Help with my macro skimmer

[HypoC]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie in this hobby, just started cycling my tank few days ago heh But i've got problems with the skimmer. I'm currently using a macro needle wheel as-100p bought from aquamarin. Yup hope you guys and big bros out there can give me advice or a tip or 2 thanks lots!

1) The ###### noise from the air inlet tube is erally quite loud and annoying. I have a small room. Thus if i leave it on lidat i cant really sleep haha. My friend adviced that i get a valve and decrease the inlet hole. It did lower the noise but i noticed the bubbling also decreased. Don't wanna decrease e efficiency of my skimmer. Anyone can help me out?

2) E skimmer was recently stuck as in completely not pumping. I gave it a few knocks and voila it got unclogged and started pumping again but the next day, I realised the bubbling is not as fantastic as I 1st started it. Even with the air valve fully opened. The bubbles don't seem to reach to the bottom of the cylinder. Hmm, is it something to do with the countercurrent mechanism failing? It's like the length of bubbles contacting water has "shortened". Anything i can do?

Thanks so much guys

[yuji]

1) Use a wooden air stone to insert into the tube. That should cover up the noise and also make your bubbles even smaller.

2) Did you check if you have achieved the right salinity in your water? Too little salt will render the skimmer useless, and you won't see bubbles.

[HypoC]

Hmm ok thanks for yr advice!! will try it. My salinity is ok. seem slike the pump is not as powerful as it was...

[tansh]

Macro needle wheel work best if powerhead place near to the surface of water.

[kaykay]

[Clownfish]

strange, my as350p is veri silent leh....

mine came with a silencer connected to the inlet of the powerhead...

n tansh is right in saying that

[HypoC]

Help! my powerhead keeps getting clogged! It just went dead again and i witnessed it this time. Just suddenly off. Hopefully I can revive it by the "knocking" method again. Anyone has a similar problem? Maybe can share tips with me? I'm afraid if I keep knocking the pump like that it will surely be "knocked out" one day Is it very common for the powerhead to be clogged or go dead?? Help anyone pls!

[HypoC]

strange, my as350p is veri silent leh.... 

mine came with a silencer connected to the inlet of the powerhead...

n tansh is right in saying that 

Hey bro may I know what is the silencer u mentioned? What does it look like? Can I buy it anywhere? Inlet of the power head or the air inlet tube? Thanks lots!

[kaykay]

When i block the air inlet tube, completely no noise, but of course no bubbles lah..

I now using a controller valve (like those on a hospital bedside drip), noise is reduced, but still audible.

Going mad liao.. the noise!!

Sounds like the air stone method works for yuji..

but place the air stone where?

[ervine]

If the noise is the same as a weipro I suggest u just get a one way valve or something and shove it into the hole.. sweet silence after that....

[HypoC]

Yeah I know. But the size of the air inlet hole correlates with the noise and the bubbles. Meaning. if i close the air inlet hole a little, the noise dips but the bubbles also decrease. then it defeats the purpose of getting the skimmer already haha no?

Hey, anyone got any comments on the powerhead getting jammed?

[Cedric]

Hi guys, notice quite a few of us have problem with noisy air inlet for our skimmers.

A very simple sure fix for a silencer without decreasing the efficiency of our skimmers is simply to insert a off the shelf bubble counter (those CO2) into the air inlet. All the noise will disappear!

Cheers!

[yuji]

the wooden air stone works extremely well for me. its supposed to be inserted into the tube taking in air into the pump (i.e. the tube that is supposed to be left OUT of the water). i'm not sure why it isn't working too well for you guys.

the size of the inlet hole indeed affects the amount of bubbles. the lesser air it takes in, the lesser bubbles (or no bubbles at all). that's why you should use a wooden air stone to ensure that air is not prevented from entering the tube while reducing noise at the same time (or perhaps those valve that other hobbyists have suggested?).

if you have just bought the macro and it isn't working well, i suggest you bring it back to change. it could be due to a manufacturer's defect (after all it is made in taiwan). i got mine and it worked perfectly well since day 1.

[Zappy Kiwi]

I am using an AS-150P model. Works fine for me. It seems that a lot of users find that macro needlewheel is noisy. For me, I just fit a silencer (those that you can find in the boxes of motor pumps when you buy 1) and the sound will not be so irritating.

As for the motor itself, mine has been working well ever since I purchase it 3 months ago... i think you may have a faulty one...

[HypoC]

Thank you so much guys! Thanks Yuji!! Your method worked wonderfully!! Everything was as you said, my bubbles became smaller and more profuse and best of all sweet silence!! No more noise!! I can sleep now haha!

kaykay you should really try the wooden airstone method. Insert one into the air inlet tube. Tell me about it k?

Thanks all who offered advice. Love you guys!

[kaykay]

Can't find any wooden air stones around my place.. bought a normal green colour one instead first... Ya wonderful, reduce 70-80% of the noise. now tolerable.

Will be looking for a wooden one soon..

Thanks guys!

[tineng]

I was worried that the air stone will restrict the volume of air so another way is to get a really long air tube, about 1.5 meter long....works for me....