Skimmer driving me nutty

[RayAllen]

Ok guys as you know i now have the tank running. Everything is pretty much going as planned except the skimmer is going crazy:at_wits_end:

It is a NW Octopus 110 which I bought used and know it was working fine on its previous tank so Im a little perplexed. It has been I guess almost 3 weeks of the tank running and it will not stop releasing tiny micro bubbles into the sump and its not really skimming anything but a little sand debri. I unplugged it for a few days and they pretty much disappered. I stand by Octos 100% and think it may just because the skimmer has nothing to skim yet but other than that I have no idea, but im am tired of seeing zillions micro bubble in my display.

Ive tried covering the outlet with foam but that just causes the water in the skimmer body to rise like a volcano erupting popping the lid of the skimmer. The sump has baffels but the bubbles are so small that they move right through to the return and go right through the sponge.

Any thought or ideas on how to fix this. I know how important skimmers are but at the moment I dont want to leave it plugged in because of this.:confused:

Signed

Microscopic Bubble Hater

Ray

[coraline79]

I am by no means a pro as you know, but what I did to prevent this in my sump is to hang a small piece of filter floss over the baffle between the skimmer and the return for a while. Once I got more a of a bioload, the problem seeto remedy itself. I also have the foam piece on the skimmer as high as it will go. This is just what I did when encountering the same issue with a cheaper 75 gallon eshopp skimmer.

[tony]

i agree, i think more bioload will solve the problem. i have had similar experiences. my deltec mce600 put out bubbles like whoah. so much it would fill the cup in 10 seconds even on the highest setting.

[RayAllen]

Ok guys, thanks. I for the most figured it was because i practically have no bioload. i will wait it out and see what happens.

[coraline79]

Hey Ray,

What was the model of your old octopus?

[RayAllen]

Hey Ray,

What was the model of your old octopus?

NW 150

[coraline79]

that is the one I am going to buy. cool. Thanks.

[drgnbttrfly]

My skimmer was sort of doing the same thing when I started it...it recommended I filter with carbon for a while to reduce the bubble problem then try to adjust it and poof:hypnotyized:

Within 24 hours I turned it off cleared the cup of the water (where it had blown the lid off) and started it back up and slowly adjusted it...and now its pulling out nasty stuff for me. I only have a handful of fish in a 125 with a pretty good size sump..but I thought I was doing something wrong.

Give that a shot...see if it works for you. I ran a hang on in the sump in the section with the skimmer to address those bubbles..and it was only a 70 gallon rated filter but it worked.

I guess the skimmer just works the water up so much that it just needs a little help to get it just right to where you can adjust it where it needs to be.

I had stuff spraying out the top and I was literally mopping the floor when I tried to adjust the darn thing. I did keep floss after the baffles for a day or so...now I don't have to. Tank looks good. :wink_smile: