Skimmer Problems!!!

[medic29]

I am having issues with my skimmer. It is a Super Skimmer 65 and I am currently using it as a hang on back skimmer. I was planning on using it in my sump when I get the new tank up, but that is yet at least a week away.

Anyway, my skimmer starting up yesterday morning when the collection cup filled with water and overflowed in a matter of about an hour. I cleaned up the mess and emptied the collection cup and put everything back together and plugged it in only to have it do it all over again. This time I got it turned off before it made a mess.

I took the skimmer out, cleaned it some and checked it in a bucket of water and it worked fine (freshwater mind you). Then brought it back in, put it back in my tank and plugged it in and it began doing the same thing again. I'm at a loss.

I'm not sure how to fix this problem as I don't know what is causing it. I don't know how long I can go without my skimmer. I'm not sure if I should get a different skimmer for my new set up and if so which one? Help!!

Any ideas, suggestions, etc. would be appreciated.

Rick

[hubris007]

no clams or cucumbers in there? How about caulerpa?

[pleaselaunchme]

My money is its the bubble diffusor... thats what mine did, anyway.

The instructions provided with the skimmer are lousy, and wrong. How long does your outlet tube extend into your bubble trap? Mine kept having back pressure problems and overflowing until I cut it so it was just barely under the water line. I hate that bubble trap, and have not actually been running the skimmer for about a week now (need to get time to work on a few things, hopefully saturday, as algae is really taking off right now = ( ). My current plan is to use filter bags (just got them in the mail) from HOB power filters as a filter sock and negate that trap altogether. This worked really well for my drains for a while (and reduced salt creep), and they will be going back on there as well. You could also try the felt method discussed recently, which is what I plan on doing when these filterbags get used up.

Sorry if this is rambling and incoherant, I have a cold and apparently took one too many sudafeds.

Ben

[medic29]

I do have a clam; not sure what caulerpa is so I don't think I have it.

[pleaselaunchme]

BTW- been thinking of modding it into a recirculating skimmer by adding a few uniseals and a smallish modded needlewheel pump. Anyone here ever done that with one of these?

Ben

[medic29]

My outlett tube does not go into the water at all. I is about 1/8-1/4 inch above the water/bubble trap and pours the water into the bubble trap. I didn't want any back pressure problems. The bubble diffuser...is this the same as the bubble trap or is it the part down in the skimmer where all of the bubbles come out?

[medic29]

Ben, do you have one of the super skimmers?

[Benny Z]

i do - replied on bnarc.com ...

pics in my gallery here.

[pleaselaunchme]

Yep, I did mean diffusor. And yes, I have the CSS 65 or whatever the actual model number is, it is the 65g rated version. If your not submerged on the outlet, its really odd that it is overflowing. How long has it been running?

Ben

[medic29]

It has been running for over 6 mos; problems here and there, but it has been working without incident for the last several months.

[trendle]

I had this problem when tuning my CSS 65. Throttle the pump back with the flow valve to 1/2 flow. Too much water flowing into the skimmer.

Any changes in the water? I would think there would be some change to cause this to happen again.

[hounddog01]

I am not sure you have a problem. Did you do a water change recently or add any chemestry. Certian additaves can cause the skimmers to "go nuts" and just skim clear water for a while. I know when I treated for Red Slime it started skimming clear water for about 2 days. I had to leave it off while I was gone so it would not overflow.

I would say that something changed in the tank and you may skimm clear for a while but I would bet after 3 or 4 cup fulls you will go back to normal JMO.

[archieb2]

I agree, check the flow valve. I have a CSS125 and have noticed that the flow valve must be adjusted regularly after cleaning the unit or performing water changes. You do not have to turn the valve much to make a difference. I have done water changes and had it overflow on me too. I believe this was because I raised the water level in the tank and the sump. These skimmers perform well, you just need to keep an eye on the flow valve. Hope this helps!

[medic29]

I had performed a water change and added OSMO to help correct the chemistry in my RO/DI water, plus added some reef builder to it. It had been working perfectly until I cleaned out the collection cup the other day. My water flow valve is turned as low as it can go. Maybe on Monday when I have some more time I will play with it a little more. I'm not sure it would be just a couple of cups full, then be okay as the other morning it pumped out over 5 gallons before I caught it.

I can test my water tonight, but I don't know that it will show much as I can only test the basics.

[pleaselaunchme]

I am trying to find a thread I read last week, unfortunately so far no such luck. It followed a guy with similiar problems as yours, and some mods one of the Coralife guys had him perform. I believe eventually they started to help. It seems as if for whatever reason some of these skimmers just like to overflow as yours is.

Ben

[trendle]

Is the air tube or venturi blocked? Less air into the pump would mean more water. Just an idea...

[medic29]

Nope, the air tube is open. I learned about that early on. I can blow through it with no problem. It was getting clogged with salt creep, but I fixed that by extending the tubing a little. There is an air outlet on the outlet tube as well and that is open.

Don't know

[trendle]

And the muffler thingy is open too?

[medic29]

yes, the output is open above the water level.