What is wrong with my skimmer-Vertex Alpha 300

LOTUS50GOD · 07/24/2011, 10:47 AM

OK guys.. I have a good one...

I have a Vertex Alpha 300...
Its set up per the specification (9-10" of water in the sump).
I have a swabbie head cleaner on it.

I have been playing with the adjustments to get the 'perfect skimmate' so its possible and most likely probably that this is ALL my fault...LOL

Yesterday afternoon.. I clean the cup and swabbie so they are like new.
Turn the skimmer back on and the bubbles are rising to where they should be (about 1/2 way up the neck)... Things are good.

Last night.. I look a the skimmer and its producing more skimmate than normal... So I let it run wet. It skims about 10 gallons skim over the night period. No big deal... This is like a mini water change. I add salt and things are okay.. Dont worry about me making my tank a fresh water tank, my APEX emails me when the switch in the skimmate bucket gets tripped and turns off the skimmer. Then it turns on a pump to pump the skim out of the container.

. After 60 min it turns everything back on. So I know EXACTLY how much water I lost last night.

But here is the kicker... Now (without touching the standpipe on the skimmer) the bubble level is 5-6" below the neck of the skimmer... So the skimmer is doing nothing right now....

I am going to let it run till tonight to see if the water level in the cone raises, but if not then I need to adjust the stand pipe. What I am afraid of is if I adjust the skimmer so the bubbles are going into the neck again, then it makes an adjustment then it will skim REALLY wet and I have to adjust again...

Advice?

07/24/2011, 10:47 AM	#1
LOTUS50GOD Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 3,210	What is wrong with my skimmer-Vertex Alpha 300 OK guys.. I have a good one... I have a Vertex Alpha 300... Its set up per the specification (9-10" of water in the sump). I have a swabbie head cleaner on it. I have been playing with the adjustments to get the 'perfect skimmate' so its possible and most likely probably that this is ALL my fault...LOL Yesterday afternoon.. I clean the cup and swabbie so they are like new. Turn the skimmer back on and the bubbles are rising to where they should be (about 1/2 way up the neck)... Things are good. Last night.. I look a the skimmer and its producing more skimmate than normal... So I let it run wet. It skims about 10 gallons skim over the night period. No big deal... This is like a mini water change. I add salt and things are okay.. Dont worry about me making my tank a fresh water tank, my APEX emails me when the switch in the skimmate bucket gets tripped and turns off the skimmer. Then it turns on a pump to pump the skim out of the container. . After 60 min it turns everything back on. So I know EXACTLY how much water I lost last night. But here is the kicker... Now (without touching the standpipe on the skimmer) the bubble level is 5-6" below the neck of the skimmer... So the skimmer is doing nothing right now.... I am going to let it run till tonight to see if the water level in the cone raises, but if not then I need to adjust the stand pipe. What I am afraid of is if I adjust the skimmer so the bubbles are going into the neck again, then it makes an adjustment then it will skim REALLY wet and I have to adjust again... Advice? __________________ Vertex Alpha 300 Skimmer, AI SOL Blue, Neptune Apex Controlled 360 gallon Reef Current Tank Info: born 6/26/2008- 340 reef + 100 fuge, 300lbs of figi LR

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