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Ryker 
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Joined: January 27 2005
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 Topic: HOW DO THEY WORK?
Posted: April 28 2005 at 4:26pm |
Hey all, ive been debating on gettin a skimmer (I have a nasty film on the water in my tank) its a 60 gal does anyone know how they work? is it a diy kinda deal i can build most anything if i know what its supposed to do thought id ask the experts (thats anyone reading this) thanx
Edited by Ryker
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Ghetto Man
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Posted: April 28 2005 at 4:30pm |
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There are several people in the club that have built their own. Do a search for DIY skimmer.
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Posted: April 28 2005 at 4:35pm |
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While the film on the top of your tank consists, of course, partly of waste from your animals, it could also include other things such as phosphate. I think it is phosphate anyway. Besides that though, someone did a DIY skimmer in the forum. Look under the DIY folder, I think it was last month or maybe two months ago.
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jfinch
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Posted: April 28 2005 at 4:43pm |
Skimmers are great DIY projects (I've built many) and I believe every tank would benefit from using one. But that film on the suface of your water can be easily removed by pointing a powerhead upwards, creating a turbulant surface. This dissolves that organic film and allows some of the critters in the tank to eat it or you can add activated carbon to adsorb it.
OR are you asking about a surface skimmer (overflow wier) and not a protein skimmer?
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Ryker
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Posted: April 29 2005 at 2:04am |
 jfinch wrote:
...that film on the suface of your water can be easily removed by pointing a powerhead upwards, creating a turbulant surface.... |
I already have both power heads pointing up they kinda push the film back but its still pretty bad is that just somethin i gotta live with?
I looked at the do it yourself stuff, so let me get this straight all you do is get bubbles to go up a tube and foam over? why are they so pricey am i missin somethin?
I read in one of the deals that bio wheels are bad is that true? iv got one on my tank, that cant be contributing to the film can it?
Edited by Ryker
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jfinch
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Posted: April 29 2005 at 8:56am |
so let me get this straight all you do is get bubbles to go up a tube and foam over? why are they so pricey am i missin somethin?
You're not missing anything. They're pricey because it's a captive market. But even building them yourself can be kinda costly.
I read in one of the deals that bio wheels are bad is that true?
Bad in what way? I think sometimes they lead to accumulation of nitrates, but not in all cases. I don't think you can make a blanket statement that they are bad.
that cant be contributing to the film can it?
No, I can't see how it could. If anything it should be helping to break it up.
If you have powerheads pointed upwards and still have a film on the suface, I'm at a loss. Maybe it's not turbulent enough?
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Mark Peterson
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Posted: April 29 2005 at 2:05pm |
Are you using a foam pad or a replacable cartridge in the biowheel filter?
The replaceable cartridges typically have activated carbon (AC) inside. This is usually sufficient for removing the various organic molecules and algae scum which can easily form on the surface of the water. If the cartridge is old, changing it. If using a foam pad, clean it and drop in behind it a small bag of rinsed AC. This could be the ticket to a clear water surface. 
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Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks:www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Ryker
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Posted: April 30 2005 at 2:22am |
yea Mark my carbon hasnt ever been changed in the bio wheel (like 2 years) ill try that and see how it does
also I use tap water is that really all that bad?
P.S. Mark that utah rock I got from ya is already gettin green and full of life I drilled a few "arches" in it and hit it with power washer it looks great!!!
thanx a ton
Edited by Ryker
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Will Spencer
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Posted: April 30 2005 at 11:39am |
A biowheel system is meant to break down Amonia and Nitrites to Nitrates, but does not meet the conditions required to host the bacteria that breaks down Nitrates. Therefore they have a bad rap in Reef tanks for creating nitrates. In freshwater tanks that these filters were designed for the Nitrates generally aren't a problem, but can be harmful to inverts in a reef tank.
As for carbon, to really do the job you'll probably want to change it out every month or two. Especially if you only have room for a small portion.
Tap Water is a subject where you'll get different answers from different people. Personally I run a 150 gallon tank at my office on only tap water and it is doing great. I have had more algae problems in it than in my home tank where I run RO water, but my hard corals also grow very fast due to the high levels of calcium in the tap water. So I think it's a toss up.
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