crazy skimmer

[RayAllen]

As some of you know I just changed my tank over to all live rock, new sand and a couple of other changes. Well I completed the change yesterday and my skimmer back in the sump. Well its going nuts. I have the riser tube on the lowest it can go but the skimmer is erputing into the cup literally filling it in seconds and popping off the lid. It just keeps doing this so I have it unplugged at the moment. I know the skimmer works well so the new water and changes are obviously to blame, but what can I do. Will cleaning it help?

[jrsatx20]

hey ray put something in front of the pump inlet like piece of mesh or something that will slow the amount of water coming in until it breaks in completely. its probally just cleaning the new live rock.

[coraline79]

If the rock wasn't cured, then the skimmer might be pulling what was released in the water.

[RayAllen]

The rock had been cooking for weeks by bigbird. I think its a combo punch of New sand, rock and about 30% new water. I will get it in check eventually, lol. I have a love hate realationship with skimmers at times...

[coraline79]

New water does it for me-I think that may be your culprit.

[Mr Cob]

If it's a venturi type of skimmer, add a air line hose with a control valve and you will be able to have added control of the micro bubbles, I had to do this when I upgraded my pump on my SS220...I had the knob on the lowest setting and it was still overflowing with micro bubbles. Installed the air line tubing with control and problem solved.

[RayAllen]

This is the octopus 110 which comes with a airhose attachment already so thats not it. I thought about it for a while a remembered when I first go the skimmer it did the same thing. I had to raise the entire skimmer up out of the water a few inches and it fixed it and once it broke in im able to submerge it back in the sump totally. Im going to give this ago and see what happens.

[Mr Cob]

Add a small control valve to the air line hose and turn it down to constrain some of the air. Bet you it will work. It's the same concept on mine...It will help when it's breaking in or over skimming.

http://www.aquariumguys.com/aircontrolkit.html

[coraline79]

I got the gate vavle mod from marine solutions on my Oct nw200, it gives you complete control, and it makes the skimmer return water to the system silently.

[RayAllen]

Rising it up did not work like before. Im going to try the control valve on the airline and see what happens.

[aquasport24]

How about add some old water back in? Give it something to skim.

[ErikH]

Just do your water changes and turn it on in a few weeks.

[RayAllen]

Erik Id feel weird not running my skimmer, but I got it fixed. Woo Hoo! Didnt even have to go to the store.

I took jrsatx20s advice and put some filter material in front of the intake and it worked immediatley, who knew it would be something so simple.

Thanks!

[Mr Cob]

Nice! I had to do the same thing to my HOB overflow...it was freekin loud until I put some mesh in it.

[RayAllen]

yea, I love a easy fix. Im still going to add the valve to the airline hose when ever I make it to the store to get one that is.

[jrsatx20]

I have the same skimmer. and my wife says I'm never right. ha ha