The Official All Solana Owner's Thread

[bananahands]

nice. I still haven't done mine yet. Figured I'll wait for the weekend.

 

I see you have a ton of wet pale yellow/green skim. I don't run mine that wet, but have noticed that I either get a cup full a day or a 1/2 inch a week and can't seem to find a setting between that. LOL

 

Same here. Its so sensitive to any change in water level. Im really considering going back to the stock skimmer.

[nova65ss]

IMO the stock skimmer works works just fine. I only changed to the Tunze because my stock skimmer broke while cleaning it.

 

I have noticed that it requires the slightest of turns on the adjustment knob maybe a 1/16 of an inch turn. It took a while but I finally have mine dialed in pretty good. Make an adjustment and leave it for a week and see how it does.

[txbonds]

IMO the stock skimmer works works just fine. I only changed to the Tunze because my stock skimmer broke while cleaning it.

 

I have noticed that it requires the slightest of turns on the adjustment knob maybe a 1/16 of an inch turn. It took a while but I finally have mine dialed in pretty good. Make an adjustment and leave it for a week and see how it does.

 

I'm hopeful that this is where doing the adjustment mod will be beneficial. With it in place I can barely get my hand to the current on and I can't really make any fine adjustments. Being able to do so while it is still in place and operating should make it easier.

[RememberTheFallen]

nice. I still haven't done mine yet. Figured I'll wait for the weekend.

 

I see you have a ton of wet pale yellow/green skim. I don't run mine that wet, but have noticed that I either get a cup full a day or a 1/2 inch a week and can't seem to find a setting between that. LOL

 

 

Well, the skim you see there was because of just putting the tank back together after being down for a week I ran it VERY wet for a few days. Now it seems to be dialed in where I am getting a more concentrated skim and should have to empty about once a week.

 

LOVING the mod!

[DAHNIC561]

Thanks for the suggestions! I am going to try this tomorrow when I put my tank back together.

 

Also, a friend came across this little gem last night and I am doing this to my Tunze 9002 tonight!

 

 

 

I tried this MOD and it works great! thanx for posting...

[NirvanaandTool]

I run mine a little on the wet side but after I do the mod i'd like to run it a little more dry.

Just need to go out and get an air valve one of these days

[txbonds]

I'm not familiar with current day skimmers, but are some of the bigger ones less fussy about settings where you simply plop them into your below tank sump and plug them in? I've been thinking about going bigger someday soon to somewhere between 40 and 65 gallon range, but sticking with a 36" x 18" tank footprint and would be using a sump if I do. Seems like someone should make a skimmer that doesn't have to be so precisely dialed in.

[txbonds]

Did the skimmer upgrade/mod last night. Followed along just like the link posted a page or so back in this thread. Used a plastic screw to seal the old airline hole, closed the old adjustment screw tightly, and ran a new hose out with the power wire. Used black tubing that is slightly smaller than the hose that was on the skimmer originally. Not sure how well the black stuff will hold up, but for the moment it does the trick. Bought a 2 way air valve and removed one of the two valves to use. Have it hanging about 4 inches out of the rear of the tank.

 

I have to say that so far, the skimmer is working like a charm. This is coming from someone who has detested this skimmer from day one and has not had much good to say about it other than it would fit in the tight space. 12 hours after doing the mod, it is humming along finally producing what looks to be good bubbles and foam that will hopefully be the type of skim I'm looking for. More of a fine dry skim that takes about a week to fill the cup.

 

The adjustment range on the new valve is awesome. As someone mentioned above, 1/16 or 1/32 inch turns now make the needed fine tuning and I can easily reach the adjustment valve without disturbing the skimmer.

 

Tunze, take note and implement this mod to the stock skimmer. It would work better out of the box.

[Kweli]

This mod you guys speak of.. is it for the stock skimmer?

[DAHNIC561]

This mod you guys speak of.. is it for the stock skimmer?

 

no, its for the tunze 9002...

[RememberTheFallen]

12 hours after doing the mod, it is humming along finally producing what looks to be good bubbles and foam that will hopefully be the type of skim I'm looking for. More of a fine dry skim that takes about a week to fill the cup.

