I cannot find a reason why - Skimmer occasionally overflowing

Froggy · 01/02/2010, 09:13 AM

For no apparant reason, my Euroreef RS-250 Skimmer occasionally goes into overdrive and floods the collection cup. This is of course flooding the collected concentrated skimmate into the sump and back into the system. Not a good thing I am sure.

The air line is not getting blocked as I clean any buildup every two days. I had the skimmer go crazy again yesterday evening. The air line was completely clear and the bubble pruduction was through the roof. Clear water was shooting out of the top of the collection cup so fast that the lid was bouncing!?!?!?

Any ideas what could be causing this? No change in additives. R.O. water used. No food change. No new epoxy. I dose Randy's homemade two part.

This has happened three times in the last month. The skimmer will go from normal operation to flooding overdrive. I am at a loss. The skimmer is on a standard 120.

tufacody · 01/02/2010, 09:28 AM

I am not familiar with that skimmer, however my 300a would sometimes do that, and it was always a clogged venturi. I periodically have to take the volute off the askoll to clean it - a paperclip down the venturi isn't enough.

Otherwise, is the water level in the portion of the sump when you have the skimmer staying the same?

convict3 · 01/02/2010, 10:02 AM

if my wife lights a candle or uses air freshener spray anywhere in the house my octo extreme overflows everytime

Runfrumu · 01/02/2010, 10:02 AM

most skimmers will do that after they get some salt build up in the air line. Whenever you turn off the pump a little salt water will back feed up the airline for a second or to then go back down to water level. Whenever I turn my skimmer back on I let the air line syphon a cup of RO water to rinse out the salt water.

Froggy · 01/02/2010, 10:13 AM

Thanks for the ideas guys. The 1st couple of times it happened I blamed myself and thought I let the venturi airline get clogged a bit with salt buildup. I have been diligent with keeping it clean ever since and it happened again last night with a clean airline/venturi port on the pump.

My water level does fluctuate about a gallon a day as I do not have my auto topoff hooked up yet as I am still working on the permanent sump. In the end of October I upgraded my 75 to the current 120. Would this cause the overflow? I figured it was affecting the overall performance but I did not consider an overflow being a possibility with the water level lowering an inch or so. Maybe I am wrong ??

Bdimas · 01/02/2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by convict3

if my wife lights a candle or uses air freshener spray anywhere in the house my octo extreme overflows everytime

+1! Certain smells will cause this to happen. Even some fish foods or medications. Especially paint.

plancton · 02/06/2010, 10:01 PM

My DIY alpha cone 250 replica is doing the same, water level in sump doesn't change, etc. I have a theory: Internal pressure.

The guy who did my DIY did not add holes to the lid on the collection cup, there´s one tiny hole, pencil diameter hole.

To much air pressure can be getting trapped, and you calibrate it with everything and that air pressure. Suddenly the pressure will lift up the lid and air pressure will escape, and so there´s no air compressing the bubbles anymore, so the now uncompressed bubbles will have more power to reach the cup, overflowing it.

That´s my theory, I just added 4 holes like the original lid has, in order to keep air pressure constant. I still need to try it and see if it won´t overflow.

I have this theory because before I used to have an ASM g3, and for a period of time the lid got clogged and I wásn´t cleaning it, suddenly I saw that there was no more skimmate, it was on, but nothing was reaching the cup. I thought the pump was broken and found out there was nothing wrong with it.

One day I cleaned the lid and I realized it had made some sort of vacum so it was difficult to remove, I was certain that because of this air wasn´t comming out. I cleaned it well, and placed it back to the skimmer and skimmate returned and it made it all the way to the collection cup.

I also tried this pump BB HY 5000 on the body of the ASM g3 and I noticed it overflowed easily, I pray its not a problem with the pump, like varying speed thanks to voltage because if it is then I´m screwed.

But I also think that because the pump is more powerful and the ASM G3 cup lid its easy to get clogged and stuck then probably this problem happened quicker.

