Protein Skimmer help

[dberrong]

I purchased a Jebo 520 protein skimmer for my 90 gallon tank. I'm putting it in my 30 gallon sump that I'm almost finished with. It is supposed to be a venturi style skimmer. I had the air hose connected to the back of the pump where I thought it was supposed to go. When I would turn on the pump, I was getting a great tornado shape of water inside the skimmer, but NO air bubbles. Water was actually coming out of the end of the air hose that is supposed to sit above the water. I moved the hose to the connection where the water enter the skimmer from the pump thinking this was the problem. I got the same results. Water runs up the air hose instead of pulling air into the water. Is there something I'm doing wrong? I'm frustrated!
Problem #2: My return pump is aparently pushing too much water for my overflow to handle. How do I restrict the return pump so that it reduces the amout of water being pumped into the tank?
Thanks.

[dberrong]

I have the overflow problem under control. I think I just got too cautious. It seems to have stabilized. I have been experimenting with the skimmer. When the pump is only submersed about 75% of the way, it seems to be making the bubbles the way it should. Once the pump is covered completely. Just a nice tornado is formed. I can see some bubbles, but not what I would expect from other skimmers I've seen. Any advice?

[Sparky]

1st the Return: Put a T on your return pipe, the straight end going up to the display tank and the T end going to a valve, direct the valved end back into the sump. It depends on how much return water you need, sometimes I have found it to work well if I redirect it to the skimmer end of the sump and let the water go back through the fuge a second time. Other installs the water cant get back to the return end of the sump quick enough, so I have directed it in to the reuturn end. Takes some trial and error. The valve will act as a throttle to controll the amount of water going up to the tank.

2nd Skimmer: Is the skimmer new? check the end that the air hose connect into the skimmer, some times is gets plugged with salt creap or other objects. I use a cut up coat hanger to clean the air hole out.

[dberrong]

Unfortunately it is new. The skimmer and pump. The water comes out the air tube instead of sucking air in. So far from my experiments, the only thing that makes it work is having the water so low that the pump isn't completely covered in water. I think that is making it suck in air since it's not fully submerged.

[Sparky]

Where did you get the skimmer from? If it is an insump model it needs to below the water line. Most atleast 3"-6" or even more to work right

[dberrong]

This may be a case of you get what you pay for. I got it from ebay. There is so much water coming out of the return from the skimmer it makes an unbelieveable amount of noise. At this point I'm out of ideas. It works great as long as some of the pump is out of the water to suck in air. The air tube is worthless since water is just pushed out of the tube.

[iVgOnMaD]

is the venturi connected to the output or input of the pump? pics of the skimmer or a link to a website with a pic would help us find out what is wrong

[dberrong]

I'll try to get some pix tonight. Here is the link to Jebo's website on the skimmer.
http://www.shopjebo.com/104/jebo_protein_skimmer_520_detail.aspx

[dberrong]

Here are pix of the pump. You can see the air line connection in the back of the pump itself. You can also see where the water is pumped into the skimmer there is a venturi connection. No matter which connection I put the air line in, it still pushes water out the air line unless the pump isn't fully in the water. Could the pump be too strong for the skimmer?

[dberrong]

is the venturi connected to the output or input of the pump? pics of the skimmer or a link to a website with a pic would help us find out what is wrong

Apparently I did have it connected to the output. I had to weave the air tube through a hole in the front of the pump and take the filter off the pump to attach it. Disregard my ignorance. The skimmer now works properly. I did raise my skimmer up in the sump to where it is in 6" of water. The water return is so high that water splashes everywhere and makes an unbelieveable noise. I don't think the connection is a stand size fitting. It looks 1", but it is bigger than that. I tried a inch and a fourth connector and it was too big. Anyone run into this problem before?
Thanks for the previous help.

[iVgOnMaD]

they are most likely 1 1/4"

I would try to put the venturi on the pump's intake if possible (you will have to remove the grill cover) it was most likely designed to work that way :)