Debris/Rear Chamber Changes?

[isoterix]

I seem to have a lot of debris blowing around in my RSM 130. I really want to have clearer water, and need some advice on how to get it.

I've just finished reading the forum about taking the bio-balls out. And pretty much removed mine right after I finished reading. We'll see how that goes.... Should be a bit better.

My Tunze 9002 doesn't seem to collect much. It bubbles up nice but its either very lightly discolored water, or nothing.

I also have the Intank Media Rack with the chemi-pure and a fine filter pad on top which needs to replaced at least one a week.

I'm really thinking of switching back to the original RSM skimmer. Anyone still use that thing?? Lol
If so does it do a decent job?
And how do you have it set up?

Is there any threads that anyone knows of that I should read about debris and rear chamber set ups, and clearer water?

I also need room for my chiller pump which isn't that big in the rear chamber.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

I seem to have a lot of debris blowing around in my RSM 130. I really want to have clearer water, and need some advice on how to get it

I will try to offer some ideas...

if you can you start a tank thread & post a fts pic it would help.

You have a 130, right? Not a 130D... if so, have you upgraded to the improved surface skimmer cup? Do you have one circulation nozzle pointed up & to the right creating a nice surface ripple?

I also have the Intank Media Rack with the chemi-pure and a fine filter pad on top which needs to replaced at least one a week.

I run the stock skimmer... some others might can jump in here... but my guess... is this needs to be cleaned daily, to help clear up the problem. When I run the finer filter on top of my black sponge, I clean it every 4 hours or at most a day latter, a day latter it's filthy.

The efficiency of the 9002 skimmer, if it is anything like my stock skimmer (and from lots of post I have read it is in this respect) it needs optimal water level to work well. I have to keep the water level near perfect for my stock skimmer to work well. You can wipe down the back chamber, with a water change & suck out all the loose particles you can, I like to do this when I replace my cpe, because it can release a lot of nitrates.

Hope something in here helps...

 

[isoterix]

I will try to offer some ideas...

if you can you start a tank thread & post a fts pic it would help.

You have a 130, right? Not a 130D... if so, have you upgraded to the improved surface skimmer cup? Do you have one circulation nozzle pointed up & to the right creating a nice surface ripple?

I run the stock skimmer... some others might can jump in here... but my guess... is this needs to be cleaned daily, to help clear up the problem. When I run the finer filter on top of my black sponge, I clean it every 4 hours or at most a day latter, a day latter it's filthy.

The efficiency of the 9002 skimmer, if it is anything like my stock skimmer (and from lots of post I have read it is in this respect) it needs optimal water level to work well. I have to keep the water level near perfect for my stock skimmer to work well. You can wipe down the back chamber, with a water change & suck out all the loose particles you can, I like to do this when I replace my cpe, because it can release a lot of nitrates.

Hope something in here helps...

I have the 130.
I do have the one jet facing the surface, and a hydor wave maker on the other. Also a koralia 2 on the opposite corner.
Maybe I can fool around with the direction of the koralia a bit.
I need to do some more research, I may buy the skimmer cup if it makes a big difference.
I also may try the old skimmer for a bit.

Thanks for your help!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

I need to do some more research, I may buy the skimmer cup if it makes a big difference.

If you look back about one year ago post here... the 130D just came out & almost every member with a 130, bought the new surface skimmer cup, it was one of "the" big improvements of the D model & lots of the 130 owners posted very good reviews... I think it would really help... from all the post I have read from 130 owners here on in the rsm club.

here one example... a huge review

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...843-depth-surface-skimmer-upgrade-review.html

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

ps - kind of like the new 250 pump... you will see in the above post... were lots of the 130 members... wanted one of the new skimmer cups for free too... because it was designed to fix a problem... little Red Sea / RSM Club history

 

[mbdave]

I happen to have an upgraded cup I will sell or even better trade????????

 

[Reefmack]

My old 130 skimmer never did much of anything, no matter where the water level was, and several mods made little difference. All the skimmate was deposited as a layer of gunk at the top of the skimmer body and on the neck of the cup. Rarely did anything make it up into the cup. This was typical of most 130 skimmers, but once in a while someone had one that worked better, The 130D skimmer will not fit in the back of the 130 model. Give yours a try if you want, but you'll need to lose the benefit of the media rack.

