Coralife Super Skimmer Flooding On To Floor! – 03/22/08
Dear Crew,
<<Morning, Andy>>
I was hoping you may have heard of a solution for my problem (other than "buy a AquaC or EuroReef" ;-) ).
<<Mmm…but “is” good advice [grin]>>
I have a Coralife Super Skimmer that actually does a pretty good job at collecting dark green skimmate daily. However, one thing about this skimmer that I absolutely HATE is that it is prone to spontaneously go nuts and overflow the collection cup, with water all over my floor.
<<I would hate that too>>
There is no rhyme or reason to this. It will operate great for months and then one day I will come home to find 4 gallons of water on my floor.
<<Yeeikes! Troublesome indeed!>>>>
Tuesday night, I thoroughly cleaned every part of my skimmer. It worked great until last night, when my wife says "Why is there water all over the floor?"
<<Uh-oh>>
I searched WWM and found a post from someone that had the same problem, and Crew directed that he contact the manufacturer. So, I did this but haven't heard back yet.
<<Likely of little help in this situation, as you explain it>>
I'm sure I will hear "refer to page X of the manual. Make sure the bubble diffuser isn't clogged, blah blah blah."
<<Yes…or something even less useful>>
I know that additives can impact the operation of this skimmer,
<<Indeed…especially caustic elements (Kalkwasser) that cause saponification of fatty Esters in the water. And though this can/will increase a skimmer’s efficiency/skimmate output, it ordinarily won’t cause it to flood 4-gallons of water on to the floor. On the other hand, some “liquid coral foods” contain so much of these fatty components and the like that ANY skimmer will “go nuts” for a time.>>
but the only thing I add to my system other than top-off water is ESV B-Ionic 2-part calcium buffer.
<<Hmm…wouldn’t think this to be the problem here>>
I have checked everything, so I know it's this skimmer and not me or the other elements of my system. I was hoping that the Crew might have gotten some updated information about this skimmer in respect of this problem. Maybe it just is the skimmer design and my only real solution is to bite the bullet and get an AquaC.
<<I think it is as you have stated…that the “design” and engineering of the skimmer are likely the problem here. The best skimmers in the world can “flood” under the right circumstances…but a quality product of good design wouldn’t be giving you the headaches you seem to be experiencing…based on the information you have provided. Aside from replacing the skimmer…you could try setting it to produce a less-wet skimmate which may reduce its potential for “accidents.” Another option would be to live with the skimmer’s quirks and modify the skimmer cup for the addition of a drain line to a larger container, if feasible>>
Thanks for any input/thoughts.
Andy
<<Not sure I’ve done any more than maybe confirm what you already knew [grin]. Regards, EricR>>

Coralife Skimmate 1/21/08
Hi guys...
<And gals, hello Chris.>
love the site just like everyone else. I have a 20 gal FOWLR with a Coralife SuperSkimmer 65, 20-25 lbs of live rock, 20 lbs of live sand. Bio
load is; 1-mandarin goby, 1-yellow tail damsel, 1 percula clown and a couple of cleaner shrimp.
<This system is way too small for the mandarin. Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/mandarins.htm >
Anyway, I am having a hard time getting the skimmer adjusted correctly. I am getting about a quarter of a cup of light green-clear skimmate <skimmate> every couple of days. I called the manufacturer thinking it should be more based on what I hear from posts on this site, and they said that my live rock and sand was doing a more than adequate job in breaking down impurities in the water and the skimmer was working fine.
Does this sound correct to you?
<This sounds like a reasonable amount of skimmate given the tank size and bioload. If your nitrate is 0 this tells me your skimmer is likely working fine combined with your feeding regimen and water changes. The idea of the skimmer is to pull out certain compounds before they get broken down.>
My water params are 0 across the board
with ph 8.3 calcium 420-480.
Chris
<Best regards, Scott V.>

Replacement pump for skimmer 10/29/07
I currently have a Corallife Super Skimmer 125 and need to replace the needle pump. My LFS store has an Octopus Model 3000 Turbine Needle Wheel Pump. I was wondering if this would be too much water going through the skimmer. I am fairly new to skimmers and am not sure what pump I should get. Any other recommendations would be appreciated also. Thanks
<<Todd: Usually, it is best to stick with the original pump the manufacturer calls for. If your LFS cannot get a replacement part, if you do a search, you will find replacement parts online. If you don't over feed, your tank can go without a skimmer while you are waiting for a replacement pump. Best of luck, Roy>>

