Aquamaxx hob 1 skimmer question

Oceanavekid · 08/01/2013, 10:11 PM

29 gallon

Just got my first skimmer, the aquamaxx hob 1 skimmer a week ago
At first it was pulling a lot of nasty stuff and now it doesn't really pull anything
sometimes the cup fills with water and will pull some green stuff. I want it to skim heavy thick mud. Why isn't it really pulling anything? It bubbles, but not all the way to the collection cup. I've tried adjusting the collection cup and nothing.

My tank looks better. I'm just not sure the skimmer is working like it should

reeftivo · 08/01/2013, 11:53 PM

Is your system new?

If you've just started cycling it with live rock and new sand, it is normal for a new skimmer to pull hard for a little while. It is removing the dead organics from the new LR. It still needs to break in and can take anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks before it will get coated and start producing normally. Do not set it to produce skimmate just yet. Leave the cup high with the air wide open for the first week. If you set it to get wet skimmate before its broken in, when it actually does break it will over foam and can create a mess. Don't expect much until its broken in and you have a decent bio load. From your avatar, your system looks new so give it time and resist the urge to fiddle with it. After a few days it should have developed a fairly consistent foam head. Once that has been stable for a while you can then make small adjustments to the cup level but monitor for an hour or so between adjustments to observe the true result.

Good luck and happy reefing.

Tivo

Drae · 08/02/2013, 01:05 AM

Put the cup all the way up to the top. The bubbles bubbles seem far away but they'll rise. I have a hob1 and I can tell you this much, that skimmer will skim a 50 gallon tank believe it or not. Your bio load is probably a little small.

Oceanavekid · 08/02/2013, 11:53 AM

thanks for the advice

"Put the cup all the way up to the top. The bubbles bubbles seem far away but they'll rise."

that was my concern, it would bubble in the main unit but not in the cup. The bubbles always seemed far away. I wasn't sure if it was working properly. I'll empty the water out of the cup and just leave it high for a week or so like y'all said and see if the bubbles rise like they should

jennmac415 · 12/07/2013, 02:41 PM

Don't want to hijack...but I just set up my aquamaxx hob skimmer last night....set the cup at its highest and it was producing a nice thick foam...then all of a sudden it was like the water level in the skimmer body itself lowered and the bubbles are not even making it up to the cup... I added water to the skimmer body thinking i needed to do that but it didnt matter....then I lowered the cup about 1/2 inch and water started OVERFLOWING into the cup....this 34 gallon tank has only been up a week, an upgrade from my 16 gallon nano...should I just keep the cup higher and let it break in?? Also what size tubing fits the drain ?? Thanks!

08/01/2013, 10:11 PM	#1
Oceanavekid Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Sacrameto, California Posts: 168	Aquamaxx hob 1 skimmer question 29 gallon Just got my first skimmer, the aquamaxx hob 1 skimmer a week ago At first it was pulling a lot of nasty stuff and now it doesn't really pull anything sometimes the cup fills with water and will pull some green stuff. I want it to skim heavy thick mud. Why isn't it really pulling anything? It bubbles, but not all the way to the collection cup. I've tried adjusting the collection cup and nothing. My tank looks better. I'm just not sure the skimmer is working like it should

08/01/2013, 11:53 PM	#2
reeftivo Skim junkie Join Date: May 2008 Location: chino, CA Posts: 3,417	Is your system new? If you've just started cycling it with live rock and new sand, it is normal for a new skimmer to pull hard for a little while. It is removing the dead organics from the new LR. It still needs to break in and can take anywhere from a few days to a couple weeks before it will get coated and start producing normally. Do not set it to produce skimmate just yet. Leave the cup high with the air wide open for the first week. If you set it to get wet skimmate before its broken in, when it actually does break it will over foam and can create a mess. Don't expect much until its broken in and you have a decent bio load. From your avatar, your system looks new so give it time and resist the urge to fiddle with it. After a few days it should have developed a fairly consistent foam head. Once that has been stable for a while you can then make small adjustments to the cup level but monitor for an hour or so between adjustments to observe the true result. Good luck and happy reefing. Tivo __________________ I told you not to be stupid you moron!(Stern) Current Tank Info: 60 gal cube/20g tideline sump-mixed reef, Aquamaxx c-tech Ca Rx, Akula 160 skimmer, paxbellum N18, mitras LX7 lighting with T-5s, apex controller Last edited by reeftivo; 08/02/2013 at 12:09 AM.

12/07/2013, 02:41 PM	#5
jennmac415 premium member "reefmama" Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 1,903	Don't want to hijack...but I just set up my aquamaxx hob skimmer last night....set the cup at its highest and it was producing a nice thick foam...then all of a sudden it was like the water level in the skimmer body itself lowered and the bubbles are not even making it up to the cup... I added water to the skimmer body thinking i needed to do that but it didnt matter....then I lowered the cup about 1/2 inch and water started OVERFLOWING into the cup....this 34 gallon tank has only been up a week, an upgrade from my 16 gallon nano...should I just keep the cup higher and let it break in?? Also what size tubing fits the drain ?? Thanks! __________________ Jenni AKA "Reefmama" Current Tank Info: currently just have a 34 gallon.

08/02/2013, 01:05 AM	#3
Drae RAIDER NATION! Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: City of sin... Posts: 3,476	Put the cup all the way up to the top. The bubbles bubbles seem far away but they'll rise. I have a hob1 and I can tell you this much, that skimmer will skim a 50 gallon tank believe it or not. Your bio load is probably a little small.

08/02/2013, 11:53 AM	#4
Oceanavekid Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Sacrameto, California Posts: 168	thanks for the advice "Put the cup all the way up to the top. The bubbles bubbles seem far away but they'll rise." that was my concern, it would bubble in the main unit but not in the cup. The bubbles always seemed far away. I wasn't sure if it was working properly. I'll empty the water out of the cup and just leave it high for a week or so like y'all said and see if the bubbles rise like they should