SOLVED - Tunze 9004 Break In/Start Up Problems

[charnelhouse]

See #16 for important additional info!!!!!!!

 

I probably know the answers to my questions here already, but as this is my first skimmer I'm asking for some confirmation.

 

Tank is an IM Fusion 40. The 9004 is in the first right chamber (It only fits in the overflow chambers). I am running an Osmolator Nano, so level fluctuation is not an issue.

 

I started it last Friday and it has never foamed more than halfway up the neck. Foam is white, watery and fine "grained".

 

I'm also dealing with a lot of microbubbles and intermittent slurping. Sometimes there is a "burst" of microbubbles. I know the bubbles are from the skimmer because they disappear completely when I turn it off. I've adjusted the height throughout the range of the intake grill and the slurping goes away for a while but comes back unless I sink it almost all the way to the top of the grill.

 

I think the main issue is my bioload is too low still. I have one Citron Goby, a couple of smallish leathers, two unhappy rics and some mushrooms in there.

 

I turned the skimmer off this morning (slurping again) and am going to wait until I add another fish or two and try again.

[jabeuy]

Have you tried opening up the air intake hose more? For me this gets the foam rising higher. Be careful and do this slowly so it doesn't overflow!

[charnelhouse]

Have you tried opening up the air intake hose more? For me this gets the foam rising higher. Be careful and do this slowly so it doesn't overflow!

 

Yeah, my bad for not mentioning that I have adjusted the airscrew. ran it fully open for two days, then tried adjusting it. I have had it clamped all the way down and everything in between. Nothing changes.

[jabeuy]

 

Yeah, my bad for not mentioning that I have adjusted the airscrew. ran it fully open for two days, then tried adjusting it. I have had it clamped all the way down and everything in between. Nothing changes.

Hmm...it's probably the low bioload. Give it a little more time since it's been up for only a few days.

[charnelhouse]

Thanks!

[charnelhouse]

I added a couple more fish last night, fed a couple times and gave the skimmer another go this morning. Still not even the beginning of foam and microbubble hell. I turned it back off.

 

One thing I noticed is some bubbling in the area where the power cord comes up out of the skimmer body at the top.

 

I think I need to pull it out and check to see nothing got moved around in shipping and/or there is a seam separated somewhere. Bah.

[jabeuy]

Oooh I forgot, the air intake tube had come loose a couple times when I first started using mine. No air was getting mixed with the water --> no skimming lol.

You might wanna check on that too, may have come loose during shipping.

[charnelhouse]

Oooh I forgot, the air intake tube had come loose a couple times when I first started using mine. No air was getting mixed with the water --> no skimming lol.

You might wanna check on that too, may have come loose during shipping.

 

Air is definitely mixing below the cup, but there is some leakage too it looks like. I emailed Tunze USA and asked if they could chime in here and make a suggestion. We'll see if they respond.

[CJJon]

You have to the skimmer for a couple weeks before the micro bubbles stop. Also, try moving the entire skimmer down a bit to improve foam collection. These small skimmers tend to skim wet.

[charnelhouse]

You have to the skimmer for a couple weeks before the micro bubbles stop. Also, try moving the entire skimmer down a bit to improve foam collection. These small skimmers tend to skim wet.

 

I've moved it down, up and everything in between. But I'll give it another go.

 

Ugh, a couple weeks of microbubbles? The literature made it sound like break-in was a few days at most...

[reefdiver88]

You have to the skimmer for a couple weeks before the micro bubbles stop. Also, try moving the entire skimmer down a bit to improve foam collection. These small skimmers tend to skim wet.

 

+1 on Cjjon's comment.

 

I have had this model skimmer in the past and it worked great for me. My 3 cents: 1) make sure all parts/connections are firmly seated.2) Adjust air flow for water level, noting that it needs to be adjusted as water level changes. 3) Time..as with everything reef related, skimmers take time to get seasoned. It sounds like you are on top of the first two things, so just leave it alone for another week or so and then go back to check it out.

 

Also, one little goby is not gonna poop enough to generate much skimmate.....

[charnelhouse]

You have to the skimmer for a couple weeks before the micro bubbles stop. Also, try moving the entire skimmer down a bit to improve foam collection. These small skimmers tend to skim wet.

 

+1 on Cjjon's comment.

 

I have had this model skimmer in the past and it worked great for me. My 3 cents: 1) make sure all parts/connections are firmly seated.2) Adjust air flow for water level, noting that it needs to be adjusted as water level changes. 3) Time..as with everything reef related, skimmers take time to get seasoned. It sounds like you are on top of the first two things, so just leave it alone for another week or so and then go back to check it out.

