Help! I need some info on my remora pro

[laurajrc]

I just installed my remora pro with a mag 3 pump tonight. I got it with a hole in the collection cup and a spiggot to attach a hose to a bottle for overflow. It filled the bottle with water in less than an hour. I had to put the hose in the tank until I can contact customer service . The bottle had no foam nor scum; just salt water. Can anyone tell me if they have had similar problems and how they solved them? I know it has to work a couple days before it begins working correctly but I never imagined that I would have a 2 liter bottle fill up in 45 minutes! Help!

[bluetang66]

I've never owned a remora before but it sounds like you need to skim drier, move the collection cup up and see if this helps.

[MAMGM]

Move the cup up higher. The skimmer has to go thru a break in period. This can take a few weeks. Gradually lower it untill it stops filling up so quickly

[Chiefsurfer]

are there bubbles at all? What kind of flow is that mag3 rated at? Maybe too much strength in the pump to work properly?

[Percula9]

I would get rid of it and get a good skimmer. Is it in sump or hang on?

[laurajrc]

getting rid of it isn't an option so I need to find out how to work with it; I have a mag 3 pump; there are lots of bubbles flowing up through the system; kinda foamy but not collecting foam since I have the overflow hose back in the tank since it keeps filling up the two liter

[Chiefsurfer]

yeah, that's gonna be break-in period. Let it drain to the tank for a few days, then try raising the cup to get it adjusted. Not sure if that's how yours changes from dry to wet, but some do. Others change the height of the water inside, by adjusting the resistance of outflow water. I think the remora cup moves up and down.

[Lateralus]

Put the O ring lower on the cup so that the bottom of the tube is barely touching any bubbles in the skimmer. I myself wasnt happy with the mag 3 version because of all the bubbles going back into the tank plus how loud that pump was but you can cut down on some of the bubbles goin back into the tank by rubberbanding a sponge to the return area so that the water passes over the sponge. It didnt totally fix it but cut them down alot. I ended up downsizing to a maxi jet 1200. Hardly no bubbles and alot quieter.

[laurajrc]

well, I put the hose into the tank overnight and I woke up to brown algae all over the tank and rocks; I then put the hose back into the bottle on the outside of the tank and within 20 min., my bottle was overflowing and now I have a wet surface underneath this massively heavy tank....****! Do I need to drain the tank and dry underneath or will the water evaporate and just leave the salt? I have my tank resting on some thin foam so that the tank was evenly distributed. My salt water tank is beginning to turn into a nightmare. I only have sand and rock for over a month and over 1,000 invested in this little bit and I feel like throwing the damn thing in the trash. Can someone please help me with some good advice without stating that I need to buy something else? My money is limited and I invested a lot already that I scrimped and saved for.

[Percula9]

Try a maxijet 1200 pump. The mag 3 is too much pump for that skimmer.

[hillscp]

+1 on the pump size

I have been using that skimmer on my 35 for about 6 years. Mine came with an MJ 1200. See if you can get the vendor to downsize the pump or borrow one for a while. If not you can get one for about $25 on line.

About the only thing you can do right now is raise the cup as much as possible with the o-ring adjustment. If it is dumping that much water you might consider turning it off until you can fix the pump situation. My guess is that the water in your tank has a lot of stuff to skim out right now and that is making the skimmer crazy. The mag 3 might work OK once the water cleans up a bit and the skimmer breaks in (just my .02)

[ritter6788]

I have the exact same model except without the drain hole. You just need to wait it out. Raise the cup up as high as it will go to get the driest skimmate. I would plug the drain hole in some way so you won't lose so much water. Just let the cup fill up and dump it about once a day for now. Mine took about a week to settle down but it works great now. It's annoying at 1st but it's a good skimmer once it breaks in.

[laurajrc]

I will raise it up higher and hopefully, aqua c will give me something to plug the hole right now....I am just sick about it. Do you think I need to drain this tank and get the bits of water that leaked underneath or will it evaporate under the foam?

[shred5]

Woo wait a minuite.. A maxi 1200 is for the remora not a remora pro, Pro requires a Rio 1400 or Mag Drive 3 pump. Your pump is fine.

That said you may need to raise the cup for a while and plug the over flow.. Also you may have something in your water causing this to happen. It can happen when you use epoxy or some additives. Run some carbon and polyfilters for a bit.

Dave Polzin

[laurajrc]

Hi Dave,
I have only had live sand and rock and water in my tank for a month...nothing added or any epoxy. I do know from reading that the mag 3 is the right pump for the remora pro but I keep getting all this white foam in the tank and like a waterfall into the collection cup. I'm afraid if I plug the hole, it will overflow in the cup too. Will it?

[laurajrc]

also, can I put a clean up crew in my tank even though I'm waiting for this darn remora to start working? I have brown algae all over the place.

[shred5]

Originally Posted by laurajrc

Hi Dave,
I have only had live sand and rock and water in my tank for a month...nothing added or any epoxy. I do know from reading that the mag 3 is the right pump for the remora pro but I keep getting all this white foam in the tank and like a waterfall into the collection cup. I'm afraid if I plug the hole, it will overflow in the cup too. Will it?

It should not overflow from the cup.. The skimmer neck is lower than the top of the cup so the water should just fall back down the neck into the skimmer with the top on. I have had a skimmer where the foam pushed the top off though so you may want to watch it. .

White foam in the tank? You mean bubbles from the skimmer? Again this is normal with pretty much any skimmer you buy till they break in.

You may try email aquac and they he can help you out. http://www.proteinskimmer.com/
They have very good customer support.

Dave Polzin

[shred5]

Originally Posted by laurajrc

also, can I put a clean up crew in my tank even though I'm waiting for this darn remora to start working? I have brown algae all over the place.

Depends at what point you tank is init cycle. If there is ammonia or nitrite I would not. Algae is normal at this point to... Remember patiences, It can take several months to cycle and several more to fully cycle.
Dave Polzin

[laurajrc]

okay, thanks; I'll get the water tested...it jsut really stinks right now in the room because of the skimmer running

[Aquarist007]

What size is your tank. The Remora Pro might be too big for the tank and you need to downsize to the remora.
Raising the cup will help

[reefermad619]

I just had a overflow on my 40 gallon tank. All the water went from the back of the stand to the front. The only way to dry this was to breakdown the tank, move it, and vaccum up all the water I could and put big fans on the wet area for 2 days until it was dry. I only lost about 5 gallons of water. I also have carpet, so there was no way this would dry with the tank and stand in place. As for your skimmer, I think the best thing to do would be to add a ball valve to it. Add the valve in between the the skimmer inlet and pump outlet. This way you can taper back 'til breakin is done, then slowly open as time progresses. I had this same problem with my remora pro, same pump too, and this is what I did to fix it. The ball valve should cost less the $10 plus whatever hose and clamps you'll need. Good luck.