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View Full Version : What is up with my skimmer ??


Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:24 PM
My skimmer has been like this for about a month now. The water is half way up the neck, than the foam. It's hardly producing any gunk. I've tried to adjust it, it just gets more water up in the neck. Is this normal ?

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i62/witchlizzard/Skimmer.jpg
marinelife
06-24-2010, 10:29 PM
Turn the pump feeding it down. You have to much water going into the pump
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:39 PM
The skimmer sits in my refugium. You mean the pump that pumps back to the tank ? Why would it all of a sudden start doing this after all this time ?
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 10:42 PM
Isn't there a pump that feeds the skimmer?
marinelife
06-24-2010, 10:44 PM
The pump feeding the skimmer, you are getting to much water in it. Skimmer water level and move around, one reason I do not have a skimmer.
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:44 PM
The pump is in the skimmer.
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 10:45 PM
last time you cleaned it?
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:46 PM
About 3 weeks ago.
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 10:48 PM
has the water level in sump increased?
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:48 PM
It was doing that, we cleaned it 3 weeks ago and it is still doing it. Before that, it was working good.
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 10:50 PM
check to see if pump is placed correctly after you cleaned it
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:52 PM
has the water level in sump increased?

Hmmmm .... Bill fills the sump up every morning before he goes to work. He does add above the baffle cause of the evaporation during the day. But, by the time we get home from work, it is below the baffle where it should be.
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 10:53 PM
you need a top off unit
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:55 PM
check to see if pump is placed correctly after you cleaned it

He said he was going to clean it again this weekend. It's a pain. Hate that skimmer. Every time you have to unplug it, it never starts back up. You have to play with it to get it going.
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 10:55 PM
you need a top off unit

Would be nice, but no place to put it.
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 10:57 PM
I would reccomend the Tunze osmolator. Does not take up space in sump
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 11:01 PM
You will be amazed at how much better your fish and corals will do if the salinity is kept constant
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 11:04 PM
Our tank and RO water is on opposite ends of the house. I don't want a tube running from the laundry room to the living room.
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 11:07 PM
Tunze works out of 5gallon bucket or 10g
chromiumlux
06-24-2010, 11:08 PM
No unsightly rodi lines
Sunshine
06-24-2010, 11:45 PM
Tunze works out of 5gallon bucket or 10g

That would be nice, but we have zero room under the tank. It's wall to wall sump. What do you do, just keep filling that bucket up with RO water ? That would be nice to have when we go on vacations. Well, use to go on vacations before we got animals ..
jeremyreef
06-25-2010, 12:03 AM
Yes just keep the bucket full and the ATO turns on the pump when the float switch senses low water.

Is there a air line that goes to a plastic venturi connected to the intake of your pump? If so make sure there is no salt creep in the air line and run a toothpick through the part (of the venturi) the air hose connects to. There might be salt build up blocking air flow. Also you could try raising the water level in it a bit after you get that collection cup totally clean.
Sunshine
06-25-2010, 12:31 AM
Yes just keep the bucket full and the ATO turns on the pump when the float switch senses low water.

Is there a air line that goes to a plastic venturi connected to the intake of your pump? If so make sure there is no salt creep in the air line and run a toothpick through the part (of the venturi) the air hose connects to. There might be salt build up blocking air flow. Also you could try raising the water level in it a bit after you get that collection cup totally clean.

I'll make sure to check the air line. I don't think we ever paid any attention to that. It use to foam up really good. Hopefully we will get it back to the way it was. Thanks ...
TechGuy40
06-25-2010, 01:24 AM
When I plug up the top hole in the silencer it draws water thru the air line, thats how I clean mine.

Make sure nothing is restricted. Something has changed here. Did you adjust the outlet? Is it submerged? Mine acts funny if the outlet is submerged.
Sunshine
06-25-2010, 06:39 AM
I adjusted the blue tube that has numbers on it. It's on max. If I turn it to a different position, it just fills up with water. I did notice that when I do water changes and things get stirred up, it will foam a lot. Than it goes back to the way it looks in the picture.
kennv431
06-25-2010, 03:12 PM
Just putting my 2 cents in ... I think marinelife had the correct idea ... Looks like the water levle inside the skimmers main chamber is climbing too high into the collection cup assembly. Try turning you water flow going into the skimmer down so that is just at the collar, (the red one, looking at your pic) give it a day and check and see if you are getting a dryer foam.

BTW ...what type of skimmer is it ?