 

Yeah, I am loving it myself. And as for the skim, thats exactly what I am getting right now. A nice dry skim that looks to be on a once every 5 days or so schedule for emptying. This mod makes this skimmer soooo much better.

[NirvanaandTool]

Anyone recall what size plastic screw is needed?

[txbonds]

Anyone recall what size plastic screw is needed?

 

 

I used a 10-24 x 1/2 inch nylon machine screw and 10-24 nylon hex nut. If you can wait a few days, PM me your addy and I'll drop the extra ones in the mail to you tomorrow. They came two to a package.

[RememberTheFallen]

Anyone recall what size plastic screw is needed?

 

 

I just popped into a local pet store and they had these that were like 50 cents or so each. So I grabbed a few of each to see which I liked better.

 

[rick4him]

The sponge that went into the overflow fell down the little drain. I'm not sure how to get it up. It caused my water to rise in the chambers. How can I get this thing out? Is it going to be a mess? (It's against the wall so I'm not able to get behind it. Also it's full of water. I tried using some long tongs, but they won't fit, or they aren't long enough...)

 

Please help me asap!

 

Thanks!

[nova65ss]

I would try a coat hanger or a long piece of wire that will snag it.

[RememberTheFallen]

The sponge that went into the overflow fell down the little drain. I'm not sure how to get it up. It caused my water to rise in the chambers. How can I get this thing out? Is it going to be a mess? (It's against the wall so I'm not able to get behind it. Also it's full of water. I tried using some long tongs, but they won't fit, or they aren't long enough...)

 

Please help me asap!

 

Thanks!

 

This has happened to me more than once... so what I started doing is using a small toothpick between the front slats and the back wall to keep the sponge in place. Its a real pain in the ass when it drops down =(

[nova65ss]

I quit running filter in there after about a month. Going on two years now without issue.

[MedRed]

The sponge that went into the overflow fell down the little drain. I'm not sure how to get it up. It caused my water to rise in the chambers. How can I get this thing out? Is it going to be a mess? (It's against the wall so I'm not able to get behind it. Also it's full of water. I tried using some long tongs, but they won't fit, or they aren't long enough...)

 

Please help me asap!

 

Thanks!

 

the overflow doesn't extend to the bottom of the tank. push it all the way down with something long enough to reach, and then reach into chamber one and pull it out at the base of the overflow.

[RememberTheFallen]

the overflow doesn't extend to the bottom of the tank. push it all the way down with something long enough to reach, and then reach into chamber one and pull it out at the base of the overflow.

 

Thats true, but for people like myself with the Tunze in chamber 1 it makes it a pain. But yeah, that does indeed work.

[rick4him]

Thats true, but for people like myself with the Tunze in chamber 1 it makes it a pain. But yeah, that does indeed work.

 

That's my problem..I have a Tunze in chamber 1 as well..

[nova65ss]

That's my problem..I have a Tunze in chamber 1 as well..

 

Did you get it out yet? I would bet one of the plumbing snakes that have a pigtail end on it will get it out.

[NirvanaandTool]

I used a 10-24 x 1/2 inch nylon machine screw and 10-24 nylon hex nut. If you can wait a few days, PM me your addy and I'll drop the extra ones in the mail to you tomorrow. They came two to a package.

 

Thanks. Appreciate the offer but I'm looking to do it on Thursday. Just going to go to Homedepot and pick up some. Thanks for the size.

I'm sure someone else would take you up on the offer.

 

I just popped into a local pet store and they had these that were like 50 cents or so each. So I grabbed a few of each to see which I liked better.

 

 

Nice.

 

I ended up ordering a valve from Marinedepot for a buck or two. Was already ordering from there so I picked that up and some new airline tubing. Wasnt sure how much tubing I had so I got some more. Comes in Thursday so I'll do the mod then when I do my tank maintenance.

[DAHNIC561]

How do they extend so far?...crazy...

 

[NirvanaandTool]

Wow.... that is pretty crazy

 

Finally did the 9002 mod. That was quite an easy mod. Results seem pretty nice - adjusting it was very easy. Now I just need to find that sweet spot to get the perfect skim!