AquaC skimmer not skimming

[Dmitry]

I'm using an AquaC Urchin Pro skimmer in my sump. Haven't had it for very long. It came with a Rio 1400. Over the last few weeks it has been skimming very little. The cup is all the way on the bottom and there's very little skimmate coming in. Any ideas why this might happen? I've cleaned the pump and the tube, but that hasn't yielded improved results. I'm thinking perhaps of replacing the pump altogether? Any recommendations? The skimmer is advertised as working with either a Rio 1400 or Mag Drive 3. Would the Mag Drive be better? Or something else?

 

[Craig]

I've got the same skimmer with a mag3 and it skims like a monster. are you hose connections leaking? have you added any h2o conditioners? is the oring around your cup in 1 piece or any cracks?

 

[House of Laughter]

Mag drive 3 makes that skim like a champ - I had that on my 90g bowfront - and it worked fine -

If it's not skimming, I would take it out, soak it in vinegar, remove the venturi screw and scrub uot the injector with the provided brush and upgrade to the mag3. Make sure you have the rubber gasket for the collection cup if you upgrade cause I flooded my house when I upgraded to the mag 3. Bottom line, make sure you can adjust the skimmate output and have a saftey for the drain of the cup.

House

 

[Dmitry]

Mag 3 it is! I think if the cup overfloweth it'll go back into the tank...which is disgusting (and dangerous?), but it shouldn't flood the house. :irked:

 

[Dmitry]

How's this one?

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=DN1121


Or are there better deals?

 

[alistair]

Maybe your water is just real clean? Whats your bioload and how often do you do water changes?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Maybe your water is just real clean? Whats your bioload and how often do you do water changes?

You'd still get skimmate...I have virtually nothing in my tank and its still pulling out skimmate. Got 3/4th's of the cup in 2 days...

 

[House of Laughter]

Alistar, good point - NanoR - anything in the tank is grounds for skimming - even sand and rock - not only fish

D, that's a pretty good price, but some time ago petsmart had free shipping on them.

House

 

[Dmitry]

It should defintitely be skimming. I've got a Yellow Tang, a small Hippo, a Christmas Wrasse, a GSM Clown, a Lion - and a few smaller fish - in there. They're putting on the bioload. I do a water change once a week, but still. My water can't be that clean! (I wish...)

 

[charile1]

How will the rubber gasket (o-ring?) avoid a flood? I would like to avoid any floods if possible.

Mag drive 3 makes that skim like a champ - I had that on my 90g bowfront - and it worked fine -

If it's not skimming, I would take it out, soak it in vinegar, remove the venturi screw and scrub uot the injector with the provided brush and upgrade to the mag3. Make sure you have the rubber gasket for the collection cup if you upgrade cause I flooded my house when I upgraded to the mag 3. Bottom line, make sure you can adjust the skimmate output and have a saftey for the drain of the cup.

House