Skimmer troubles again

[joker577]

Well it seems the skimmer works fine...when the bubbles go over the collection cup! All the bubbles seem to be breaking before the collection cup and popping inside the tube..leaving it brown and disgusting! Need help!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

They will always do this. As the tank demands grow and the skimmer settles in, so will the amount of foam. Eventually there will be as much gunk in the cup as coating the neck. But even then, you will be amazed how much crap builds up in the neck.

 

[joker577]

But its like it only foams over sometimes...and half the time it doesn't even reach up into the tube i'm just making sure this is normal

 

[trido]

How about those pictures? I forget. Is the water level in the skimmer chamber constant or does it fluctuate with the rest of the sump?


But yes, Herefishyfishy has it on the nose.

 

[twilliard]

I would have to second the change in water level.
There is really only three things that will affect your production in a skimmer besides bio-load.

The pump getting something in it (algae, muck, what ever it can suck up)
Reaction chamber water height (ATO failure, changes in flow)
Air restriction or change in air flow (salt build-up in air intake, intake tube came off pump)

These are all examples and may not be typical

Hope that helped

 

[Reefergeorge]

My octo was doing the same thing. After a messed up mod, and two weeks without a skimmer. The thing is foaming the whole cup. I guess there just wasn't anything to skim before.
I know it is annoying to buy something, and it not do much, but when it is needed it will work.

 

[joker577]

Because it wouldn't fit at first I had to remove 2 baffles and broke part of the 3rd into the refugium...so the level is pretty much all even now, I have no clue on how to repair it other than removing ALL the stuff from the sump which I really don't want to have to do

 

[trido]

That was very descriptive but.......
Does you sump have two or three chambers? Is the return pump separate from the fuge with more baffles?

 

[joker577]

No sand gets into that chamber...I had 3 baffles going into the refugium, an over under over way to break up the microbubbles but had to remove them to make room...and in the end i didnt even need to. It goes [Skimmer area/pump return, refugium, then pump

 

[trido]

So the pump is seperate from the other chambers?
Like this sump? The skimmer would sit on the left, the fuge in the middle and the return pump on the opposite end.

Does your sump have a seperate chamber for the return pump? At this point the baffles you removed are irrevlevant. Im simply trying to figure out if the water level where the skimmer sits is fluctuating or constant.

 

[joker577]

Old pic but you get the jist ( new skimmer, more chaeto, 2 far left baffles removed and the 3rd is 1/2 cracked)

 

[Skimmy]

are we talking about the octo int ps-150??
if so, then first off, the skimmer will take at least a week, mabye 2 to break in...
second, i have owned this skimmer, it skims better in 9" of water, trust me.
but have you tried raising the outlet to bring up the foam level in the skimmer cup??
also, i would mod the venturi, you can see here half way down the page pics of how i did it:
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32045&page=4

 

[trido]

Ok, thank you. I can see by the pic that the return pump chamber is separate from the rest of the sump. The fluctuating skimmate is definately not a water level issue. Boy, sure took a long time to get to here.

How often are you cleaning the tube and cup? Some only clean once a week. As the tube gets dirtier the less skimmate will make it into the collection cup.
I clean my skimmer cup every three or four days because I feel that it helps to get the most gunk into the cup. It tends to be real wet and pale green for the first day and by day three there really isnt alot of foam running over the edges. Its simply building up in the riser tube. Dont worry, as long as there is alot of air in the chamber and its making it out of the skimmer body into the riser tube it will do its job. It will take time and a bit of tinkering before you get to know it well enough to make it skim its best all of the time.

On another note, Its not a bad idea to unplug the pump every day or so to back flush the venturi with water. Otherwise saltcreep can build up inside of it and the skimmer wont get enough air to perform its best

 

[joker577]

I've been trying to clean it everyday or whenever it gets gunky inside the tube...wouldn't raising the outlet mean it would skim more wet?

 

[joker577]

Now what exactly does that air mod do? because theres already a hole that comes out of there?

 

[trido]

I've been trying to clean it everyday or whenever it gets gunky inside the tube...wouldn't raising the outlet mean it would skim more wet?

Cleaning it everyday is probably more than necessary unless you have a major bioload. Raising the riser tube will make it skim wetter.
It sound like you've got it handled pretty well. Im far from a Skimmerwisperer but I have had seven skimmers on four systems in the last two years. They typically dont have foam running down into the cup at all times. Every time you put your hand into the tank your body oils affect the skimmer making it stop skimming fo a while. I notice my bubble level drop after I feed. There are sooooo many variables affecting its performance. sit back, relax, let your skimmer break in.
If you have gunk and its not blowing its top with pale skimmate then its working like its supposed to...

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The more you mess with a skimmer, the less it works. Leave the skimmer alone and keep your hands out of the sump and tank as this alone will kill the skimming rate




Note: Right after posting this, read The prior post, almost identical, LOLOLOLOL