New to skimmers...how high should the bubbles be?

Ryand63 · 10/31/2012, 05:14 PM

Just setup my reef octopus bh 90 on my 55 gallon and have some questions. How high should I be aiming for the bubbles to be going up the neck towards the collection cup? How,high do you need it to produce skimmate? Should I turn if off during water changes? See pics for where bubbles are now!

Ryand63 · 10/31/2012, 05:17 PM

Here is the pic...should te bubbles be going lower or higher?

mcgyvr · 10/31/2012, 05:22 PM

Its all trial and error to get the desired skimmate consistency (too wet..lower the level.. none produced..raise the level). Not to mention a new skimmer needs some time to "break in". It looks about right for now.. Just keep watching it.

Ryand63 · 10/31/2012, 05:42 PM

Thanks mcguver. Another question, do micro bubbles actually hurt anything? There is not many but I was just wondering? And do you turn off the skimmer during feeding and water changes?

Palting · 10/31/2012, 05:42 PM

That looks about right for the break-in period. Usually there is an excessive amount of bubbles and a tendency for the cup to overflow until the skimmer develops a biofilm. Just watch it for the next several days. As mcgyver said, raise the level if there is no skim. Wait one day or so between adjustments to give it time to show what the adjustment did as far as skim production, and small adjustments can make big changes.

EDIT. Just saw your next question. Obviously it depends on the amount of Microbubbles. Microbubbles in the DT are more of a cosmetic thing. It is bothersome to look at for some reefers, others don't care. Some claim it decreases the PAR of the lights, increases the salt creep, increases evaporation, etc, etc, etc.

pmark · 10/31/2012, 05:47 PM

Agreed with mcgyvr. Bubbles should be right at the neck and needs time to build a coat of slime to work efficiently. Monitor it for overfilling but do not adjust unless it looks like it will fill up too fast. I turn mine off during WC and empty the collection cup.

Ryand63 · 10/31/2012, 06:10 PM

Thanks guys ill def keep an eye on it for the next week or so. Might be over thinking but should I turn it off while at work during the days? I'd be devastated to come home to a flooded floor in my apt.

bnumair · 10/31/2012, 06:44 PM

right at the base of the neck is a good starting point like advised above.

Ryand63 · 10/31/2012, 06:48 PM

I adjusted so base of the neck is where it starts and it still keeps creeping up! I'm afraid if I leave it over night or while I'm not home it'll over flow. Is this normal? The froth isn't even brown yet it's collecting

Palting · 10/31/2012, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryand63

I adjusted so base of the neck is where it starts and it still keeps creeping up! I'm afraid if I leave it over night or while I'm not home it'll over flow. Is this normal? The froth isn't even brown yet it's collecting

That's a new skimmer trick, keeps creeping up on you

.

Just keep dialing it down every few hours as it creeps up. If you can't keep an eye on it every several hours, just shut it off for now until you can watch it. It will eventually settle down.

PowerNap · 10/31/2012, 07:05 PM

Additionally, the skimmer needs to be in a location thats sees constant level, hence why many build a custom sump with overflows. Learned this the hard way.

Ryand63 · 10/31/2012, 08:25 PM

Yeah I'll think I'll turn if off over night and through work tomorrow,and than run it through the evening tomorrow. Than I'll keep it running all weekend and hopefully it'll be fine than

blur456 · 11/01/2012, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryand63

And do you turn off the skimmer during feeding and water changes?

This is a HOB skimmer right? You'll need to turn it off during water changes if the water level will go below the intake. Otherwise the pump will be sucking air.

I do not turn my hob skimmer off during feelings.

sponger0 · 11/01/2012, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blur456

This is a HOB skimmer right? You'll need to turn it off during water changes if the water level will go below the intake. Otherwise the pump will be sucking air.

I do not turn my hob skimmer off during feelings.

Does your skimmer hurt your feelings? Lmao

MHG · 11/01/2012, 06:27 AM

Be careful as the photo you show does not show a lot of big bubbles and thus when the water gets dirty it will bubble up and over. The ten dance is to adjust for the desired level of dry/wetness to your skimmate. But if you do this when the water is cleaner it will overflow. I suggest you make this adjustment only when the bubbles are big. If when the bubbles are small you get no skim mate than so be it. I did it the other way around and one day the this slowly started overflowing for hours....

