Skimmer problems?? please help!

[thorsanderson]

So I have a small 20 gallon tank. I made a sump system for it to get the equipment out of the main tank. I have a remora aqua c HOB skimmer. Due to very limited space I continued to use this skimmer. I placed this skimmer on the sump very near the overflow piping. It seems this skimmer has stopped working now.... I think. How much skim should I get from this thing? Could it be because of the fast water current? What the hell is going on??

Thanks for the input!

T

 

[Skimmy]

well, im sorry to say, that imo, that skimmer is an utter waste of good acrylic.
you'd be better off with a used cheap mesh modded cpr bakpak.

but to answer your question, you may want to unscrew the the plastic screw and clean the injector, and check the plumbing for algae, styrafoam, plastic, rubber...etc
also wouldnt hurt to crack open the pump and look at the impellar aswell

 

[ziggy]

I have a remora also and skimerwhiperer is correct on the problem(s) diagnosis.

However I disagree on the "waste of good acrylic."
I believe that the recommended pumps for the remora are vastly underpowered to accomplish an adaquate amount of skimate. Only after hooking the remora up to a shared return line with a gate valve did I find that it works 500% better. Until then I agreed with skimerwhiperer.

Thornanderson, the fast water flow is not going to to make a difference on the performance. I can tune mine to fill the cup in 1 day with a lime green see through amount, but it is tuned to get the dark sticky thick sludge in about 3 to 4 days.But mine is on steriods, sharing a Genx 55 external pump at 1100 or so gph. Use the built in "O" ring to tune it to get the dark stuff and get a mag5 , the mj1200 just doesnt do it properly.

With that said, my increased load has me working on a ETSS 600 beckett conversion, so (whisperer) the remora does have its limitations, you just have to decide if you have reach them yet.
chad

 

[preons]

I think if you want to run a dirty water tank(for certain zoo's and softies) your skimmer is good for that. It will keep it dirty but not too dirty. You definately have to clean that screw hole every week if you want it to keep working and I pretty much just took the O ring off after the tank stops producing skimate. The problem with modifying that with a bigger pump is you are probably going to create a lot more heat and use more electricity than its worth. Its footprint is nice though. Keeping your newest/cleanest 1200 on it helps too.

It also works as an adequete backup skimmer if you get in an emergency

The thing I noticed that as your husbandry skills get better and your water quality starts getting close to sps quality you simply dont get any skimate on that thing at all.

 

[burning2nd]

i say dont knock it if your skillz lack....

i have 2 remora, and they both have worked flawlessly for over 2-3 years

one is a year newer, if you mod them they tent to not work as well.. and altho the pumps might be "underpowered" Ive never once had a overflow of nastys.

worst case, is i didnt clean it for a week and had bubbles comeing outta the breather hole on top,

did you just reasonly do this change? On thing is the remora is really sensetive to oil from your hands and or a new pump/sump

My remora is hanging off the back of my sump in the refugem section, and i pull very dark thick goo once a week... keep in mind that bioload will play a part in that as well.

I should have taken a picture of what i just emptied this morning,

 

[Skimmy]

well, im glad somebody likes them...

i say dont knock it if your skillz lack....

i have 2 remora, and they both have worked flawlessly for over 2-3 years

one is a year newer, if you mod them they tent to not work as well.. and altho the pumps might be "underpowered" Ive never once had a overflow of nastys.

worst case, is i didnt clean it for a week and had bubbles comeing outta the breather hole on top,

did you just reasonly do this change? On thing is the remora is really sensetive to oil from your hands and or a new pump/sump

My remora is hanging off the back of my sump in the refugem section, and i pull very dark thick goo once a week... keep in mind that bioload will play a part in that as well.

I should have taken a picture of what i just emptied this morning,