Help with a Super Skimmer 125

mfisher2112 · 10/21/2006, 02:58 PM

Ok, so I got my superskimmer in the other day, hooked it up, everything seemed to be ok.

Today, I noticed that the pump is spewing microbubbles right out of the front of it where the inlet attaches.

Is this a defective seal or something that will correct itself over time?

Anyone with experience with these skimmers?

Thanks in advance!

t5Nitro · 10/21/2006, 03:01 PM

I have the superskimmer 65. Mine just puts out microbubbles at the microbubble difuser box (which doesn't help by the way) lol. Still have some microbubbles there but really not a whole lot. Thats the only place I have microbubbles from the diffuser box dumping back into the water. Maybe where the hose for the air inlet connects to the part that goes in the water, is it on all the way? I don't really know, never had it put bubbles of at the air inlet.

mfisher2112 · 10/21/2006, 03:02 PM

Thanks nitro. My instinct tells me that there shouldn't be microbubbles spewing from the front of the casing of a pump, but who knows, I'm pretty new and sometimes I'm surprised at how wrong my instincts can be!

So far, I'm not impressed with the "micro bubble difuser", but then again, its only been running about 36 hours.

t5Nitro · 10/21/2006, 03:05 PM

Ya my microbubble difuser sits out of the water just a bit on the top, which I think it should go in all the way under water maybe. I think mine just makes bubbles from hitting the water because it just dumps the water in from up above about a cm up so probably pushing bubbles in. Check the hose, maybe it's not on all the way, don't know, mine never did that I guess.

gabegmonkey · 10/21/2006, 03:14 PM

do you have the valve all the way open? only thing I can think of is that you might still have it closed partway from the break-in period...

mfisher2112 · 10/21/2006, 03:15 PM

At this point in time I have the skimmer off. my tank has run without one up until now, and the only "life" in it besides the rock is the pair of clowns. I have an aquaclear 70 that I have been running up until now that I will continue to maintain until hopefully ESU (aka corallife) gets back to me on replacing or repairing the pump.

mfisher2112 · 10/21/2006, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gabegmonkey
do you have the valve all the way open? only thing I can think of is that you might still have it closed partway from the break-in period...

I have tried multiple adjustments.

The "air" is escaping the pump where the pump housing meets the removable front face. I have tried several times to reseat this, but the bubbles just got worse. I have emailed ESU to attempt resolution as it seems to me the seal around the face of the pump has failed.

Marinemom · 10/21/2006, 03:25 PM

Seems strange that the micro bubbles would be coming from there. I have the same skimmer and there are modifications that can be done to help eliminate the micro bubbles altogather. The diffusser box needs to be slightly above the water surface and the grey sponge the one with the whole in it, should also sit above the water surface and above the top of the diffuser box slightly. The hose that goes to the difusser box should rest just at the surface of this sponge and not unerneath the water surface. You might have to cut it to achieve this. Also the pump for this skimmer should be no more than three inches uner the surface of the water. By doing this you will eliminate a lot of the micro bubbles. Also there is some kind of white sponge thing that sits in the difusser box under the grey sponge. It is completely useless and you can just throw it away. It also causes some of these issues with the micro bubbles. You can replace it with some white poly(I think that is what it is called) which is finer and absorbs the bubbles much better. There are different kinds so make sure to get the fine kind. By doing these simple modifications you will get rid of about 95% of the micro bubbles. I think that if you try this it may also get rid of the problem that you are having too.

Remember too that all skimmers have a break in period of 3-7 days before you will see decent skimmate and then the skimmer will be operatinng correctly.

Hope this helps.

Marinemom

mfisher2112 · 10/21/2006, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marinemom
Seems strange that the micro bubbles would be coming from there. I have the same skimmer and there are modifications that can be done to help eliminate the micro bubbles altogather. The diffusser box needs to be slightly above the water surface and the grey sponge the one with the whole in it, should also sit above the water surface and above the top of the diffuser box slightly. The hose that goes to the difusser box should rest just at the surface of this sponge and not unerneath the water surface. You might have to cut it to achieve this. Also the pump for this skimmer should be no more than three inches uner the surface of the water. By doing this you will eliminate a lot of the micro bubbles. Also there is some kind of white sponge thing that sits in the difusser box under the grey sponge. It is completely useless and you can just throw it away. It also causes some of these issues with the micro bubbles. You can replace it with some white poly(I think that is what it is called) which is finer and absorbs the bubbles much better. There are different kinds so make sure to get the fine kind. By doing these simple modifications you will get rid of about 95% of the micro bubbles. I think that if you try this it may also get rid of the problem that you are having too.

Remember too that all skimmers have a break in period of 3-7 days before you will see decent skimmate and then the skimmer will be operatinng correctly.

Hope this helps.

