skimmer diagnosis

geomarq · 01/01/2013, 12:19 PM

She stopped making the fine bubbles, can't figure out why. I took it apart, see no cracks anywhere, replaced the air valve tuner thing, and all I can get are these big bubbles pictured.
Any thoughts on the issue?

r-balljunkie · 01/01/2013, 03:56 PM

impeller might be running backwards. did you give it time to re-break in?

markaren · 01/01/2013, 04:03 PM

Does that one use an air pump?

billyzbear · 01/01/2013, 05:14 PM

From the pic it looks like a munzi type. In pic the little white tube is the air inlet. That needs to be out of the water. If that doesn't do it then you'll have to clean injector, you may have salt creep in it.
You could have it on backwards. Do you hear good suction from air tube?
Also looks like it's in the sink, it will not foam in freshwater.
Really old school, you could put a nice needle wheel pump on it and it would work better.

geomarq · 01/01/2013, 05:21 PM

I cleaned out everything very well w/ hot water and vinegar. I obviously run the air breather out of the water. There's something else wrong that I'm missing.

sirreal63 · 01/01/2013, 05:29 PM

Are you running it in salt water or fresh?

reefgeezer · 01/01/2013, 05:30 PM

The venturi requires high flow. Is your input pump working properly?

billyzbear · 01/01/2013, 06:59 PM

Try blowing air in the intake tube. Does it seem restricted? Sometimes salt creep needs a poke from a tiny screw driver to get off. What pump are you using to drive it?
How does the story go? It was working then all of a sudden stopped?

billyzbear · 01/01/2013, 08:31 PM

Just to be clear from before, you could have the injector on backwards.

01/01/2013, 12:19 PM	#1
geomarq Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South Windsor, CT Posts: 221	skimmer diagnosis She stopped making the fine bubbles, can't figure out why. I took it apart, see no cracks anywhere, replaced the air valve tuner thing, and all I can get are these big bubbles pictured. Any thoughts on the issue? __________________ - george Current Tank Info: 350g system, 14g biocube, 2.5g glow fish

01/01/2013, 03:56 PM	#2
r-balljunkie Registered Reefer Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Doha, Qatar Posts: 2,059	impeller might be running backwards. did you give it time to re-break in? __________________ ▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀▄▀ 58G Oceanic Illuminata rimless with GH overflow , Mazarra LED x 3, Tunze 6095 x 2, Eheim 1260, BM-180 skimmer, TLF reactors, Apex LT .

01/01/2013, 04:03 PM	#3
markaren Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Clermont ,Florida Posts: 634	Does that one use an air pump? __________________ Mark Current Tank Info: Oceanic 76G Half Circle/XP2000SSS/MP40Wes/Radion Gen1, Tunze Osmolator ATO...Maturing Stage

01/01/2013, 05:21 PM	#5
geomarq Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South Windsor, CT Posts: 221	I cleaned out everything very well w/ hot water and vinegar. I obviously run the air breather out of the water. There's something else wrong that I'm missing. __________________ - george Current Tank Info: 350g system, 14g biocube, 2.5g glow fish

01/01/2013, 05:29 PM	#6
sirreal63 Go Spurs Go!!! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Meadowlakes Texas Posts: 13,357	Are you running it in salt water or fresh? __________________ Jack No One has ever been seriously injured by using the search function. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency. Current Tank Info: Reefing the Pentagon.

01/01/2013, 05:14 PM	#4
billyzbear Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,104	From the pic it looks like a munzi type. In pic the little white tube is the air inlet. That needs to be out of the water. If that doesn't do it then you'll have to clean injector, you may have salt creep in it. You could have it on backwards. Do you hear good suction from air tube? Also looks like it's in the sink, it will not foam in freshwater. Really old school, you could put a nice needle wheel pump on it and it would work better.

01/01/2013, 05:30 PM	#7
reefgeezer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Wichita KS Posts: 2,621	The venturi requires high flow. Is your input pump working properly? __________________ John, Current Tank Info: In-process, 90 Gallon SPS Reef

01/01/2013, 06:59 PM	#8
billyzbear Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,104	Try blowing air in the intake tube. Does it seem restricted? Sometimes salt creep needs a poke from a tiny screw driver to get off. What pump are you using to drive it? How does the story go? It was working then all of a sudden stopped?

01/01/2013, 08:31 PM	#9
billyzbear Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 2,104	Just to be clear from before, you could have the injector on backwards.