Corallife Skimmer Won't "Skim" - 04/30/07
I am new to the world of saltwater tanks but have worked with freshwater for the past ten years.
<<Some new wonders to discover...just be sure to do your homework [grin]>>
Recently I set up a 155 bow front.
<<Neat>>
I have live rock, live sand and all the necessary equipment but I've run into a slight problem that you can probably help me with.
<<Well let's see>>
I set up a Coralife Super Skimmer on the outside of my wet/dry but for some reason I can't get it working.
<<Can't say as I'm surprised mate...not a great product>>
I've checked the setup with the instructions repeatedly and the pump is fine.  So I was wondering if you had any suggestions for what else could be wrong?
<<Aside from the inherent quality issues, part of the problem may be the placement/position of the skimmer.  I'm thinking the water level in the wet/dry is not "high" enough...try a test run with the skimmer mounted on the display tank itself and see if its performance improves>>
I would greatly appreciate any input because I want to get it working so I can start putting fish in my tank.
<<Mmm...patience Grasshopper [grin]>>
Thank you,
Robin in Delaware
<<Happy to assist, EricR in South Carolina>>

Re: Coralife Skimmer Won't "Skim", skimmer use/f'  - 05/12/07
What exactly is the importance of a protein skimmer?
<<Mmm...total removal (as in "from the water column") of organic/toxic elements, increased oxygenation, elevated redox, pH support...>>
Nobody has been able to explain this in terms that make it seem important to the maintenance of a saltwater tank.
<<These don't seem important?>>
Is it really a necessity?
<<Largely a matter of opinion...mine is yes, they "are" a necessity.  But on the same note, there are hobbyists who don't use/are successful without skimmers.  But this requires attention to detail/system balance most aquarists don't or won't apply...in my opinion.  Regards, EricR>>

Protein Skimmer Choices...  4/26/07
How do you feel about a Coralife Super Skimmer 65 for a new 55 gallon tank?
<I would prefer another brand honestly, if you are going to use the Coralife in it's hang-on arrangement, the Aqua-C Remora would be my choice for a swap. If you are set on the Coralife I would go with the next size up, I believe it's the 125? Adam J.>

Question regarding Coralife 220g skimmer   3/22/07
I recently picked up a used 220g CoraLife super venture needle skimmer to replace my old 65g. The problem that I am having is that there seems to be no bubbles being produced in the main chamber ... The pump is sucking the water and it is flowing back in the tank from the other side but no skimming is happening as there are no bubbles. The water seems to be rotating but again no bubbles. There are couple of interesting things...1. On the output pipe, there is a small vent which the guy has siliconed but I am pretty sure that has nothing to do with the bubbles and 2. There is that small airline which is going in the pump and has a small oval cylinder attached to it. As per the seller, I have to play around with the cylinder and adjust the height to get the bubbles working. I have tried many different heights but no success. When I blow air (manually or orally) :-)  , the bubbles show up in the main chamber.
So I think what is happening that for some reason the air is being not sucked up...Any help as always would be highly appreciated.
Many Thanks,
Amir
<Sorry for the delay in response, Amir, but I've been indisposed lately. It sounds to me like a venturi problem with your pump. You should contact ESV (the manufacturer of the Coralife SuperSkimmer) and describe the issue to them. They may have a replacement part or solution available to you for repairing the venturi, and barring that, they will be able to direct you to a replacement pump for your original. Hope this helps! -JustinN>

Coralife 220g Super Skimmer  3/19/07
<Hi Amir, Pufferpunk here>
I recently picked up a used 220g Coralife Super venture needle Skimmer to replace my old 65g. The problem that I am having is that there seems to be no bubbles being produced in the main chamber ... The pump is sucking the water and it is flowing back in the tank from the other side but no skimming is happening as there are no bubbles. The water seems to be rotating but again no bubbles. There are couple of interesting things...
1. On the output pipe, there is a small vent which the guy has siliconed but I am pretty sure that has nothing to do with the bubbles.
<That vent should be open.>
2. There is that small airline which is going in the pump and has a small oval cylinder attached to it. As per the seller, I have to play around with the cylinder and adjust the height to get the bubbles working. I have tried many different heights but no success.
<That cylinder is just to reduce bubble noise.  No adjustments needed.  All the adjustments should be done with the red knob.>
When I blow air (manually or orally) :-) , the bubbles show up in the main chamber, so I think what is happening is that for some reason the air is not being sucked up.  Any help as always, would be highly appreciated.
<I found that when the pump wasn't tight against the intake tube, it wouldn't produce many bubbles inside the skimmer.  When I tightened the connection, it worked great.  I suggest contacting the manufacturer.  They were very helpful with I had problems with my CSS 125.  ~PP>
Many thanks, Amir