Marinemom

Thanks for the tips on the diffuser box. I will definitely put those into action soon. I know it hadn't reached its break in period yet, so I wasn't expecting skimmate yet, but boy this is getting frustrating FAST.

As for the problem at hand, I think it is a defective pump. If you can envision this:

The pump rests in the water (about 3 inches below the surface), on the right side of the pump (facing it) is the inlet that draws water in. That inlet attaches to a "face plate" of sorts that is removable by turning it to remove it, I assume for cleaning. Right at the edges where that inlet face plate meets the main housing of the case is where the pump suddenly started spewing a microbubble storm today. Not just a fine spray, a HUGE storm of microbubbles. I have attempted to remove and reseat that inlet face, but to no avail.

It's almost as if the water is being pulled in through the inlet cone, and then forced right back out at the seal behind it. Besides being horribly unsightly, I am sure it is severely limiting the effectiveness of the skimmer.

*sigh*...

10/21/2006, 02:58 PM	#1
mfisher2112 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South Jersey/Cumberland County Posts: 274	Help with a Super Skimmer 125 Ok, so I got my superskimmer in the other day, hooked it up, everything seemed to be ok. Today, I noticed that the pump is spewing microbubbles right out of the front of it where the inlet attaches. Is this a defective seal or something that will correct itself over time? Anyone with experience with these skimmers? Thanks in advance! __________________ If you make something idiot proof, someone will just produce a better idiot... Current Tank Info: 90 AGA mixed reef, 30 gallon FO clown pair, 210 in the works

10/21/2006, 03:01 PM	#2
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	I have the superskimmer 65. Mine just puts out microbubbles at the microbubble difuser box (which doesn't help by the way) lol. Still have some microbubbles there but really not a whole lot. Thats the only place I have microbubbles from the diffuser box dumping back into the water. Maybe where the hose for the air inlet connects to the part that goes in the water, is it on all the way? I don't really know, never had it put bubbles of at the air inlet. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

10/21/2006, 03:02 PM	#3
mfisher2112 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South Jersey/Cumberland County Posts: 274	Thanks nitro. My instinct tells me that there shouldn't be microbubbles spewing from the front of the casing of a pump, but who knows, I'm pretty new and sometimes I'm surprised at how wrong my instincts can be! So far, I'm not impressed with the "micro bubble difuser", but then again, its only been running about 36 hours. __________________ If you make something idiot proof, someone will just produce a better idiot... Current Tank Info: 90 AGA mixed reef, 30 gallon FO clown pair, 210 in the works

10/21/2006, 03:05 PM	#4
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Ya my microbubble difuser sits out of the water just a bit on the top, which I think it should go in all the way under water maybe. I think mine just makes bubbles from hitting the water because it just dumps the water in from up above about a cm up so probably pushing bubbles in. Check the hose, maybe it's not on all the way, don't know, mine never did that I guess. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

10/21/2006, 03:15 PM	#6
mfisher2112 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South Jersey/Cumberland County Posts: 274	At this point in time I have the skimmer off. my tank has run without one up until now, and the only "life" in it besides the rock is the pair of clowns. I have an aquaclear 70 that I have been running up until now that I will continue to maintain until hopefully ESU (aka corallife) gets back to me on replacing or repairing the pump. __________________ If you make something idiot proof, someone will just produce a better idiot... Current Tank Info: 90 AGA mixed reef, 30 gallon FO clown pair, 210 in the works

10/21/2006, 03:14 PM	#5
gabegmonkey Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 413	do you have the valve all the way open? only thing I can think of is that you might still have it closed partway from the break-in period...

10/21/2006, 03:25 PM	#8
Marinemom Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 534	Seems strange that the micro bubbles would be coming from there. I have the same skimmer and there are modifications that can be done to help eliminate the micro bubbles altogather. The diffusser box needs to be slightly above the water surface and the grey sponge the one with the whole in it, should also sit above the water surface and above the top of the diffuser box slightly. The hose that goes to the difusser box should rest just at the surface of this sponge and not unerneath the water surface. You might have to cut it to achieve this. Also the pump for this skimmer should be no more than three inches uner the surface of the water. By doing this you will eliminate a lot of the micro bubbles. Also there is some kind of white sponge thing that sits in the difusser box under the grey sponge. It is completely useless and you can just throw it away. It also causes some of these issues with the micro bubbles. You can replace it with some white poly(I think that is what it is called) which is finer and absorbs the bubbles much better. There are different kinds so make sure to get the fine kind. By doing these simple modifications you will get rid of about 95% of the micro bubbles. I think that if you try this it may also get rid of the problem that you are having too. Remember too that all skimmers have a break in period of 3-7 days before you will see decent skimmate and then the skimmer will be operatinng correctly. Hope this helps. Marinemom