Guide to Installing an Aquaticlife 115 Skimmer into a Biocube 29, Chamber 1

[EvoKnvl]

would the aquaticlife 115 fit the HQI too?

 

From my understanding, it won't fit with the HQI's lid...

[RedStang]

FWIW after cleaning mine I couldn't get decent skim. Tried raising it, lowering it, adjusting it. Finally moved it over to the second chamber and it's pulling skim like never before. I have an ATO to keep the water level fairly stable. Just an option for those struggling with it in chamber one.

[solefald]

I built a little raiser out of egg crate and put in chamber 1. That contraption with suction cups and included hanging kit did not work well for me.

[Monochrome5]

I'm a little confused about this skimmer... I've had it for three months and haven't gotten any real skimmate. I get roughly a cm of liquid after a week or so and it's nearly crystal clear. The thing produces virtually no foam at all. If I set it about 1/2 or so up the cup it fills in under 30 seconds. If I set it in the lower 1/2 of the tube the foam never makes it more than 3/4 of the way up and I get no skimmate. There doesn't seem to be a "sweet spot" at all... The tiniest (and I mean tiniest) nudge takes it from instantly filling a cup to no skimmate after a week. Am I doing something wrong? Does this thing only produce foam for a few minutes a day or something? With the Tunze on my 115g I have a constant foam and fantastic skimmate. I've tried cleaning it, re-seating the impeller, airline mod, etc. I'd really appreciate some suggestions. This thing is looking like a waste of money more and more each day.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Monochrome5

[ez2rock]

I have a HQI and was wondering why this won't fit in the hood.

 

Thanks,

Phillip

[Hedger]

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I was wondering the same thing regarding this skimmer and a 29g hqi as I have it on order. Anyone make it work in chamber 1 in the biocube hqi?

[Rollermonkey]

I think it will depend on when the 29HQI was made.

 

I got mine in late march/early April, and I read all kinds of stuff about Biocubes that doesn't match my tank...

 

Such as needing a fish saver; the back wall goes all the way up to the lid on mine.

Removing bio balls; mine never had any.

Removing false floors in the back sections; again, not in mine, they sections go all the way down to the glass.

 

I think they've made some mods, and until you buy and try, we can't actually know what will and what won't work with these tanks.

 

Specifically concerning this skimmer, I think it would work in my HQI. My wire opening is centered on chamber 1, is half the width of the chamber, and is over an inch tall.

 

Worst case scenario, I'd have to make yet another cut/mod to my tank:

 

So far, I've cut all the fins from the lamp mount to put an LED clamp instead, I've cut the tab between chamber 1 and 2, and I've cut opening in the lip in chamber 2 all the way to the chamber 1 wall so I can take out my media baskets without removing the dang lamp every frickin' time.

 

Also, this is my first tank ever, and I only am just now getting to the point of putting salt water in...

 

I guess I'm more of a tinkerer than I thought.

[PowerHead]

I have the 115 on my Biocube Hqi and it works fine. It's in chamber 1. Lid won't close completely but it's nothing too bad.

[Rollermonkey]

Yup. Just dropped this in my HQI, and the hood is too short for the cup to fit unless your water level is way too low.

 

On the plus side, the notch on the lid lines up perfectly with the clamp, so I don't need to notch the back side. (I tested with the skim mate cup removed.)

[PowerHead]

Yup. Just dropped this in my HQI, and the hood is too short for the cup to fit unless your water level is way too low.

 

On the plus side, the notch on the lid lines up perfectly with the clamp, so I don't need to notch the back side. (I tested with the skim mate cup removed.)

 

Are you talking about the 115? If so, did you do the airline mod? I did the airline mod to my 115, and it's not only quieter, but I don't have to worry about the water level. The lid is only up slightly on mine.

[Rollermonkey]

I forgot about the airline mod.

 

How do you get a tube to stay? There's no extension, just a hole.

 

I have floss in the water line and a 1/2" tube on the control knob so far.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Rollermonkey

[PowerHead]

I forgot about the airline mod.

 

How do you get a tube to stay? There's no extension, just a hole.

 

I have floss in the water line and a 1/2" tube on the control knob so far.