10/31/2012, 05:14 PM	#1
Ryand63 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,045	New to skimmers...how high should the bubbles be? Just setup my reef octopus bh 90 on my 55 gallon and have some questions. How high should I be aiming for the bubbles to be going up the neck towards the collection cup? How,high do you need it to produce skimmate? Should I turn if off during water changes? See pics for where bubbles are now! __________________ 55 Gallon FOWLR - BeamsWork 48" LED's w/ Reef Octopus Bh-90 10 Gallon QT

10/31/2012, 05:22 PM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Its all trial and error to get the desired skimmate consistency (too wet..lower the level.. none produced..raise the level). Not to mention a new skimmer needs some time to "break in". It looks about right for now.. Just keep watching it. __________________ Who me?

10/31/2012, 05:42 PM	#4
Ryand63 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,045	Thanks mcguver. Another question, do micro bubbles actually hurt anything? There is not many but I was just wondering? And do you turn off the skimmer during feeding and water changes? __________________ 55 Gallon FOWLR - BeamsWork 48" LED's w/ Reef Octopus Bh-90 10 Gallon QT

10/31/2012, 05:42 PM	#5
Palting Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,912	That looks about right for the break-in period. Usually there is an excessive amount of bubbles and a tendency for the cup to overflow until the skimmer develops a biofilm. Just watch it for the next several days. As mcgyver said, raise the level if there is no skim. Wait one day or so between adjustments to give it time to show what the adjustment did as far as skim production, and small adjustments can make big changes. EDIT. Just saw your next question. Obviously it depends on the amount of Microbubbles. Microbubbles in the DT are more of a cosmetic thing. It is bothersome to look at for some reefers, others don't care. Some claim it decreases the PAR of the lights, increases the salt creep, increases evaporation, etc, etc, etc. __________________ Anything I post is just an opinion. One of many in this hobby. Believe and follow at your own risk of rapid and complete annihilation of all life in your tank :) Current Tank Info: Incept 3/2010, 150 RR, 50g sump, 20g fuge, 150w 15K MH x3, T5 actinics x8, moonlight LED x6, 1400gph return, Koralia 1400 x4, 300 g skimmer, 4 tangs, 2 mandarins, 2 perc, 6 line, 3 cardinals, 2 firefish, SPS, LPS, zoas, palys, shrooms, clam

10/31/2012, 06:10 PM	#7
Ryand63 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,045	Thanks guys ill def keep an eye on it for the next week or so. Might be over thinking but should I turn it off while at work during the days? I'd be devastated to come home to a flooded floor in my apt. __________________ 55 Gallon FOWLR - BeamsWork 48" LED's w/ Reef Octopus Bh-90 10 Gallon QT

10/31/2012, 05:47 PM	#6
pmark Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: NYC Posts: 170	Agreed with mcgyvr. Bubbles should be right at the neck and needs time to build a coat of slime to work efficiently. Monitor it for overfilling but do not adjust unless it looks like it will fill up too fast. I turn mine off during WC and empty the collection cup.

10/31/2012, 06:44 PM	#8
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	right at the base of the neck is a good starting point like advised above. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

10/31/2012, 06:48 PM	#9
Ryand63 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,045	I adjusted so base of the neck is where it starts and it still keeps creeping up! I'm afraid if I leave it over night or while I'm not home it'll over flow. Is this normal? The froth isn't even brown yet it's collecting __________________ 55 Gallon FOWLR - BeamsWork 48" LED's w/ Reef Octopus Bh-90 10 Gallon QT

10/31/2012, 07:05 PM	#11
PowerNap Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Turnersville NJ Posts: 132	Additionally, the skimmer needs to be in a location thats sees constant level, hence why many build a custom sump with overflows. Learned this the hard way. __________________ Engineer Extraordinaire My other aquarium is a corvette. Current Tank Info: 56g column, RKL controler, 2x AI Sol white, custom stand and canopy.

10/31/2012, 08:25 PM	#12
Ryand63 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,045	Yeah I'll think I'll turn if off over night and through work tomorrow,and than run it through the evening tomorrow. Than I'll keep it running all weekend and hopefully it'll be fine than __________________ 55 Gallon FOWLR - BeamsWork 48" LED's w/ Reef Octopus Bh-90 10 Gallon QT

11/01/2012, 06:27 AM	#15
MHG Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,919	Be careful as the photo you show does not show a lot of big bubbles and thus when the water gets dirty it will bubble up and over. The ten dance is to adjust for the desired level of dry/wetness to your skimmate. But if you do this when the water is cleaner it will overflow. I suggest you make this adjustment only when the bubbles are big. If when the bubbles are small you get no skim mate than so be it. I did it the other way around and one day the this slowly started overflowing for hours.... __________________ MHG (LIRA Member) 60G Cube, Kessil 360's