Broken Aqua C Urchin!!!

[jballa15]

I noticed it not making any skimate yesterday and unscrewed the access cover to get to the miniature cleaning hole for the spray injection. I brushed and rinsed the injection hole the best i could and turned it on again only to watch it intermittently make a weak bubble column every second or so. This morning I took it out and soaked it in vinegar all day and just hooked it up with the same result, no improvement. Luckily I still had my remora hang on and it sort of fit in the same spot (I think that one works fine, but well see). So the question is, how do I clean the spray injector better or how do you even get to the thing ( I cant see anything or reach anything through that little hole, much less even know what im doing or where the injector actually is:shout. I plan to call Aqua C tomorrow, any advice?

By the way, the micro bubbles in my aquarium drive me crazy and I will never get another Aqua C. I might be in the market for a cheap skimmer that I can mod, very similar to the recent post about a 29 gallon with ten gallon skimmer (thats me too:yes. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[mufret]

You need one of these:

 

[mufret]

BTW, Optimum Aquarium has them in stock.

 

[melev]

I ran the Remora for several years. Did you have to remove a small plastic screw to clean the injector? Did you put it back when you were done cleaning? If the injector is clean (check it with a flashlight) and clear, then you should check to see if the powerhead is working properly. Maybe it is clogged or the impellar is damaged.

The microbubbles do occur, but usually when you put food in the tank. If you want to take some sponge material (Eheim sells some block foam), you can place it on the slope where the water comes out. Be sure to clean it weekly to avoid creating a nitrate factory.

 

[jballa15]

Thanks everyone and I did put a sponge at the output of the urchin just before it quit on me and notice an improvement, just picky. On the other hand, the remora did not release near the amount if any micro bubbles that i remember. I did find the brush it came with in a box packed away and cleaned both the remora and urchin i have, but the thorough cleaning made them like new again and haven't begun to collect anything yet. I'm hoping thats the problem at least. I set both of them in the sump running at the same time to start skimming soon and did a small 15 percent water change the other day. I am seeing algea growth on the sand bed for the first time since i started the tank a year ago as a result of the NO SKIMMING and getting annoyed. I guess I will be doing weekly or biweekly water changes for a while. I'm about to get a coralife 65 or 125 and try to fit it in the small space of the sump. The problem will be the very small spot i made custom for the urchin and am trying to find a skimmer i can run input and output lines over the sump walls and keep the skimmer on a platform behind the tank. I think the coralife will work this way right? Any other skimmer suggestions? I may be posting a WTB thread for a coralife or other skimmer for this situation soon, Thanks, John.

BTW, The millie i got from Rit has grown a layer of flourescent green from the bottom up the last few days and the other stony corals are growing already. I will try to post pictures soon, just hard without my own camera and summer school now starting (soon i promise).