Skimmer Placement For Optimal Performance   1/6/07
I have a 220 gal FOWLR.  The set-up is about 2-1/2 years old and has about 150 pounds of LR.  My protein skimmer is a Coralife Super Skimmer-Needle Wheel for up to a 220 gal tank. It is producing the lighter tea-colored skimmate instead of the dark stuff it should be.
<As a quick aside: I'm a big believer in "dark and yucky" skimmate, but sometimes lighter material will be produced simply because that is what is being removed at the time. Obviously, if the skimmer is continuously producing weak, watery skimmate, it's time to re-evaluate the performance, placement and maintenance of the skimmer in question!>
Right now, I have the skimmer feed pump inside the sump, but it doesn't get "fed" until after the tank water goes through the prefilter and the bio balls.  My understanding from reading WWM is that I should "feed" the skimmer first, before the prefilter and bio balls.  
<That's the optimal placement for a skimmer, IMO.>
I can make that happen with no problem by adding small tub to take the tank surface water directly and put the skimmer feed pump in there.  I can then use another pump to move that water to the sump and then back to the tank. The questions I have are as follows:  Where should I send the water that comes out of the outflow tube on the skimmer?  Can I just let it run right back in the tub where the skimmer feed pump is located, or does it need to go to the sump?
<I'd have it run into the sump. There's no sense in having the skimmed water going right back into the area where the skimmer is taking in water!>
Also, is 2-1/2 year-old LR still effective at filtering my tank?
<The "effectiveness" of the rock is really a function of the microfauna population. Rock can be quite old and still be useful for nutrient processing if there are sufficient populations of bacteria residing within.>
Thanks.
<Glad to be of assistance! Best of luck to you! Regards, Scott F.>

Skimmer Question <brand>, Corallife, sel.  8/8/06
Hello Bob and Crew,
<James today>
An employee at my LFS suggested that I use a Super Skimmer for my 36 gallon saltwater tank.
<Why do I think he sells them. Coralife Super Skimmer I assume.>
I have read that the needle wheel stuff is not the greatest. What exactly makes the needle wheel unproductive or not a good product?
<Not really unproductive at all.  The needle wheel is designed to break up the water more so than standard impellers.  This, supposedly allows more and
finer air bubbles into the reaction chamber.  Generally, the smaller the bubble, the more efficient the skimmer becomes.>
Would the Super Skimmer be sufficient for my tank that will only hold a few corals/invertebrates and about 4 or 5 small marine fish?
<The claims say it will...Not familiar with this product to comment.  Another decent skimmer for a small tank is the Red Sea Prizm Pro.  I've used one and thought it did
a decent job.  May be cheaper than the Super Skimmer also.>
Thanks for all your help!
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>

