What causes skimmers to go hay wire?

[TonyInVa]

My skimmer often times goes nuts. It will over flow for no reason. No new filter sock. Perimeters are in check. Air line is clear. Water outlet is clear, in fact removed valve. I cant figure it out. 

[epleeds]

Which skimmer?

[TonyInVa]

Which skimmer?

Reef Octopus Internal

[WheresTheReef]

Sounds like you have it too deep in the water. Look up the recommended level and try raising it if that's the issue.

[WheresTheReef]

Also how long have you had it? Is it broken in?

[TonyInVa]

Sounds like you have it too deep in the water. Look up the recommended level and try raising it if that's the issue.

Skimmer is about 3 years old in within the recommended depth. Last time this happened I moved it higher up. Highest on the recommended height. 

[mogurnda]

I had that problem every time I used one of the frozen food cube brands (formula 1?).  Seems like they changed the formula, and added something that acted as a surfactant.  Stopped buying it. 

Still get overflows every once in a while.  I attribute it to something spawning, or maybe something dying in the rocks.  

[malacoda]

+1 on Dave's comment.

 

Do you vary the types of food you feed your fish?

 

I see a very significant and rather sudden 'burst' of foam/skimmate production whenever I feed LRS fish eggs ... versus LRS reef frenzy, pellet foods, or the addition coral foods such as Coral Frenzy or Reef Roids.  I suspect the fish eggs may be far more laden with liquid proteins or something which results in an abrupt jump in foaming.

Edited November 27, 2017 by malacoda