Broken Skimmer

[kosmo]

I’ll first assume that the skimmer is actually broken, if that’s not the case then at the very least something fishy is going on.

I’ve got a Coral Life 220, (I know you get what you pay for with skimmers and this may be a case of just that). I’ll have to say I was really impressed by it when it came out of the box. It started producing bubbles right off the bat without any fiddling around.

I was emptying the skimmer two days ago and noticed it wasn’t creating any bubbles, I mean ZERO. I made sure the air hoses were clear, that the air/water ratio knob thinger was correct… but it was putting out nothing, I even gave it a soak in hot freshwater to clean off any salt buildups or particulate matter that may have caused jams.

If I can’t fix it, I’ll be replacing it, so I don’t mind taking it apart if need be. Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Kosmo

 

[daugherty]

check the pump take it all apart and clean it the impeller could be bad

 

[ccCapt]

I made sure the air hoses were clear, that the air/water ratio knob thinger was correct… but it was putting out nothing, I even gave it a soak in hot freshwater to clean off any salt buildups or particulate matter that may have caused jams.

Did you try blowing air into the airline while the skimmer was running? Do you see any bubble in the skimmer then?

Did you also check the nipple on the venturi where the airline connects? That used to get blocked with salt creep when I used the CSS. Get a paper clip or something and make sure the nipple isn't blocked.

You can soak everything in vinegar. It will remove all the calcium buildup.

 

[montoya]

I wouldn't write off the skimmer just yet either.

Your pump is not producing air bubbles - but is it moving water? If it is pumping water like usual but no air something has to be clogged in your airline. The airline has a hole on each end. One end has to be clogged. As others suggest a quick test is to take the silencer / adjuster off the "dry" end of the tube and blow in it. If air bubbles come out the other end its not clogged - at least not enough to stop all air flow. If air doesn't flow through it's possible there is a calcium build up or other blockage - most likely at the tiny hole in the fitting in the pump housing.

If the pump is "dead" and not moving water it is likely something is keeping the impeller from moving. There are not moving parts to speak of in most such pumps except the impeller. The body of the pump is simply a magnet that makes the impeller spin because it too is a magnet with an opposite "pole".

Anyway - take apart the pump and see what is going on. On most you simply turn the plastic intake on the pump an twist it half a turn or so and it pops right off.

Make sure there is no calcium build up, or anything else like a big gob of algae wrapped around the shaft. Maybe give everything a good rinse and put it back together.

Sometimes my powerheads simply "seize". When the powerhead is plugged in give it a good smack with your knuckles or the handle of a screwdriver. That sometimes gets them going again.

It's possible your pump just died and needs replacing. I'm guessing it's something simple however. They're remarkably dependable now days -even cheap ones.