Presales Questions & Trouble Shoting Questions

We have tried to list anything that has been called into our customer service desk even if the question as only been asked once.

Can I run the Terminator II Inside or outside of the sump?

Answer: Yes, The skimmer can either sit in the sump, or it can sit outside of the sump beside it.

Do I have to have a sump to install the Terminator II ?

Answer: No, using an accessory kit called "The Sum-less Kit" the skimmer can be gravity feed from the tank (See Sump-less Kit page)

What pumps will I need to install the Terminator II?

Answer: The skimmer comes with the main pump, this is the pump that mounts on the side of the skimmer and runs the regenerating loop venturi. You will still need a small powerhead to bring water up from the sump an into the skimmer. The pump does not have to produce pressure, it only needs to be able to lift the water to the inlet of the skimmer and provide 250 to 300 gallons per hour. If however you are going to use the Sump-less kit you will not not need this little powerhead but will need a Pentair QuietOne 1200. This pump acts to return water from the skimmer to the tank and at this time is the only pump we certify to work for this function.

What should I expect to see when the skimmer is running?

Answer: The body of the skimmer should be opaque with air bubbles. Keep in mind that at the point where the water and air mixture enters the body the bubbles immediately begin to rise. This means that there will be an area as the water comes back around to the injection point where there will not be very many bubbles, this is normal. Midway up the body and in the concentrator top however the body should be filled with air bubbles. The concentrator top should have a layer of stabile foam laying on the surface of the water, and then layers of foam being lifted, dried, and ejected. Keep in mind that in some tanks a skimmer may take two or even three days to season itself and kick in, again this is normal. ( click here to see a video clip of the foam action in the concentrator top of the skimmer)

How do I clean the skimmer?

Answer: The only part of the skimmer that should require regular cleaning is the concentrator top. This can be removed and simply rinsed with warm water. You may occasionally wish to disassemble the main body for cleaning and this can be done by removing the entire core of the skimmer (see instruction manual). You should also periodically clean the venturi to keep it operating at top efficiency. (follow venturi cleaning instructions carefully or you may damage your venturi).

Is everything in the box that I need?

Answer: All but the waste hose, there are so many different installations requiring different lengths of tubing that we are unable to guess how to provide this. You will need a length of 1/2" x 5/8 vinyl hose in the length to reach your skimmer down to where ever you plan to put your waste jug (a 1 gallon milk jug works nicely).

You will also need pumps as specified in question 3.

Depending upon installations the hose you require will vary. You may wish to download the instruction manual for the skimmer and if you are going to install the Sump-less kit the manual for it as well. This will help you determine what hose you may require. All hose used is 1/2" x 5/8" vinyl hose.

Is the skimmer available in voltages for other countries?

Answer: Yes, at present we manufacture units with 120 volt U.S. style plugs, 230 volt with European plugs, and 230 volt U.K. plugs

I have noticed that I do not get as many bubbles in the skimmer as I once did, what could be wrong?

Answer: The most common cause is a dirty or damaged venturi. To clean the venturi remove it and soak it in regular house hold vinegar for about an hour. You can use a Q Tip or something soft in the ends to remove dirt. DO NOT USE A BRUSH OR ANYTHING THAT COULD SCRATCH THE INSIDE AS THIS CAN DESTROY THE VENTURI.

After soaking rinse well and install on the skimmer.

I noticed that the side chamber on the skimmer is open at the top. There is however a lock ring and an "O" ring seal there, should there be a piece to close this off, am I missing a part?

Answer: No, the side chamber is designed to be open at the top. The lock ring and "O" ring seal are there for use only if you install the sump-less kit.

In the instructions it uses the decal on the concentrator top as a reference point to set the level control tube. My tube will not adjust to the bottom of the label.

Answer: We have been made aware that some of the labels on the units were applied a little low causing this problem. The goal in the instructions was to simply set the level tube as low as possible for start up and to let you get used to the skimmer and how it should function. You can then begin to adjust the unit to run the water level a little higher. As you do this notice the change in the waste foam coming out of the skimmer. You will find as you raise the level you will get more ejected waste, but it will be wetter foam. You have direct control over how wet the waste will be by adjusting this level.

I am getting a leak at one of the threaded connections?

This is rare, but can happen. (If this leak is at the Pump outlet, see below) If it is one of the joints that you assembled, or a preassembled joint, the fix is easy. Simply unthread the joint and reteflon the thread with the thread sealing teflon tape we provide with each unit. We STRONGLY suggest you view the video clip "how to apply teflon tape" many people may feel that they are familiar with the process but may get it wrong. Please view the video clip.

I am getting a leak at the pump outlet, what should I do?

We have had a few questions on this. It is related to how the teflon is applied to the threads when you assemble your unit. If you look into the end of the pump you will notice the threads are deep into the socket. In a few cases we have had people wrap excess teflon tape on the upper part of the thread. This causes the teflon to bind in the part of the socket that does not have threads. In all cases to date the solution has been to simply remove the teflon tape and reapply the teflon paying special attention to keeping it only on the first part of the thread, say the first 1/2" of the thread. Apply two or three wraps and then thread the fitting in and check to see if it snuggs up. If not add a little more teflon again keeping it at the end of the threads only. (view video clip)