ViaAqua In-Sump Skimmer 2 SK 388 - How to Config ?

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vicky88_nofear

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Hi all ..

As advised by you guys, i bought ViaAqua In-Sump Skimmer 2 SK388, it didn't come with any manual and im wondering how to config it.


  • How high must the water level be in the skimmer ? (i had it near the neck but currently its at half the height of the collection cone)
  • Air-Intake is set to high, is it advisable ?
  • Been running for 3days now and the cup seems to collect only yellow water (lik around 1cm high)
  • will the skimmer take time to perform ?
  • Does the Skimmer's Plastic material got anything to do with the skimming ?

Thanks in Advance ppl..

-vick
 
eish...........to describe is tough, but pics say a thousand words.....I think they not bad skimmers, it's just how you set them up to suit what you want. Right now I am skimming wet, to fight my GHA, also with new fish I am feeding a bit more often.

I think they not too bad, I don't know if I should upgrade, or get a better pump. I think the design of these is excellent especially with the contact chamber.

Here's pics for you.

Water level for the skimmer is about 50mm below where the water goes into the skimmer from the reaction chamber. I think the higher the skimmer, the more air also it draws. The air inlet I have set at open to the max.


21534c6c344212c50.jpg
 
This pic, you see where the top of the bubbles sit (this is after I have just emptied the skimmer)http://www.marineaquariumsa.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=29013, I skim the whole cup of like a black tea every 24 hours. From here now as it starts skimming again the bubbles quickly build up and start to flow over

21534c6c358c91f24.jpg




This pic below, the plastic bottle I have put over to prevent splashing.

To skim wetter or drier you have to raise or lower that pipe that the sponge sits on. For wetter you raise the pipe, for drier you lower it. Under the sponge is the big plastic nut, loosen it and raise the pipe that the sponge sits on.

If you put a cup or jar or pipe over like mine, try to keep it in the same position or it affects the skimming either wetter or drier, and careful it does not fall and block the exit, or that will flood your skimmer. It does help though with splashing and evaporation. Play with it for a week to suit what you want. Also careful when you empty the skimmer cause when you lower it back on you don't want to bump the cup/jar

21534c6c36218306e.jpg
 
I actually thought of replacing the skimmer, but I think I am going to get one of the reef octopus pumps and pimp this skimmer. I was thinking of going DIY for a massive skimmer and most of my ideas came from this type with the reaction chamber. I think this skimmer is far underated, I will most pics of my skimate. I am going to pimp this puppy.
 
thanks for the reply guys.. how long did it take for your skimmer to start skimming with full efficiency ?? my setup is almost the same as Magman's (not the plastic cup tho). But its been running for hardly 4days now and its not yet impressed me to be frank. everything seems to b fine, but the there is hardly 2cms of yellowish water in the cup.

Thanks
 
vicky88_nofear said:
thanks for the reply guys.. how long did it take for your skimmer to start skimming with full efficiency ?? my setup is almost the same as Magman's (not the plastic cup tho). But its been running for hardly 4days now and its not yet impressed me to be frank. everything seems to b fine, but the there is hardly 2cms of yellowish water in the cup.

Thanks
Click to expand...

have you got much of a bioload inthere? Try raise the pipe where the water comes out, this will help it skim more, but the water will be much clearer (wetter), maybe post a few pics.
 
ill post pix soon..

The water level is exactly at the half of the Cone in the collection cup.

ive got "a damsel, a pair of perculas , a banana wrasse & a coral beauty angel".. its a bare bottom tank and just a bowl of sand of the Wrasse to borrow. Is this much of a bio load ?

my Tank is 36"x18"x24" in Dimensions.
 
vicky88_nofear said:
ill post pix soon..

The water level is exactly at the half of the Cone in the collection cup.
ive got "a damsel, a pair of perculas , a banana wrasse & a coral beauty angel".. its a bare bottom tank and just a bowl of sand of the Wrasse to borrow. Is this much of a bio load ?

my Tank is 36"x18"x24" in Dimensions.
Click to expand...

Is that the water level where the skimmer sits in the water, or is it the water level where the bubbles reach? If it is the level the bubbles sit at, then maybe raise the pipe slightly.

If that is the level where the skimmer sits in the water, then you flooding it, and you have to raise it.

Try compare water level to my pics.
 
What pump is on at the moment? I had one a while couple years back with the Via Aqua pump and it worked great. The new one come with the Atman needle wheel pump, suppose to work well. Play around with the adjustments and see what happens.
 
Ive got the same skimmer but running the water level much higher.

I have added an airpump with tubing running directly into the intake of the pump and added enkamat to the paddle wheel that it comes with I dont get a lot of skimmate but it certainly is thick black crud. but I suppose that this is due to the fact that I am skimming really dry with the bubble level sitting about 1cm from the bottom of the riser tube
 
Suhayl said:
What pump is on at the moment? I had one a while couple years back with the Via Aqua pump and it worked great. The new one come with the Atman needle wheel pump, suppose to work well. Play around with the adjustments and see what happens.
Click to expand...

Mine has got a needle wheel, but I think I am definatly going to put a reef octo pump on.

SaltyReef said:
Ive got the same skimmer but running the water level much higher.

I have added an airpump with tubing running directly into the intake of the pump and added enkamat to the paddle wheel that it comes with I dont get a lot of skimmate but it certainly is thick black crud. but I suppose that this is due to the fact that I am skimming really dry with the bubble level sitting about 1cm from the bottom of the riser tube
Click to expand...

You happy with it?
 
the water level in my skimmer chamber is 6.5" Magman, My setup is almost the same as yours, again how long frm the day of instillation did ur skimmer take to start skimming the way its skimming now ??
 
vicky88_nofear said:
the water level in my skimmer chamber is 6.5" Magman, My setup is almost the same as yours, again how long frm the day of instillation did ur skimmer take to start skimming the way its skimming now ??
Click to expand...

If you got it set to run dry, it takes a bit longer, but it should start foaming at the top of the cone in about two or three hours after you emptied it, mine I am running wet, and within 20 minutes it's skimming again.

If it is taking longer than say 2-3hrs for it to be bubbling over the end of the cone, then you got it set too dry. Please post maybe one or two photo's and I will see if we can help.
 
Its been 2 weeks now and the skimmer has just started to foam.. Does this gotta do anything with the Break-in period ?

sorry i could not click pix as my cam broke down.. but ill try n take few asap.
 
vicky88_nofear said:
Its been 2 weeks now and the skimmer has just started to foam.. Does this gotta do anything with the Break-in period ?

sorry i could not click pix as my cam broke down.. but ill try n take few asap.
Click to expand...

Maybe a break in period, mine did not break in. But why do you say foam, sorry but I don't know why it would need to break in.
 
Guys.. i found a O Ring in my skimmer chamber, looks lik it fell off the skimmer or i forgot to fix it properly.. i dont know where it goes too ! please help me out fix it, my skimmer is not doing good from the time i fixed it. NOT AT ALL IMPRESSIVE. i hope this O RING is the solution for my problem

O Ring is 1 inch in Dia.. which part of the skimmer should it go to ?


-Thanks
 
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