 

Also, one little goby is not gonna poop enough to generate much skimmate.....

 

Understood, the plan was to add more fish all along. Which I did last night, so now I just need to stop cringing at the microbubbles. I am going to let the new additions adjust to the new environment for a day or two before they have to deal with the bubbles, then turn it back on...

Thanks all for the replies.

[CJJon]

Put the thing on a timer and run it at night so you don't see the bubles. Your fish won't care about the bubbles.

[charnelhouse]

Put the thing on a timer and run it at night so you don't see the bubles. Your fish won't care about the bubbles.

 

I can do that. I have it on a switch in the cabinet so turning it off and on is easy. Thanks for the suggestion.

[charnelhouse]

Roger from Tunze responded to my email:

Chuck,

I read the thread, I am not a member on that forum so I hope you don't mind if I just answer here.

Usually bubbles escaping the skimmer come down to one of three causes.

1) Wrong depth, when the depth is correct their is a distinct waterfall into the skimmer, if it is too deep, this waterfall effect is lost (less surface skimming) you may also see bubbles exiting the top grates. If it is too shallow the skimmer pump will struggle for water and make a lot of noise.

2) Air is closed, while this may seem counter to logic, closing the air increases bubble problems, the reason is that a needle wheel pump has almost a constant flow and you are just setting how much is air vs water, as you decrease the air, you increase the water which means the bubbles you have go farther and faster. Close the air as little as possible and work with depth first, always start the skimmer with the air fully open.

3) Flow under the skimmer, this will create a suction and pull bubbles down and out of the skimmer, avoid chambers and areas where their is a pump or pull under the skimmer and any pumps aimed at the bottom of the skimmer.

In general the "break in" which is the time it takes for a biofilm to coat the plastic so it no longer has the hydrophobic properties (repels water and attracts air) is about 2 weeks.

Keep in mind that generating foam is similar to whipping egg whites, the whites are the protein and the bubbles/churning water are the whisk, both have to be present for it to work. It generally takes a tank about a month with inhabitants to have much in the way of protein and cellulose to produce that "egg white" and other substances like oils and fats and colloids can prevent the whipping action from generating anything. I think getting something into the cup is mostly a matter of patience and focus on the bubble issue.

Roger

[charnelhouse]

Patience wasn't the key in this case. I took the skimmer apart this morning just to make sure everything was ok. It wasn't.

 

The piece of tubing that connects the top plate (inside the body) to the foamer pump was cut way too long at the factory. See the image below for how much I ended up cutting off. The extra length was causing the tubing to completely kink in half. This was causing the massive microbubbles and complete inability to foam over the top of the neck.

 

I'm still getting a tiny bit of bubbles, maybe 10% of what I had before, but I'm going to be patient now about those. I assume they will subside as the unit breaks in.

 

 

[CJJon]

Good catch. They make it that long for easier assembly so the tubing doesn't slip off the nipple.

 

Here is a tip. Take the little bit of tubing you have left (the second smallest) and slip it over the end of a pair of needle nose pliers. Take the end of the tubing in the skimmer and stretch the little piece over the end by opening the pliers. Now when you put the tubing back on the nipple, it will not come off. You may need to wet the nipple a bit first for it to slip over it.

 

Juvenile jokes about wet nipples in...3...2...1...

[charnelhouse]

Good catch. They make it that long for easier assembly so the tubing doesn't slip off the nipple.

 

Here is a tip. Take the little bit of tubing you have left (the second smallest) and slip it over the end of a pair of needle nose pliers. Take the end of the tubing in the skimmer and stretch the little piece over the end by opening the pliers. Now when you put the tubing back on the nipple, it will not come off. You may need to wet the nipple a bit first for it to slip over it.

 

Juvenile jokes about wet nipples in...3...2...1...

 

I gave the nipple a lick to get it wet and it stiffened up and I had no idea what to do with it after that....

 

On the serious side, I understand leaving it long for easier assembly, but it was way way too long. It would not go into the housing without kinking. I was still able to easily get it on and put the housing back together. I will save a piece of the tubing and try your trick next time I have it out and apart. For now it's in, holding and working. I'm leaving it alone... lol.

[J0el]

Hey Guys,

I just got myself the Tunze 9004 as replacement for my Fluval PS1.

When I installed it in my tank, I've noticed its making A LOT of noise and its running intermittently.... Is this part of the "break in" period??