ev180 not producing skimmate

[alten78]

Ive read a number of things with breaking in skimmers and them producing too much foam, but I can't quite get mine to get the foam high enough into the collection cup.

I bought the ev180 used and am using a mag7. The air valve is completely open to make the most foam (at least from what I can tell) and the water level is just at the black box (lack of room in the stand doesn't allow it to get any higher.) Though the tank is 2 months old and only home to a clown and potters angel, i would think this thing should be pulling some sort of skimmate. Right now the foam does get fairly thick about 1/2-3/4 the way up the clear tube and I do clean off some pretty nasty stuff off of it every couple of days.

Is there much of a break in period for a used one? its been running for almost 3 weeks now. Any suggestions are welcomed.

[Andrew]

It should be broke in but if you don't have a huge bio-load, you'll not going to get a lot skimmate. What size of tank are you using it on?

[alten78]

its on a 75. I tried swapping out pumps as well, I use a mag9.5 for my return, but all that really did for me was raise the water level too high in the clear tower tube (with the gate valve completely open.)

I thought maybe not having alot of bioload was the reason, but I do tend to overfeed so I figured there is plenty to skim. I don't know if it makes a difference but this model isn't one of the newer ones with the JG fittings on it.

[old95er]

I have the EV180 with a mag7 on a 120 that is just started. . .VERY light bioload:

Carpet Anemone
LTA Anemone
zooanthids
star polyps
bluechin trigger
percula clown
flame hawk
pacific blue tang
bullet goby
various inverts

I clean the collection cup once a week, and only get about an inch of dark brown liquid. I have a tube going from the drain on the cup to a 5 gallon bucket (just in case) and there has only been a few drops of that same dark liquid in in each week.

Make sure the drain line is not blocked as it is very sensitive to back pressure.

[Rizing]

by chance are you a smoker or does smoking go on in the room?

"and the water level is just at the black box (lack of room in the stand doesn't allow it to get any higher.)"

is this the water inside the skimmer or is the skimmer sitting in the sump with the gate valve submerged?

also you should close the air off about half to get fine bubbles.. maybe even 3/4. probably feeding it too much air

[alten78]

Thanks for the responses, man its hard reading and replying to these boards on a blackberry while I work

Yes the skimmer is in the sump with the gate valve above the waterline. The air valve is also open so I will try to close that some as well. There is no smoking in the house unless I burn dinner.

[Tennsquire]

Putting a Mag 9.5 on my EV-180 was like going from night to day--huge difference. I also put a valve between the pump and the skimmer to better control the water level, and have to choak the air input back, but it foams (and skims) much better now.

[chris4869]

Alten,
Does your EV180 come with a John Guest Speedfit fitting? If yours has it and you're not using it, then you MUST plug it up. They sell a plug for that, but most people use an air tube and tie one end shut, and the other end plug into the Speedfit fitting.

You should close the air valve until you see small bubbles in the foam tower. Opening it up all the way, as recommended in the manual, will produce big bubbles, and that is a bad thing. You have a Mag7, so tuning it will almost be next to impossible, with only mediocre result.

My best advice for you is to save your Mag7 for something else and get a stronger pump. The Mag7 doesn't produce enough pressure for the EV180. Get a Mag9.5 like Tennsquire, or an Eheim 1262 (this pump rocks!). Once you upgrade the pump, get ready to empty the collection cup, because it fills up fast.

The latest thing people are doing is changing out the 3/4" injector for a 1" injector ($10 from AquaC).

Check out the link for some great tips from the AquaC users: AquaC Club

Good luck!

[Chris Witort]

Try unscrewing the injector where the water enters the mixing box and checking for debris in the crimped end of the injector! Little snails rocks etc will kill the injectors ability to build a foam head. This happens all the time on the aqua c skimmers due to the injector design.

[alten78]

Thanks for all of the tips, ill try damn near all of them.

Perhaps ill try swapping pumps again, but put a valve before the skimmer as suggested. Right now I have a mag9.5 on my return but even that is throttled back quite a bit cuz of too much flow in the sump.

Ill make sure to check the injector as well, I bought it used so it may very well be blocked.

Looking at the manual online only made me to believe more that the air valve shouldve been left full open, glad yall corrected me on that one.

Thanks!

[Chris Witort]

Try mine first, if there is "stuff' in the injector that may solve everything. Well everything with the skimmer that is.

[chris4869]

Alten,
If you have a Speedfit fitting on your EV180 and you're not using it then you MUST plug it up with a plug or an airline tube (seal one end). You're letting in too much air if it's open.

I really think you should upgrade your Mag7 to something stronger like a Mag9.5 or Eheim 1262. I ran mine with a Mag7 for a year and I was really disappointed. It took weeks to fill up the collection cup. With an Eheim 1262 pump, it takes about a day.

You should adjust your air valve until you see small bubbles in the foam tower. Don't leave your air valve completely open as suggested by the manual. My air valve points to the 7 or 8 o'clock position.

Check out the AquaC club for some great tips: AquaC Club

Good luck!

[chris4869]

Opps. sorry double post

[alten78]

excellent, as soon as i get a valve i will try swapping pumps again. And ill check the injector for any clogage. Chris, Mine does not have the JG fitting...now to have my morning coffee and get a movin. Thanks for all the help!

[Chris Witort]

Okay, I'm not talking about the John guest fittings. Your skimmer will have two or three fittings on the top of the mixing box. One is a fitting to attach a tube where top off kalk or calcium can be introduced, the other is a valve that allows an ajustable flow of air to enter the mixing box (this will also get clogged over time with salt deposits, unscrew it and clean it out). Yours appears to have two fittings. The black fitting where the hose from the pump connects to the skimmer is the one that needs to be checked. Once unscrewed you will see that it has a clear nozzle that is pinched on four sides this makes the water spray into the mixing box creating the bubbles, if there is anything clogging this nozzle the skimmer simply won't work. I have found all manner of things in it from a prized little fish that went into the sump and was sucked into the pump, to small snails, little pieces of rock, etc. Anytime the skimmer quit producing thats the first thing to check.

[alten78]

cool, i did check it and it was clear. finally went to home depot and got a ball valve, swapped the mag9.5 and stuck the mag7 on my return. So far it seems to be working better, ill let it go for awhile before attempting to fine tune it.

Thanks for everyones help!