 

1) Open the skimmer. Take out the airline tubing. Notice the plastic elbow at the top of the skimmer that the tubing is connected to.

 

2) The plastic elbow at the top of the skimmer that the tubing was connected to, that has to come out. GENTLY ( don't want to crack the skimmer) tap out the plastic elbow. I used a nail with a smaller circumference than the elbow and a hammer, and tapped it downward.

 

3) Now replace the airline tubing as one long piece, with at least 6 inches of tubing left out of the skimmer. Cap with an air valve so you can control.

 

If this is confusing, go on Youtube and search for "Aquaticlife 115 Protein Skimmer Mod to make it silent". The only thing I did different was I replaced the entire airline tube so it was one piece (less chance for problems). Do this mod-Huge difference that will save you alot of headaches.

[Rollermonkey]

Thanks, I'm going to do that right now.

.

.

.

 

Airline mod done. 15 minutes?

 

This lets you push the whole unit underwater so the collection cup fits under the hood.

 

I'm still getting a gurgling sound from the tube, but it certainly is making froth. No matter how I turn the knob, it froths out the holes in the top of the cup lid and fills the cup with clear water.

 

I did do gluing and epoxy putty in the tank today, and I hear that makes skimmers go nuts though...

Edited June 6, 2012 by Rollermonkey

[PowerHead]

Thanks, I'm going to do that right now.

.

.

.

 

Airline mod done. 15 minutes?

 

This lets you push the whole unit underwater so the collection cup fits under the hood.

 

I'm still getting a gurgling sound from the tube, but it certainly is making froth. No matter how I turn the knob, it froths out the holes in the top of the cup lid and fills the cup with clear water.

 

I did do gluing and epoxy putty in the tank today, and I hear that makes skimmers go nuts though...

 

You may have to cap the airline with an adjustable air/venturi valve. Thats what I did and it works great. There's a YouTube vid on that too.

[Rollermonkey]

I'll have to see if I can find one then.

 

Right now, I have it timed to go on and off with the moon lights, it can gurgle all night.

 

I'm going to need to do something though. it foamed out the holes in the lid and they went into chamber two.

 

The skimmate is already getting darker, though.

[Rollermonkey]

The water in chamber 2 was covered in bubbles that had come out of the holes in the lid of the collection cup when I woke up.

 

Is this from doing epoxy / coral gluing yesterday?

Edited June 7, 2012 by Rollermonkey

[tajewell]

another thing to make your life a million times easier is to attach the stock piece of tubing that came with the biocube to the little knob that controls water intake. im using my own tubing which gets rid of the elbow that the biocube came with for the stock pump so i had that extra green ridgid tubing. this lets you put the lid on then adjust the flow of the water coming into the skimmer without having to take the cup off to get to that knob and once the lids on theres almost zero chance of you bumping it and messing up how the skimmer sits in the water so you end up being able to pull really good skimmate

[ForsakenDesires]

so i have a big problem... my tank has been setup for quite some time and i recently bought this, but i cant get the filter holder off the back wall... any suggestion... id hate to end up with a leak

[megability]

I installed one of these suckers today. It went in pretty easy but I didn't use the holder, I figured it would be a tight enough fit to keep it in place and I didn't want to bother cutting the back. So far so good, it doesn't move, and I got the bubbles coming up about halfway through the spout as recommended. I'll give it a few days for the break-in period and see what I get, excited...

[Rollermonkey]

Lucky. I can't get mine tuned for squat.

[bhskicker18]

Lucky. I can't get mine tuned for squat.

 

 

I have had mine for two years and it wont tune at all! It will either fill up with water completely or if I tune it down it just put clean water in the cup..... And I know my water has to have some gunk in it haha I'm on the monthly to bi-monthly water change plan!

[pkane11384]

Does this skimmer work with the InTank Media Basket also?

[Rollermonkey]

The media basket goes in chamber 2. Most people put this slimmer in chamber one.

 

Works for me.

[pkane11384]

I know it goes it chamber 2 I'm just concerned with flow, that's all

[Rollermonkey]

I have an MJ1200, and it doesn't drain my back chambers. Plenty of water gets by the 115, and the media basket.