FD Cyclop-eeze, Gravel Vacuuming, Coralife Skimmer review of sorts, RO...   7/31/06
Hi again Mr. Fenner.  Thank you so much for getting back to me.  I have not yet had the chance to read over the links you provided, but I am about to do so.
<Please do...>
  I plan to act upon your suggestions regarding the Cyclop-eeze and work on improving my water quality.  There is one thing I haven't really done as a part of my maintenance, and that is vacuum my substrate.
<Is generally a worthwhile practice... not to too-clean... perhaps "half at a go/time"... at least stirring...>
I guess I just can't comprehend how to do so effectively without sucking it all up.
<Siphons with "exploded ends"...>
Just to note, it is about 2 inches of aragonite.  I do have 4 Nassarius snails burrowed in there, but they do not seem to stir it up much.  My Allen's damsel is a better janitor.  I do not know if it is the species or just this particular one I have, but it literally plowed out the aragonite on 2 sides of a large piece of live rock, making a wide tunnel from one side to the other underneath the rock.  I have 2 mountains of substrate on either side.
The funny thing is, for the longest time, I didn't know who the culprit was until the one day I just happened to see him make himself vertical and head in tail first with a sweeping motion.  At first I would go in and push it back into place, but I realize it is a losing battle on my end.  I guess it helps to aerate it a bit.
Now, back to business... I would love to purchase another skunk cleaner shrimp, but I definitely won't do that until I can bring down the nitrite level.  As for my protein skimmer, that I am having a hard time with.  I believe I mentioned it is the Super Skimmer by CoralLife.
<Yes... I would seek another brand, make... These are reviewed on WWM>
  I have pretty much had issues with it from the get go.  On 2 occasions it overflowed in the middle of the night, the first time I probably lost about 10 gallons of water.
<Yikes... no fun>
  Yes, onto my carpet, through the floor, into my basement.  The good thing about that, my cat's litter box caught most of the water that made it through the floor.
<That/this is lucky!>
  The second time I lost about half as much water.
I had no idea what to do, so I called the company and spoke to someone.  The gentleman basically told me the directions are incorrect
<?!>
(he mentioned he is working on having them changed) and told me what I needed to do to prevent the overflow from happening again.  So I had to turn valves differently, arrange pads differently where the water re-enters the tank, and basically keep it shut off for at least 4 days if I use a dechlorinator.
<... and if it's raining in Nova Scotia?>
He said the dechlorinators, like Prime, which I use, cause it to "overwork," but if I keep it shut off for at least 4 days after a water change or adding top off water, I will be just fine.  Now basically that means I would pretty much never be able to run it.  I told him I make my saltwater for the water changes at least a week ahead of time and have it sitting with a powerhead and heater.  He said that doesn't matter.  I still need to unplug it.  So what's a girl to do?
<Get a real product>
I try to run it all day, but for fear of another major overflow, I unplug it at night.  Commonsense tells me I am so wrong to do
that, and that in order for it to truly be effective, it should be kept on. Maybe this is why I never collect a foam, but just a film that coats the neck from time to time.
<Yes... that and the inherent feebleness of this unit>
Have you ever heard of such a thing?  He did tell me they get so many calls about this very same thing.
<At least this agent/employee is/was honest>
  I certainly in no way want to speak badly about anyone because the man was so knowledgeable and apologetic, but I feel like I wasted more money on yet another skimmer that doesn't work.  Could I get away without one, or is that asking for more water quality troubles?
<I would definitely use a skimmer... Once you have a "real" one working, you will not want to do w/o it>
I think I might know what your answer overall may be, but I guess I need to hear it.  I admit I have not one time researched an RO/DI unit, so I don't know what that is exactly, other than it seems a lot of people do, and that it is a good thing.  Do you not need a dechlorinator then?
<Nope>
I am picturing this huge contraption, the size of a dishwasher, I have to hook up to my sink!
<Nope again... can be quite small... particularly w/o a storage tank>
I do want to make mention that when I was purchasing all my equipment, I was planning to buy one, but was basically steered away from one, being told it wasn't really necessary.
<Depends on the make-up of your source water... what you do with it... Read my friend. These answers and many more that are related that you're not likely aware of currently are posted on WWM>
Where I get everything, livestock included, is a very reputable place, so I listened.
My apologies for another lengthy email, my intention was a quick thanks and to say I will check out the links.  Even though I am not necessarily talking to someone on the phone or face to face, can you tell I lack a bit in the adult conversation area????
<Mmm... no>
  I have evolved from a working girl into a stay-at-home mom of 2 1/2 year old twins, so my extent of conversation is mainly about dirty diapers and nursery rhymes.
<Heeeee! I can imagine how this must of a necessity "down" ones word usage, complexity of sentences... I mostly chat with our three dogs during the majority of days... They are attentive listeners (with the exception of the Jack Russell... who really has selective hearing...), but one can only do so much with "biscuit", "here", "stop!">
  But seriously, thanks again for all the past help given to me and for this time around too.  It is nice to know there are folks like you and the rest of the crew out there.
Sincerely,
Tiffani
<Do take a read on WWM re Skimmer Selection, Reverse Osmosis... Bob Fenner>