What am I doing wrong?

[scuba4ever]

I recently built Lawfish's DIY skimmer, and btw thanks for easy to follow instructions, but when I went to test it...it didn't produce many bubbles at all?....I used the via aqua 4900 with a ball valve on it...I made up a fresh batch of saltwater to test it in...maybe the water needs to be dirty?...I am lost...

 

[neptune]

I have a retail skimmer, but could you turn up/down your air control valve?

Bubbles will be prduced regardless of water quality. When water is dirty, waste will come to the top.

 

[Colin]

what strength (SG) was the seawater??? it wont bubble as much the fresher it gets??????????

 

[scuba4ever]

I had used the ball valve to reduce the flow from the via aqua 4900 and used the gate valve to increase the amount of water in the chamber..

I am not sure what the SG was of the water...so I should go and check that....hummmmmm thanks...and the fresher the water the less likely it is to bubble...ok, thanks

 

[Colin]

yep exactly, for example there is hardly any bubbles at all in freshwater if you try a skimmer there, thats one reason why they dont work in FW.

Also, try cheking the venturi line for blockages

 

[neptune]

Freshly made saltwater will bubble, freshwater will very little.

 

[scuba4ever]

Ahhhh ok, that makes sense...thanks guys...here I thought I was going to have to explain to the wife that I spent all that money on building a protein skimmer, instead of buying one ... ...thanks again