I doubt a new skimmer cup will improve the Tunze, but just guessing. It's probably more water level related, or might even be a kink in the airline inside the Tunze (often the cause of poor foam production). If you're getting a good amount of lightly colored skimmate a tiny bit less air should get it darker (drier). Very small adjustments of the Tunze air valve can make a big difference, so you don't want to make a major adjustment - a small tweak and wait a while to see the effect. They are a very finicky skimmer, but can do a fairly decent job.

Also, the Chemi-Pure, especially if fresh, may be removing a lot of the organics, etc. before the water gets to the skimmer.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Terry - the 1st line of isoterix post... was what I was addressing mostly...

I seem to have a lot of debris blowing around

The new surface skimmer cup, might only help the 9002 skim a little better, but it should help clear surface debris a lot better.

 

[Reefmack]

And I was mostly addressing line:

"My Tunze 9002 doesn't seem to collect much. It bubbles up nice but its either very lightly discolored water, or nothing."

The old 130 skimmer that isoterix has on the shelf doesn't behave as well as the 130D skimmer - in most cases nothing we 130 owners did seemed to help it perform.

If the debris is suspended in the water column, and not floating on the surface, the surface skimmer won't help that. It would have to be sediment coming off of the rock, in the bottom of the back compartments, or coming off of a dirty media bag or filter.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

yep... I forget sometimes, the 130D skimmer works a bit better than the original 130.

In the media rack... if the fine filter is only being cleaned once a week... and the debris is suspended in the water column... I would think it would help a lot, to change it out every day, several times a day for a week.

 

[Reefmack]

Good idea on the fine filter pad - that would indeed help a lot!

 

[isoterix]

yep... I forget sometimes, the 130D skimmer works a bit better than the original 130.

In the media rack... if the fine filter is only being cleaned once a week... and the debris is suspended in the water column... I would think it would help a lot, to change it out every day, several times a day for a week.

I will give the filter change a try. But it does seem to be circulating around in the water column like Reefmack was saying. It's almost like the debris is not getting to the filter, just flying around the tank.
I do have good flow though..... just maybe the direction might need a bit of a change.

I recently took my tunze apart to clean it and made sure it was put back together properly with no kinks. I'm not sure it is together properly, I doesn't show in the instructions. That being said I still get got bubbling, just not getting the gunk.

I'll grab the skimmer either way.

And I'll still try the frequent filter change too.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

I would add this... $25 and change fine filter several time a day for a week - I think... it would really help.

Red Sea MAX Adjustable Surface-Skimmer

The Adjustable Surface-Skimmer is for the Max 130 & 130D. It enhances water conditions by preventing the buildup of organic material that would otherwise accumulate as a bio-film on the water surface. Continual surface skimming keeps the water surface clean, allowing better gas exchange and light penetration.

 

[isoterix]

I would add this... $25 and change fine filter several time a day for a week - I think... it would really help.

Red Sea MAX Adjustable Surface-Skimmer

The Adjustable Surface-Skimmer is for the Max 130 & 130D. It enhances water conditions by preventing the buildup of organic material that would otherwise accumulate as a bio-film on the water surface. Continual surface skimming keeps the water surface clean, allowing better gas exchange and light penetration.

Purchased the skimmer from Marine Depot, Marine and Reef won't ship to Canada. Nevertheless it's on its way!
I also grabbed some more Chemi-Pure Elite, and lots of filter pad.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Let us know... how it does... ! I like Marine Depot

 

[isoterix]

Skimmer has been shipped

 

[isoterix]

How is the amount of debris in your tanks? Is there a little? None?
Trying to figure out the norm so I can set a goal.

 

[GPROne]

I just installed the In Tank media rack in my tank last week. I had trouble getting it to fit with the adjustable skimmer inlet.

I ended up putting the original skimmer inlet back in order to get the In Tank media rack in.

Did anyone else have any issues with the adjustable skimmer working with the In Tank media rack?

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

How is the amount of debris in your tanks? Is there a little? None?
Trying to figure out the norm so I can set a goal.

none ... to speak of... near 100% crystal clear - I mean right before water changes when I use the turkey baster to blow everything off, I can get it stirred up a bit... then I run the finer filer for a day & rinse several times & all back to normal crystal clear.

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

GPROne - I am running stock - but someone should be able to help... I have read lots of post related... saying it's a simple drop in, only takes a minute - very easy, if it's faced properly.