my etss skimmer won't foam

freetareef · 11/13/2008, 09:18 AM

i have a etss skimmer that won't foam up. it is the 800 i think... i'm running the right pump an iwalki 55... the twin towers are full to the top with bio balls... i tried it with them half full too... the water line is at the top of the box... i just have no idea about this skimmer please help...

sailfintang · 11/13/2008, 09:48 AM

First off the skimmer comes with a preset amount of bio balls. Only use that amount for each tower.

Second the downdraft skimmer will not always produce a skimmate like needle wheel or mesh mod skimmers. These down draft skimmersw can take a week to two weeks to kick in befor they start skimming when brand new. You only need to make very small adjustments on the gate valve then wait a few hours before making any other adjustments. You dont want a flood on your floor.

If the water line is at the top of the box just wait and it will start skimming. If you have further questions about the skimer you may want to contact Gary at ETSS. HTH

freetareef · 11/13/2008, 09:58 AM

there are no bubbles on the water line. is that normal? it was working for a min then when i pluged it back in it was not foaming.

fishysteve · 11/13/2008, 10:52 AM

How long have you had it running?
Why do you only have the box filled?

freetareef · 11/13/2008, 11:37 AM

about 8 hrs now. i made sure there was 22 balls in each tower... and now i'm setting the water line 1 inch up from the sump just as the manual says... guess i just have to wait for it to"kick in"... it said it could take ur to one week...wth!!!!

fishysteve · 11/13/2008, 11:47 AM

When I set mine up it took two days to see some nice mud. Patience.

DarG · 11/13/2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by freetareef
about 8 hrs now. i made sure there was 22 balls in each tower... and now i'm setting the water line 1 inch up from the sump just as the manual says... guess i just have to wait for it to"kick in"... it said it could take ur to one week...wth!!!!

It probably wont take a week if the tank is established or atleast has LR and some fish but it could take a day or two or more. Be careful with raising water level, try to be patient. They have a tendency to overskim (mine did anyway) when they are breaking in so you want to be very conservative with raising water level through the break in period. My downdrafts took over a week before they started to get really stable in terms of not being as finicky about overskimming. I found them to be the most unstable or inconsistent during break-in of any skimmer I have had. They would just start overskimming during break in period. So stay patient regarding raising the water level and be prepared to lower it if you experience overskimming for the first week or two. It will skim, just give it some time.

freetareef · 11/13/2008, 12:44 PM

ok i will... it just looks like it will never work... as in there is just nwater flowing through it... no bubbles, is this normal? there are hose barbs on the top of the towers... do i just leave these open? alls i did is turn the pump on. this is right? thanks for all the help

fishysteve · 11/13/2008, 12:50 PM

You don't need to do anything with the air intakes.

freetareef · 11/13/2008, 01:32 PM

ok there is a small head of foam now... thanks a lot and i'll keep the thread updated through the day. thanks for all your help guys, this skimmer is so different then all the others i've had.

fishysteve · 11/13/2008, 02:43 PM

Yeah, you don't have to fiddle with them to make them work.

fishysteve · 11/14/2008, 09:34 AM

How's it doing today?

freetareef · 11/14/2008, 12:38 PM

it has a light fluffy looking head of foam up to the middle of the riser tube now. so i'm thinking i will be impressed with this skimmer in a bit cause i watched some youtube videos of some etss skimmers and they were ripping it up...but for now it is like an old guy trying to hobble up the stairs.....

fishysteve · 11/14/2008, 12:43 PM

I think you'll like it. My 800 pulls out some nice mud.

sailfintang · 11/14/2008, 02:04 PM

these things are supper efficient once they tune in, its just that waiting period that sucks. remember make small adjustments if you want a wetter or dryer skim.

glad it is up and running finally for you. you will see clearer water and lower po4 values once this thing starts spitting.

freetareef · 11/17/2008, 01:26 AM

all right i have foam all the way to the top and in one side of the cup, but it is like soap bubbles. so still waiting. i keep the water lvl at about one inch above the black sump. i heard they are great when they kick in.

freetareef · 11/20/2008, 06:00 AM

ok still nothing but soap bubbles. there is nothing but 1/2 bubbles poping every few secs. i'm very sure this is not right. the only thing i can think of is that the plumbing sucks. there must not be enough pressure because of the bends in the pvc or something.

sailfintang · 11/20/2008, 07:29 AM

Are all your PVC plumbed with 90 degree angles? If you are feeding with soft plumbing tubing it should be braided to eliminate the posibility of kinks in the line? How muh head do you have from the pump to the skimmer? Also how is the return set up to your sump from the skimmer?

some photos may help us here.

