Bubble-magus miniQ

[Nemjamin]

Hi I use a bubble-magus miniQ on my Red Sea Max Nano anemone tank. I would like to get some other users input on the skimmer. I'm new to reefing (one year in) and even newer to using a skimmer. So it might be a general skimmer question or it might be specific to the miniQ.

My problem is that I get a short burst of micro bubbles from the return nozzle every so often. I'm wondering if there's any way to correct this or if I just have to live with the bubbles? Otherwise I get minimal bubbles in the display (very few) and the skimmer skims pretty good. The skimmer is set as low as it will go into my filtration area, the water level of the filter area is about two inches below the "water level" sticker. The water level inside the skimmer body is in like with the water level sticker.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Maybe you need to clean the pump, sun it in some fresh water to clean up the calcium build up and salt creep.

 

[Nemjamin]

Maybe you need to clean the pump, sun it in some fresh water to clean up the calcium build up and salt creep.

It was brand new when I started using it 2-3 weeks ago. Maybe it just needs to break in a bit more? The burst of bubbles is just strange. Not sure if the pump can get that dirty in 2-3 weeks

 

[10gNanoTank]

Hi I use a bubble-magus miniQ on my Red Sea Max Nano anemone tank. I would like to get some other users input on the skimmer. I'm new to reefing (one year in) and even newer to using a skimmer. So it might be a general skimmer question or it might be specific to the miniQ.

My problem is that I get a short burst of micro bubbles from the return nozzle every so often. I'm wondering if there's any way to correct this or if I just have to live with the bubbles? Otherwise I get minimal bubbles in the display (very few) and the skimmer skims pretty good. The skimmer is set as low as it will go into my filtration area, the water level of the filter area is about two inches below the "water level" sticker. The water level inside the skimmer body is in like with the water level sticker.

I'm having the exact same issue with this skimmer. I'll be interested to see the advice posted.

 

[Nemjamin]

I'm having the exact same issue with this skimmer. I'll be interested to see the advice posted.

How long you been running it?

 

[10gNanoTank]

How long you been running it?

10 Gallon tank was set up 14 days ago and the skimmer has been set up and running for 7 days.

 

[Nemjamin]

10 Gallon tank was set up 14 days ago and the skimmer has been set up and running for 7 days.

How deep do you have it set in the water?

 

[10gNanoTank]

How deep do you have it set in the water?

I've tried a few different depths but it has been at the water level mark for a few days now.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Most brand new skimmers go crazy for a while, some for 3 weeks and others start skimming right away.

 

[Nemjamin]

Update on the skimmer:

I still see it blow a short burst of bubbles out of the return nozzle, but it seems like it's happening less often... Or maybe I am just missing it when it happens.

Anyways today was an eventful day! For the second time since I've put this nem tank together, my nems have excreted some sort of waste material or they have spawned, not sure which one because I just woke up to a cloudy tank (20 gal cube). In October I witnessed the anemones expell greening blobs which cloudied up my tank to the same point it is now so I can only assume the same thing happened last night. I did a 25% water change first thing in the morning. The few corals I have are opened up but not to their full potential, the nems don't care and are fully opened. As far as the skimmer goes. It did a great job overnight cause I had some serious gunk in the cup this morning. At about 2 pm now I have the same amount of gunk in the cup and I can already see the water becoming more clear. I don't doubt this tiny skimmer will take no more than another 24 hours to clean up the water. Two thumbs up!

I also run a filter socks and carbon.

Attached Is photos of the gunk the skimmer pulled out and the cloudy tank. If anyone has any input on whether or not they **** or spawned please lmk!

 

[Markcw]

Got mine today for £38.99 and im very impressed so far super quite and at 2w will cost very little to run 24hrs a day.
Very well made, the last few hours its been collecting a nice wet gunk, according to instructions can take a few weeks for the skimmer to bed in. Like other hace said cleaning will be interesting.
I do have air trapoed in mine in places so im wondering if i should of completly submerged it to remove air pockets.
I dont want to skim heavy just have it as an extra filter.

 

[Jason Scalise]

I have had the same skimmer running for about 2 weeks now in a 20g IM fusion.
I had some micro bubbles in the DT for the fist 1/2 day or so but that cleared up. I no longer have any micro bubbles.
I did not have what you are describing....a 'short burst' or intermittent bubbles.
Mine is working well so far.

that said there are some other variables to consider.
What chamber is the skimmer in? is it in the same chamber as the return pump? perhaps you dont have any other choice but any bubbles that might otherwise dissipate in a secondary chamber before getting to your return pump may help. In your case, maybe they get sucked right into the return pump before having the chance to dissipate? guessing here as I dont know your exact set up.

Mine is roughly 1/2 way down as far as it will mount (in the water line). then I dialed the water flow to close to 'zero' on mine otherwise it would overflow for me.

but also, skimmers take some time to settle in as a general rule so I would not fret too much in the first couple of weeks.

In my case it settled in very quickly which 1) is not the norm and 2) I was surprised by.

but that was my experience with it so far.
Just this weekend, I added the drain line to the side so it drains into a remote canister which is in the stand below and out of sight.

 

[Nemjamin]

I haven't gotten any bubbles for the past two weeks or so. I think it's safe to say it just needed a break in

 

[notthatkindareefer]

Having this same issue with my mini Q but I have had to place it with about 2-3 inches of space below the recommended water line so that it can drain into a remote canister. Hoping it’s just a phase for the skimmer. How did it end up holding up for you?

 

[Markcw]

My son has a new tank and recently the mini q went bonkers for no reason but then I realised I had added a small amount of pH buffer solution to the tank. So I tried the same again in the main tank which has a BM QQ2 and it also done the same and went bonkers. This explains why some skimmers go mental with water changes as must be the minerals or additives we add.
Both skimmers have now settled down my only issues with the mini Q is you can not clean it properly as it does not come apart were the QQ2 is very easy to clean. But again they are both producing good skim.

 

[asome_one]

Just figured I'd chime in with my 2cents. I've run these skimmers on my tanks for over a year now. I find they do have a lengthy break in period with lots of microbubbles. I've also found that for the first month or two it is necessary to raise the body of the skimmer out a good ways to prevent overflow. After a while, you'll be able to lower it to the proper height and then tweak it with the knob.
I've also never really been able to get a good dry skim with these guys. It's always been wet or nothing at all.
I really wish there was a way to hook an airline up to the air intake so when the pumps turn off in the AIO and the water level rises it doesn't fill up with water and overflow.