Bpb Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Posted this on RC also but I figured why not here too. ********PLEASE NOTE: This is not a "should I run a skimmer or not?" Thread. Please let's not start a debate on their worth in a reef, that's not my question. I've got a 3 month old or so bubble magus curve 5 I purchased brand new. It's been awesome. Love it. Basic tank info 55 gallon display 15 gal sump Bio pellets Gfo & carbon in dual reactor. Lots of rock and flow 2 year old tank mixed reef mostly sps Skimmer sits in 9 inches of water (manufacturer recommends 9.5-11") so if anything it should UNDER skim Again I've had no complaints at all till now. Yesterday it was overflowing. I normally have the skim set right in the middle. I thought that's odd so I turned it to its driest setting and it still overflows. I turned it off and then back on, still it overflows. So I think...maybe it'll calm down overnight so I just unplug the drain cap and let it run. I wake up...still overflowing So I figure well I haven't cleaned it yet, so I'll try that...even though a dirty skimmer will under skim not over skim. Just finished taking it apart entirely and scrubbing everything. It wasn't even that dirty. Plugged back in. Instantly overflows. I'm out of ideas No major fish or coral deaths in the tank that I've noticed, and I've done a 20% water change this week. I haven't increased my feedings either. I have no idea what's going on. Will this likely pass? Should I cease my bio pellets until the skimmer stops doing this? Worse part is I'm about to leave town for a few days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 did you put any epoxy in the tank recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 Yes...and that normally makes the skimmer go nuts...but on that, it was already overflowing before I epoxied 3 frags down, so, while that may have exacerbated it, I can rule it out as the cause...plus, my skimmer has always calmed down a couple hours after doing that...this is now 24 hours. I also may have replaced a patch of substrate yesterday...also after the skimmer was going haywire. If I had to guess I'd say it was about 20% maybe less. Out with crushed coral in with a mixture of well rinsed and clean Fiji pink and special grade. Again. All this was done after the skimmer was going nuts. I had planned that bit of maintenance for yesterday well in advanced and finished it with a 20% water change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Double check the airline/inlet isn't clogged. If mine gets blocked even a little it skims really wet or overflows completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 my skimmer goes nuts if the water level changes in the sump, which happens with my top off pump stays on a little too long. is it possible that it's lower in the water than usual? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) I appreciate the ideas so far. Air line had a bit of salt creep in it but it wasnt clogged. I took this thing apart, and i mean apart. Impeller assembly and all. took apart the air silencer, this thing looks brand new now. Scrubbed like mad. Still overflowing. Water level is steady, same as usual. Only things I cant test for are nitrate and phosphate. I dont have those tests, usually just let my corals and algae growth tell me whats going on there. Everything looks fine. I even physically lifted the skimmer up to see when it would stop overflowing and it only stopped when the water was literally below the pump line (theoretically in about 3" of water). There are no obstructions preventing water from leaving the base where the adjuster pipe outlet is. Everything looks as it should. I've even got it isolated now (return pump off,just running in the sump at its normal water level and it's still going nuts. I wonder what it is. I'm keeping it at the lowest setting and if the drain cap was off the cup fills in about 10 second. if i turn it up any the drain line cant even keep up it fills so fast Edited January 4, 2014 by Bpb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Do you see any water level change inside the skimmer when you adjust the air or is it just immediately overflow as soon as you plug it in? Is it possible the air adjustment knob is blocked inside or broken inside? I've never cleaned up in there on mine so I'm not sure if it's possible for anything to get up in there or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted January 4, 2014 Author Share Posted January 4, 2014 I actually don't have an air adjustment on this skimmer, just the vertical wedge pipe that either keeps water in the chamber or lets more out. It's functioning with no blockage. I physically disassembled it to inspect and can visibly see the flow of water coming out when it's open all the way. Water level does indeed raise and lower when I adjust. It goes from either overflowing constantly enough to fill the cup in about 10 seconds on the lowest setting and it is a full on gush that has the cap hopping around on the max setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.