Skimmer help

[sharkboy]

I was having some auto top off problems so I hadn't run my skimmer for over a week. Well I finally got the top off issues under control (i hope) and turned on my skimmer. It is a euroreef 250 and has the gatevalve mod. Anyway, I turn it on and there is too much foam. Even when I open the valve all the way the foam just keeps coming over the top! In doing so my collection cup quickly gets filled with clear water....what is going on?

[erikharrison]

Can you raise the body up out of the water more?

[sharkboy]

Nope, it is attached to the pump which sits in 5" of water in the sump....

[sharkboy]

Still can't figure this one out...I'm stumped!

[brewercm]

Did you add any chemicals that could be causing this. Mine goes pretty nuts right after a water change at times.

[sharkboy]

Nope...the only thing I can think of is that I haven't run it for over a week now.

[erikharrison]

Can you clean it really well? Maybe that will help alleviate some of it since skimmers usually have to break in after a cleaning?

[TexasTodd]

Make sure the gate valve is working.

Make sure a snail etc didn't climb up in to the outlet.

Take some warm ro water and let the air intake suck it through the skimmer from a large cup.

Just guesses.

Todd

[sharkboy]

I'll check the gate valve. I did run warm water through the air intake and do this regularly.
Thanks!

[MissT]

I don't know how long it was since you turned it on, but the skimmers can take up to 12 hours or so to really start working efficiently.

[apedroza]

May also try maipulating the length of the pipe to the gate valve to make it a little higher/lower. I had the same problem in my gatevalve until I adjusted the lenth of the pipe.