/2" below it to yield the best results. I'm one of those (i've gotta try something new JUST because its new even though mine is perfectly good type of guys lol.) My Skimmer compartment is 14" tall well above that of most skimmers out there but I made a snazzy little skimmer stand of varying heights to play around with my skimmer.


Also Karl... TELL MICHELLE KEEP HER HANDS OUT OF THE TANK! lol... Thats probably your reason right there. Body oils from her girly hands might be breaking your foam head in the skimmer or something. OR rather... Your girly hands lol.

 

[Olivier]

Karl,
shut the skimmer down. do a good cleaning (i mean good. clean it with tap water and get everything off, then soak in vinegar, then rinse with RO water) then put it back in your sump. don't turn on the pump yet. let the water fill up the skimmer and measure to see how high the water level is. it should be in the range of 8.5 to 9.0 for optimal performance. air valve fully open and adjust the water level by raising or lowering the skimmer (meaning adjust the water level in the skimmer until you like it) then use the air valve to fine tune. the process will take 3-4 days to get where you want it.