skimmer help!!!!

ericad289 · 03/28/2008, 08:14 AM

i have a 75 gallon tank with my skimmer in my sump below the tank. I know it's awful but i don't know what kind of skimmer it is it came with the sump i bought from my lfs. Any way it has stopped working. i took it apart and cleaned it-still nothing. The pump is warm to the touch like it is getting power and the skimmer fills with water when put back in the sump and turned on. It is just not cycloning to make foam. My lfs store does not open till this evening and i hate to wait that long...since i don't know when it actually stopped working. I unplugged it this morning so the pump wouldn't burn up, if it hasn't already...any suggestions please help. I have only had it for a year.

luke33 · 03/28/2008, 08:21 AM

So the pump is pushing water but no air? Is it a venturi or NW skimmer?

ericad289 · 03/28/2008, 11:31 AM

i really don't know....mechanical stuff i have no clue about... i have left a msg for the owner of my lfs to call me back. I was just trying to save a 2 hour drive this weekend for him to look at it.

luke33 · 03/28/2008, 12:16 PM

When you plug in the pump does it work, but there's just no air going into your skimmer body? If that is the case you need to run some warm water through the tube connected to the pump that pulls in the air. The venturi may be clogged. If the pump doesn't turn on then there's a pump problem.

ericad289 · 03/28/2008, 01:02 PM

ok thanks, i'll try that when i get home this evening

gkyle · 03/28/2008, 01:43 PM

If your skimmer is a venturi type, it should have a cone-shaped attachment on the input to the motor with an airline attached. As previously mentioned, the venturi can become clogged over time and need cleaning by pulling in warm freshwater. I'm assuming the pump works if the skimmer fills with water, so you may also have a clogged airline (or it fell underwater). Some skimmers have an air silencer (tiny canister) connected to the end of the airline to quiet the noise - these can clog also. To check, just remove it and see if that helps.

There are other less expensive skimmers that use a wooden airstone to generate bubbles. You'll know you have that type if you have an external air pump connected or you can see the wooden airstone. If you do, check the air pump output and make sure the airstone didn't fall off the end of the line.

ericad289 · 03/28/2008, 10:08 PM

well, i tried the warm water and didn't work. It is the venturi type. My boyfriend took it apart this evening and he believes to motor burned up. It is not working at all. So hopefully my lfs will have some good news about replacement if not do you know the best place to buy a new pump

supertech3 · 03/28/2008, 10:47 PM

look on-line for a replacement, check the part# and manufacture to find out the rating and make sure your replacement meets or slightly exceeds the specs. and make sure the diameter of fittings are the same for ease of replacement

ericad289 · 03/30/2008, 08:58 PM

thanks for all the info, finally got in touch with my lfs store owner and he is going to try to get Sedra to replace the pump beings how it is only a year old and sedra has a two year warranty. So i put my old seaclone back on my tank for the meantime. I figure a bad skimmer is better than no skimmer for now.

03/28/2008, 08:14 AM	#1
ericad289 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Alabama Posts: 79	skimmer help!!!! i have a 75 gallon tank with my skimmer in my sump below the tank. I know it's awful but i don't know what kind of skimmer it is it came with the sump i bought from my lfs. Any way it has stopped working. i took it apart and cleaned it-still nothing. The pump is warm to the touch like it is getting power and the skimmer fills with water when put back in the sump and turned on. It is just not cycloning to make foam. My lfs store does not open till this evening and i hate to wait that long...since i don't know when it actually stopped working. I unplugged it this morning so the pump wouldn't burn up, if it hasn't already...any suggestions please help. I have only had it for a year.

03/28/2008, 08:21 AM	#2
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	So the pump is pushing water but no air? Is it a venturi or NW skimmer?

03/28/2008, 11:31 AM	#3
ericad289 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Alabama Posts: 79	i really don't know....mechanical stuff i have no clue about... i have left a msg for the owner of my lfs to call me back. I was just trying to save a 2 hour drive this weekend for him to look at it.

03/28/2008, 12:16 PM	#4
luke33 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 8,375	When you plug in the pump does it work, but there's just no air going into your skimmer body? If that is the case you need to run some warm water through the tube connected to the pump that pulls in the air. The venturi may be clogged. If the pump doesn't turn on then there's a pump problem.

03/28/2008, 01:02 PM	#5
ericad289 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Alabama Posts: 79	ok thanks, i'll try that when i get home this evening

03/28/2008, 01:43 PM	#6
gkyle Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 354	If your skimmer is a venturi type, it should have a cone-shaped attachment on the input to the motor with an airline attached. As previously mentioned, the venturi can become clogged over time and need cleaning by pulling in warm freshwater. I'm assuming the pump works if the skimmer fills with water, so you may also have a clogged airline (or it fell underwater). Some skimmers have an air silencer (tiny canister) connected to the end of the airline to quiet the noise - these can clog also. To check, just remove it and see if that helps. There are other less expensive skimmers that use a wooden airstone to generate bubbles. You'll know you have that type if you have an external air pump connected or you can see the wooden airstone. If you do, check the air pump output and make sure the airstone didn't fall off the end of the line.

03/28/2008, 10:08 PM	#7
ericad289 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Alabama Posts: 79	well, i tried the warm water and didn't work. It is the venturi type. My boyfriend took it apart this evening and he believes to motor burned up. It is not working at all. So hopefully my lfs will have some good news about replacement if not do you know the best place to buy a new pump

03/28/2008, 10:47 PM	#8
supertech3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: El Paso Posts: 1,206	look on-line for a replacement, check the part# and manufacture to find out the rating and make sure your replacement meets or slightly exceeds the specs. and make sure the diameter of fittings are the same for ease of replacement

03/30/2008, 08:58 PM	#9
ericad289 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Alabama Posts: 79	thanks for all the info, finally got in touch with my lfs store owner and he is going to try to get Sedra to replace the pump beings how it is only a year old and sedra has a two year warranty. So i put my old seaclone back on my tank for the meantime. I figure a bad skimmer is better than no skimmer for now.