Skimmer issues...

[Minh B.]

I have a Reef Octopus Diablo DB-XS225 that works great almost all the time. Except three times already, it over-flows and floods inside the stand and the surrounding hardwood floors. Today, it happened again but luckily I was home and noticed bubbles going into my DT via the return because the sump level was too low. I quickly shut the power off to the skimmer and dumped out the excess water from my collecting bin. I know the last time it happened, there was a power outage, leading to the increase in level of the sump and when the power came back on, the high water level in the sump caused the over-flow. But today, no power outage. What other factors besides a power outage/rise in water level in the sump could cause the skimmer to over-flow? I adjusted the valve on the skimmer to have the minimum level of water recommended (and not the maximum). I plan on eventually getting Avast's skimmer locker to prevent this from happening again. Thanks.

[Quantum Aquaria]

minh, take some cotton balls and put it in the clear acrylic chamber. that helps with preventing skimmer from producing to much bubbles.

[Tracy G]

Do you have filter socks you replaced recently?

[Minh B.]

Hi Tracy. Yep, just put in washed ones yesterday.

Edited January 6, 2013 by Minh B.

[Minh B.]

minh, take some cotton balls and put it in the clear acrylic chamber. that helps with preventing skimmer from producing to much bubbles.

 

Is this the collection chamber after the bubbles fall down or inside the cone where the bubbles are?

[zygote2k]

if your skimmer has an external air soilencer, disconnect the air intake hose from it and see if that works.

[zygote2k]

when poer goes out and sump level rises then power comes back on, skimmer pump pushes water up air intake hose filling silencer, then when sump level is normal and skimmer is running, air silncer is now full of water causing skimmer to overflow.

If you have this setup on your Apex, then program a delay in skimmer power after main pump turns on.

[Minh B.]

if your skimmer has an external air soilencer, disconnect the air intake hose from it and see if that works.

Thanks. I'll give that a try.

[Quantum Aquaria]

Is this the collection chamber after the bubbles fall down or inside the cone where the bubbles are?

 

it's the clear acrylic air trap that is connected to the hose leading to the pump. it should be sticking out on the side by the skimmer neck

[Minh B.]

 

it's the clear acrylic air trap that is connected to the hose leading to the pump. it should be sticking out on the side by the skimmer neck

 

Thanks for the advice. Didn't know about that cool trick.

[AlanM]

Is this a "feature" of in-sump single pass skimmers or recirc ones too?

[Tracy G]

Hi Tracy. Yep, just put in washed ones yesterday.

the same thing happened to me every time I changed the socks. It's a chemical in them that gets washed out. Even washing them does not allways fix it. Turn off the skimmer for a few hours after you change them. Watch the skimmer when you turn it back on if it produces almost soap like bubbles turn it back off. I have seen it take up to a day. Should fix the issue.

[Minh B.]

the same thing happened to me every time I changed the socks. It's a chemical in them that gets washed out. Even washing them does not allways fix it. Turn off the skimmer for a few hours after you change them. Watch the skimmer when you turn it back on if it produces almost soap like bubbles turn it back off. I have seen it take up to a day. Should fix the issue.

 

Thanks Tracy! That has to be it for today's incident & you're right...my bubbles are 'soapy'. This forum is awesome.

[Steve175]

Skimmer overflow is unavoidable (new filter socks, epoxy, occasional water changes, etc, cause mine to overflow somewhat unpredictably). The AVAST locker is a great fix (powers off skimmer when cup is full). As an interim fix, you can run a tube from the cup drain to anu cannister (even an empty milk jug) that sit completely over the skimmer so that if it happens again (and it will) it will overflow back into the sump and not onto the wood floors.

[Minh B.]

Ingenious idea Steve! Thanks for saving me another messy cleanup until the locker comes.