Question about aqua remora HOB skimmer

[new2saltyfish]

I recently got an aqua remora protein skimmer from another member. I have it setup with a hydor pico 300 pump. It's been running for a few days and has still yet to create any bubbles. It's fairly quest and runs water through it, maybe creates a few bubbles way down but no accumulation of bubbles at all. I know skimmers have break in periods when you first turn them on but i've never had anything like this... Any thoughts?

 

[RMc]

Not sure about the remora, but the stock pump on the remora pro is a Mag 3. This is a 35 watt pump. The pico 300 looks to be an 8 watt pump, so it probably can't drive water with as much pressure.

Things to check -
Is the remora perfectly level? The spray nozzle/jet should be just above the surface of the water. If it is submerged because the unit is tilted it won't make many bubbles.
Is the collection cup at the lowest setting to skim as wet as possible?
Is the jet/nozzle clean? run a pipe cleaner through it.
Do you have sufficient bioload/feeding to generate skimmate?
Is your salinity high enough?
Food which contains a lot of oil (frozen cubes) will knock down the bubbles in the neck for a few hours after each feed.

 

[new2saltyfish]

Not sure about the remora, but the stock pump on the remora pro is a Mag 3. This is a 35 watt pump. The pico 300 looks to be an 8 watt pump, so it probably can't drive water with as much pressure.

Things to check -
Is the remora perfectly level? The spray nozzle/jet should be just above the surface of the water. If it is submerged because the unit is tilted it won't make many bubbles.
Is the collection cup at the lowest setting to skim as wet as possible?
Is the jet/nozzle clean? run a pipe cleaner through it.
Do you have sufficient bioload/feeding to generate skimmate?
Is your salinity high enough?
Food which contains a lot of oil (frozen cubes) will knock down the bubbles in the neck for a few hours after each feed.

When you say the spray nozzle, do you mean the pvc part that the pump is hooked up to?
Cup is at it's lowest.
I'll have to try the pipe cleaner thing...I looked down the hole and saw a small white part (must be the nozzle?)
salt and bioload should be high enough.

Maybe it's the pump then...i have a pump equivalent to the mag 3 but it's just so big in a 20 gallon tank so i figured since they were both 300gph it wouldn't matter...but the wattage does matter?!?

 

[ro_nicu]

the pressure that the pump can put on the water going through the nozzle it what matters. If you want to test it then take the nozzle out and connect it to the pumps alternatively. You then time them as to how long does it take to fill a gallon. If they are equivalent the time will be equal.
The nozzle skimmers can be a little tricky but once dialed in you will be happy with it. I have a EV-120 which was a b.... to dial in (used a DC pump split in between skimmer and return with valves on the plumbing) but once you figure it out they will skim the heck out of the tank.

 

[22engine]

On the left side looking down there is a plastic screw. Take that out (careful you don't drop it.) stick the pipe cleaner in and clean it out. I have to do it to mine every now and then. Also if you email aqua c they have what they call a muffler now. Its a foam block that goes around the PVC elbow where the screw you are taking out is. Makes it so you can't even hear it running. Super quiet now. Also I use a cobalt mj1200 on mine.
that's the screw

 

[new2saltyfish]

On the left side looking down there is a plastic screw. Take that out (careful you don't drop it.) stick the pipe cleaner in and clean it out. I have to do it to mine every now and then. Also if you email aqua c they have what they call a muffler now. Its a foam block that goes around the PVC elbow where the screw you are taking out is. Makes it so you can't even hear it running. Super quiet now. Also I use a cobalt mj1200 on mine.
View attachment 94390that's the screw

Note to self...make sure skimmer is OFF when doing this! LOL. Water all over the place but i'm a quick reactor so we're good. Will definitly call Aqua C about the muffler. It is really loud with this aquatop ph-16 that i just put on it instead of the koralia pico 300. So far bubbles look the same though...i'll try a Q-tip since i don't have a pipecleaner...maybe that'll work?

 

[22engine]

When mine was doing it I actually has some Teflon tape stuck in there from the person I bought it off of. Yes my fault should have said shut it off. I emailed them and they sent me it for free. It def works great. Seriously I can barley tell mine is even on

 

[new2saltyfish]

When mine was doing it I actually has some Teflon tape stuck in there from the person I bought it off of. Yes my fault should have said shut it off. I emailed them and they sent me it for free. It def works great. Seriously I can barley tell mine is even on

Ok awesome, and you use an MJ1200? Does the wattage of the pump really matter vs the GPH?

 

[ro_nicu]

it's not the wattage that matters, it's the pressure and volume that the pump develops through the nozzle.

 

[22engine]

Yes I'm using an mj1200 works great. Not to big in the tank either. Get the cobalt one that's made in Italy.

 

[RMc]

Though it's safe to assume that a pump rated for the same GPH with a significantly higher wattage will be able to drive much more pressure.

The MJ1200 is 20 watts vs the 8 you have on there now.

It's like gas consumption, torque and max speed. In this case, you don't want the Civic with the NOS - you want the F350 with chained tires.

 

[new2saltyfish]

Though it's safe to assume that a pump rated for the same GPH with a significantly higher wattage will be able to drive much more pressure.

The MJ1200 is 20 watts vs the 8 you have on there now.

It's like gas consumption, torque and max speed. In this case, you don't want the Civic with the NOS - you want the F350 with chained tires.

Who wants a civi with NOS at all? LOL i had to. Ok, i'm guessing it may be the pump since i cleaned it an it didn't help at all. Will order an MJ 1200

 

[new2saltyfish]

Ok, got a maxijet 1200 on the thing and there are definitly more bubbles but they still aren't making it up the neck and into the collection cup...how long do i have to leave it on before it usually starts making skimmate?

 

[22engine]

Can take a week or so and in the beginning it's mostly clear water. It has to build a film in the next of the cup. Start with the cup as far down as it will go and adjust from there when bubbles start to make it up. When I clean mine it take a little bit for the bubble to start up again.

 

[RMc]

I know the wait is the hardest part but just let it go for a week and see what you end up with. The remora works and as long as the nozzle is clear and the water level is good there's really nothing that can break.

Here's a shot of mine after a few days:

I have a SWC160 now that's supposed to be a much better skimmer, but tbh I get about the same amount of skimmate. The remora is quite capable, if a bit loud.