11/13/2008, 09:18 AM	#1
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	my etss skimmer won't foam i have a etss skimmer that won't foam up. it is the 800 i think... i'm running the right pump an iwalki 55... the twin towers are full to the top with bio balls... i tried it with them half full too... the water line is at the top of the box... i just have no idea about this skimmer please help...

11/13/2008, 10:52 AM	#4
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	How long have you had it running? Why do you only have the box filled? __________________ On a break

11/13/2008, 11:47 AM	#6
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	When I set mine up it took two days to see some nice mud. Patience. __________________ On a break

11/13/2008, 12:50 PM	#9
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	You don't need to do anything with the air intakes. __________________ On a break

11/13/2008, 02:43 PM	#11
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	Yeah, you don't have to fiddle with them to make them work. __________________ On a break

11/13/2008, 09:48 AM	#2
sailfintang Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Balt. MD Posts: 788	First off the skimmer comes with a preset amount of bio balls. Only use that amount for each tower. Second the downdraft skimmer will not always produce a skimmate like needle wheel or mesh mod skimmers. These down draft skimmersw can take a week to two weeks to kick in befor they start skimming when brand new. You only need to make very small adjustments on the gate valve then wait a few hours before making any other adjustments. You dont want a flood on your floor. If the water line is at the top of the box just wait and it will start skimming. If you have further questions about the skimer you may want to contact Gary at ETSS. HTH

11/13/2008, 09:58 AM	#3
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	there are no bubbles on the water line. is that normal? it was working for a min then when i pluged it back in it was not foaming.

11/13/2008, 11:37 AM	#5
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	about 8 hrs now. i made sure there was 22 balls in each tower... and now i'm setting the water line 1 inch up from the sump just as the manual says... guess i just have to wait for it to"kick in"... it said it could take ur to one week...wth!!!!

11/13/2008, 12:44 PM	#8
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	ok i will... it just looks like it will never work... as in there is just nwater flowing through it... no bubbles, is this normal? there are hose barbs on the top of the towers... do i just leave these open? alls i did is turn the pump on. this is right? thanks for all the help

11/13/2008, 01:32 PM	#10
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	ok there is a small head of foam now... thanks a lot and i'll keep the thread updated through the day. thanks for all your help guys, this skimmer is so different then all the others i've had.

11/14/2008, 09:34 AM	#12
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	How's it doing today? __________________ On a break

11/14/2008, 12:38 PM	#13
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	it has a light fluffy looking head of foam up to the middle of the riser tube now. so i'm thinking i will be impressed with this skimmer in a bit cause i watched some youtube videos of some etss skimmers and they were ripping it up...but for now it is like an old guy trying to hobble up the stairs.....

11/14/2008, 12:43 PM	#14
fishysteve Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,804	I think you'll like it. My 800 pulls out some nice mud. __________________ On a break

11/14/2008, 02:04 PM	#15
sailfintang Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Balt. MD Posts: 788	these things are supper efficient once they tune in, its just that waiting period that sucks. remember make small adjustments if you want a wetter or dryer skim. glad it is up and running finally for you. you will see clearer water and lower po4 values once this thing starts spitting.

11/17/2008, 01:26 AM	#16
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	all right i have foam all the way to the top and in one side of the cup, but it is like soap bubbles. so still waiting. i keep the water lvl at about one inch above the black sump. i heard they are great when they kick in.

11/20/2008, 06:00 AM	#17
freetareef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Seattle Posts: 442	ok still nothing but soap bubbles. there is nothing but 1/2 bubbles poping every few secs. i'm very sure this is not right. the only thing i can think of is that the plumbing sucks. there must not be enough pressure because of the bends in the pvc or something.

11/20/2008, 07:29 AM	#18
sailfintang Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Balt. MD Posts: 788	Are all your PVC plumbed with 90 degree angles? If you are feeding with soft plumbing tubing it should be braided to eliminate the posibility of kinks in the line? How muh head do you have from the pump to the skimmer? Also how is the return set up to your sump from the skimmer? some photos may help us here.