New skimmer to me...

Waterman808 · Aug 20, 2011

So I just bought a four month old Aquamaxx HOB for my JBJ hqi 28 gallon and it has been on my tank for about 36 hours and my skimmate is clear, before installing the skimmer I did a 5 gallon water change. Is my water too clean to not produce any skimmate? Also every few seconds a pocket of bubbles comes out the intake and producing microbubbles in my tank. Is all of this normal?

there's my skimmate. Here are a few photos of my frags...

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Reefltx · Aug 21, 2011

Looks like you are skimming too wet, can you adjust it?

Tab28 · Aug 21, 2011

I looked up your skimmer model and there are 2 things. It can not be in water more than 10 inches. The second there is a control valve on the side that will allow you to adjust the water height in the chamber. Your water height is too high you will nit get foaming.

Waterman808 · Aug 21, 2011

Could you please point me in the direction of where this valve is because I don't see it on the manual I downloaded...

Waterman808 · Aug 22, 2011

Still not getting any gross skimmate, what the heck?

pumarjr · Aug 22, 2011

it takes time to work, give it a week or so. turn the bubbles down until they only come up the cone about halfway, your skimming too wet and are impatient, give it time, it needs to build a slime coat, once that's done, the micro bubbles will cease as well. just give it time, set it so that it's not producing wet skimmate and it should be fine, but until it sets up, it will not produce anything worth while.

Tab28 · Aug 22, 2011

You have too much water in the chamber. You will have alot of waste. If your particular model has no water height control and is only maintained by the waste cup height. Is the pump on the unit the stock pump? It seems it us getting too much water. Can you control the amount of water entering the skimmer. I has to close off some if my strainer holes of the pump intake. Because of the height of the sump water level.

Waterman808 · Aug 22, 2011

Could I pinch the yellow airline to slow down the bubbles? I have the collection cup as high as it can go and still get wet clear skimmate. It's like I go to bed with nothing bubbling in the collection tube and then when I wake up it's full of clear tank water.

Gitsoe · Aug 22, 2011

Waterman808 said:
Could I pinch the yellow airline to slow down the bubbles? I have the collection cup as high as it can go and still get wet clear skimmate. It's like I go to bed with nothing bubbling in the collection tube and then when I wake up it's full of clear tank water.

like what other people are saying you do have to give it time to break in but it shouldn't be overflowing with water .

I wouldn't pinch it seems like you don't have enough fine bubbles!
did you install it like it was shown in the video on YouTube?
is the pump adjustable? do you see a nob? or a lever? in the picture on the website it shows a clear cylinder on the pump, can you turn that ?
try adding a spacer on the hanging part to raise it up, try to raise it up a couple inches and wait a day.

Tab28 · Aug 23, 2011

I agree the air bubbles are more important. I still thing the issue is too high water level. Skimmers do have a break in period but you have too high water level. During the break in period you should not be emptying clear water if that amount from the cup unless your water level is too high. If you have the intake in the center chamber the water level may be too high. The water into the chamber is not needing what is exiting. Be sure the exit port is not blocked. The chambers on the jbj are narrow. If you have an elbow on the end of your exit tube the water exiting may be restricted. You may hVe to twist it so the flow is not hampered. If that is not is not the case you will have to restrict the amount entering the chamber. You can try moving the intake into s chamber if a lower water level or try to close off some if the entrance strainer. They are normally a few inches long.

Waterman808 · Aug 23, 2011

"For best results, the level of water inside the tank should not be below the hanger more than 4
inches." So for those of you who have a jbj 28 gallon, do I need to get a longer/shorter inlet pipe?

Tab28 · Aug 24, 2011

I do not think the inlet pipe length would correct the amount of water inside the chamber. The outlet size and location would. Since that maintains the water level. You need to find away to raise the skimmer body or lower the water level where the outlet is to meet that height or restrict the amount of water entering the chamber body. On jbj there are 5 chambers in the back only the two on the end or normally lower. But that can vary if you have a full tank.

Gitsoe · Aug 24, 2011

I know on my reef octopus if I plug the the air intake water rises and over flows so see if your restricting any air intake

Waterman808 · Aug 26, 2011

Took everything apart and cleaned with warm water and still not getting any skimmate...

Gitsoe · Aug 27, 2011

call and return i think

Tab28 · Aug 27, 2011

Gitsoe said:
call and return i think

It may be a skimmer that will not work with a jbj nano. I have been trying to find one that works with mine for years snd u an in my 4th. Either they are too big, leak, or you have to remove the center filter basket. From what I read on line the model has no water level gauge and the exit port of the skimmer is not really designed for the narrow chamber of the jbj. The intake of water is greater than the exit of the water. So if you want to use that skimmer you will have to find a way to slow the intake of water or lower the water level of the exit. If the jbj chambers in the back are high with water than the water exiting the skimmer will be hampered. If you are able to temporarily place the skimmer the normal way. By opening the top snd placing the skimmer intake and exit inside the actual tank and it works. Than it is not skimmer just how is used on a jbj.