Protein Skimmer help

[KevinL]

I am about to start my first saltwater tank. It is all set up with everything working. I only have freshwater in it right now to check for leaks and to make sure that I can maintain the temperature with the equipment that I have.

I have 2 questions:

First, the bubbles in my protein skimmer are about the size of pees. I think that they should be smaller based on what I see on other aquariums. Is this just because it is freshwater, or do I have a problem? Once I put salt water in it, will it correct itself?

Second, I want to have my protein skimmer working in the overflow tank that is on the floor in a room behind my main tank. I would like to place the skimmer inside the tank on the floor and attach a hose to the output spout from the skimmer (about 18" off the floor) back into the tank on the floor so that the water returning to the tank doesn't make a lot of noise. When I do this, the hose siphens the water level down because the pressure at the spout is no longer zero. I don't want to have to raise the skimmer above the waterline of the main tank. Are there any ideas for how I can pipe the water from the skimmer back into the lower tank while having zero pressure at the spout? I hope that made sense!

[Mckitrick]

KevinL - Freshwater does not bubble the same as saltwater. I learned this when cleaning a protein skimmer and running it with freshwater. NO BUBBLES!! I couldn't figure out why and then I realized it was because saltwater is more "bubbly".

I didn't "get" the second question so I can't help.

[Dman]

KevinL
Well, there's two ways around the second of your questions.

you can either sit the skimmer on a platform inside the sump (overflow tank)

or

you can submerge the skimmer to the appropriate level.

Now, let's back up.
What skimmer are you running as they all have different operational characteristics.

Dman
:spin:

[Reef Mike]

Paul is right freshwater has completely different properties then saltwater so your skimmer will not behave the same way.

I am confused by your second question?? Are you trying to use the protein skimmer as a return?? If so it will not have enough head to pump back up to your tank? Could you clerify what it is you are trying to do (Maybe a diagram would help)

Mike

[Dman]

Reef Mike,
My take on the second part is that he has an in-sump skimmer but the output is submerged. Because of this, physics is siphoning the water out of the skimmer faster than the pump is filling it.
I had the same problem with my RSB awhile back.
Dman
:spin:

[KevinL]

Thanks for the answer to the bubble problem

Yes, the skimmer is about a 3' tall clear plastic one with blue base and cap. There is no identifying marks on it. I have the skimmer sitting upright in the lower tank with a power head feeding it from the lower tank. The water is returning to the lower tank through a hose I attached to the spout of the skimmer (about 18" off the base of the lower tank). The other end of the hose is submerged in the water of the lower tank. I would like to keep it this way because it is the quietest, but I need to find a way to eliminate the pressure in the hose.

I have attached the hose to a funnel and am hanging funnel from the spout using an elastic. It is working, but there must be a more conventional way of doing this.

Everyone is very helpful. It is my first time using the site...it's great!

[jastonataquapro]

how about a large plastic drain pipe? Like that HUGE white PVC drain you can find at home depot? One big slant right into the tank. There will be lots of air so no odd pressures to deal with.