Red Sea MAX E Series Installation And Operation Manual Download

Page: 24 / 132

Red Sea MAX

E-Series

New Skimmers or Set-ups

Skimmers only produce foam if the
water contains the proteins that bind
to the surface of the air bubbles and
give the bubbles the structural rigidity
they need to ascend the neck of the
skimmer and settle in the collection
cup. In a new aquarium set-up the bio-
load is low and the amount of proteins
is negligible.

New skimmers sometimes need a short break-in period of a few days
before they begin to function efficiently. Over-skimming is common
while harmless chemical residues that affect the surface tension of the
water are neutralized.

Feeding and Supplementing

Skimmers are very susceptible to the effect of surface active compounds
such as foods and supplements that are added regularly to the aquarium.
Such materials can significantly affect the foam production and in some
cases cause over-skimming. Immediately before adding such materials
switch the skimmer off and leave off for 30 minutes or however long it
takes until the skimmer will return to its normal foaming action without
repositioning the Skim Adjuster.

Collection Cup

Monitor the amount of skimmate that accumulates in the collection cup
and empty the cup on a regular basis. When emptying the cup, clean the
inside of the neck by rinsing it with water, as the build-up of skimmate in
the neck will adversely affect the skimmer performance. If you wash the
cup with detergent make sure to rinse it thoroughly before returning it to
the skimmer.

13 General Aquarium
Maintenance

The long-term success and health of the inhabitants of your MAX

aquarium depends on you. Proper planning makes reef care easier to
manage and quicker to perform. This will leave you more time for the
real goal: enjoying your aquarium. Care of the tank should follow a
regular, logical pattern. Divide the tasks into daily, weekly and monthly
procedures, including equipment checks, feeding, water parameter
testing and adjustments.

You may find it helpful to make a systematic checklist of care activities
and keep a log of the activities performed. Your log does not need to be
complicated; you will need to track the following:

•  The tank’s parameters – pH, salinity, temperature, etc.
•  The general appearance of the tank and individual species.
•  Equipment changes – when you changed light tubes or replaced

heaters, etc.

• Replacement of carbon or other filter media.
• Information specific to each animal – when they were added, moved

or removed, their approximate size, any signs of stress or ill health etc.

Water levels

Check the water level in the rear chamber on a daily basis and add fresh
water as required to compensate for any evaporation. Do not allow the
water level in the sump to remain outside of the min/max water levels.
If the water in the aquarium is too high check that the combs of the
surface skimmer are not blocked.

Surface Skimmer

Remove and clean the combs of the surface skimmer at least once a