Help!

[Ladiebuggy]

I have given up with the skimmer. I just can't get it going. I would like to pay someone to come and fix it. If you are interested, pm me please.
Susie

[rude944]

What is the problem with it? Where is the water level? Are there bubbles? How much flow? What kind of skimmer/pump? Send pics.

[Ladiebuggy]

Here is the skimmer. It is a Jebo. There are no bubbles and the water just keeps coming in and it over flows through the top. I am soooo tired of cleaning salt water up off the floor. On a good note, the pump works good
Susie

[impur]

Sounds like the pump is too much for the skimmer, the body needs to be taller. Tried a smaller pump? You could do the bioball mod on a maxijet if need be.

[Ahbrit]

you said it makes no bubble?
Blow as hard as you can through the air intake, see if it gets through. (There maybe a blockage)

[Ladiebuggy]

The pump is a 5200 and the tube is just over 12 inches tall. Should I try a smaller pump?
Susie

[Ahbrit]

Even with a larger pump you should make bubbles (and a mess on your carpet unfortunately)

[Ladiebuggy]

I can blow through the air intake. It is difficult, but I can get air through.
Susie

[impur]

Hmmm if its difficult to just blow into then it does sound like you have a blockage somewhere. Does water exit thru the outlet pipes of the skimmer or just thru the collection cup?

[nu2reef-n]

I'm a little on the slooooooow side.But why don't you put a valve after the pump and dial back the pump a little? See what happens,before you go out and buy a new pump or skimmer.

[Ahbrit]

I agree with the dialing back on the pump. More heat but thats not the issue at this point
This will be hard to do: see if you can run some water through the air intake.....This could release what sounds to me like a blockage. If the skimmer is used, there might be salt/crud buildup. If it's new it could be a manufacturing defect.

[rude944]

Where does air get injected into the unit? Is the skimmer a venturi design or needle wheel (or dare I say air-stone)?

[SeanF]

I just had someone bring one of those things into the shop the other day that they were having a similar problem with. If you make it down this way I am sure I can figure it out but I cannot for the life of me remember what I did to fix the piece of junk. It had something to do with the air intake.

Is there one of those black plastic fittings on the end of the air intake?

I have worked on too many different skimmers here recently.

[Ladiebuggy]

I think I have figured it out!!!! I decided that my greatest frustration was cleaning up all the salt water mess. Even though it is on hard floor, it was still a pain. So, I took the skimmer into the tub and was able to work on tweeeking it without the worry of the draining fish tank and the mess on the floor. I think that the tube was just higher than the skimmer, so it was easier to spill out the top than go out into the tank. It is now working in the tub. I am running to PDX to get medicine for the ich problem, then I will get the skimmer going in the tank.
Susie

[impur]

Good deal. I typically work on my equip outside or in the tub. I have about 2-3 gal of water from the tank in a bucket just in case i need to use it.

Just a note, don't run the skimmer if you will be treating the tank. It will go crazy and guess what, overflow.

[Lowman]

If she is getting the meds from Fanta-seas, you use so little of it that it doesn't affect the skimmer at all.

[Ladiebuggy]

I got the stuff from Fanta-seas. I am really impressed with that shop. Hopefully higher quality food will help my wet beasties. The skimmer is now going in the sump :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) !!!!!!!!
Susie

[Ahbrit]

Run Forrest Run

[Ladiebuggy]

I don't know one skimmer from the next, but after just one day of the skimmer going, this is what I have. The water collection cup is about 1 to 1.5 inches full of grime. My water looks great, a very noticable difference. I am hoping that the algea does not grow as fast, but that may not be a function of the skimmer. Now I just need to wait for the iche to be gone and my aquarium should be a happy flowing bucket of salt. Thanks to everyone that has give lots of advice. It really helps for people such as myself that as new to the hobby.
Susie

[Ladiebuggy]

oops, I forgot the pic, here it is.

[Ahbrit]

Get ready for the smell when you go to empty the cup
sick

[Ladiebuggy]

smell what smell (censored) (hitme) (censored) Oh, that smell.
Susie