SWC Xtreme 160 cone only pulls out light green liquid

[matt frizz]

I've only ever gotten light green liquid out of my skimmer (although my tank is very stable). My skimmate looks nothing like the pics I've seen online. Can anybody give me some advice as to where to set the bubbles and what level to set the water? I'm wondering if not having an ATO plays a role in having an effective skimmer. I don't really let the water level drop more than an inch or two and then I turn off the skimmer while I fill it up w/ RO/DI.

 

Perhaps having to turn it off and on when I restore the water level has something to do w/ it. Or perhaps there just isn't that much waste to be skimmed out of my tank. I cannot decide what it is.

[matt frizz]

Was I supposed to use the extra airline tubing over the hole of the bubble adjuster? I currently have no tubing coming off of it (only going underneath it). I saw a video of setting one up and he had tubing on both sides (bottom and top). I used the tubing to drain the collection cup to a seperate container.

[Sac_State]

Hard to say. Maybe your skimmate's too wet. Try lowering the level of foam in the skimmer's neck and see if you can get a thicker and drier foam to build.

[disaster999]

skimmer should be in a compartment with stable water level, if it isnt, move it to somewhere that is.

 

having the skimmer turn on and off will affect its effectiveness. you will loose the foam head, and the skimmer will have to build that up again before it can skim

[matt frizz]

i had the water level WAY too high on it. I lowered it and messed w/ the bubbles and I can tell it's better already. I'll have to wait a couple days and see.

 

 

Currently working on saving for an auto top off.

[Midnightsun]

From what I have read about the SWC 160 cone, it seems like between 8 and 9 inches is the correct water height to have.