Still praying its not the pump.

01/02/2010, 09:13 AM	#1
Froggy Reef "Hobbyist"...right!? Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 2,160	I cannot find a reason why - Skimmer occasionally overflowing For no apparant reason, my Euroreef RS-250 Skimmer occasionally goes into overdrive and floods the collection cup. This is of course flooding the collected concentrated skimmate into the sump and back into the system. Not a good thing I am sure. The air line is not getting blocked as I clean any buildup every two days. I had the skimmer go crazy again yesterday evening. The air line was completely clear and the bubble pruduction was through the roof. Clear water was shooting out of the top of the collection cup so fast that the lid was bouncing!?!?!? Any ideas what could be causing this? No change in additives. R.O. water used. No food change. No new epoxy. I dose Randy's homemade two part. This has happened three times in the last month. The skimmer will go from normal operation to flooding overdrive. I am at a loss. The skimmer is on a standard 120. __________________ Hello, my name is Joe and I am a reef addict. ......Hi Joe.......... Current Tank Info: 120 gallon mixed reef with TBS live rock, 8 X 54 watt TEK T5's, Euroreef RS250 skimmer

01/02/2010, 10:02 AM	#4
Runfrumu Hi Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NC Posts: 1,014	most skimmers will do that after they get some salt build up in the air line. Whenever you turn off the pump a little salt water will back feed up the airline for a second or to then go back down to water level. Whenever I turn my skimmer back on I let the air line syphon a cup of RO water to rinse out the salt water. __________________ Red Sea Max 130d and 125 gallon mixed reef. Current Tank Info: 125 gallon oceanic tank, Lighthouse Pro XLS, 72" outer orbit fixture, H&S 150-F2000/1 skimmer, H&S 110 Calcium Reactor, Tunze 7096, 2 Tunze 6105's , Tunze Osmolator, Prime 1/4hp drop-in chiller. 5 years running. Red Sea Max, 3 years.

01/02/2010, 10:13 AM	#5
Froggy Reef "Hobbyist"...right!? Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Canton, MI Posts: 2,160	Thanks for the ideas guys. The 1st couple of times it happened I blamed myself and thought I let the venturi airline get clogged a bit with salt buildup. I have been diligent with keeping it clean ever since and it happened again last night with a clean airline/venturi port on the pump. My water level does fluctuate about a gallon a day as I do not have my auto topoff hooked up yet as I am still working on the permanent sump. In the end of October I upgraded my 75 to the current 120. Would this cause the overflow? I figured it was affecting the overall performance but I did not consider an overflow being a possibility with the water level lowering an inch or so. Maybe I am wrong ?? __________________ Hello, my name is Joe and I am a reef addict. ......Hi Joe.......... Current Tank Info: 120 gallon mixed reef with TBS live rock, 8 X 54 watt TEK T5's, Euroreef RS250 skimmer

02/06/2010, 10:01 PM	#7
plancton Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mexico Posts: 1,866	My DIY alpha cone 250 replica is doing the same, water level in sump doesn't change, etc. I have a theory: Internal pressure. The guy who did my DIY did not add holes to the lid on the collection cup, there´s one tiny hole, pencil diameter hole. To much air pressure can be getting trapped, and you calibrate it with everything and that air pressure. Suddenly the pressure will lift up the lid and air pressure will escape, and so there´s no air compressing the bubbles anymore, so the now uncompressed bubbles will have more power to reach the cup, overflowing it. That´s my theory, I just added 4 holes like the original lid has, in order to keep air pressure constant. I still need to try it and see if it won´t overflow. I have this theory because before I used to have an ASM g3, and for a period of time the lid got clogged and I wásn´t cleaning it, suddenly I saw that there was no more skimmate, it was on, but nothing was reaching the cup. I thought the pump was broken and found out there was nothing wrong with it. One day I cleaned the lid and I realized it had made some sort of vacum so it was difficult to remove, I was certain that because of this air wasn´t comming out. I cleaned it well, and placed it back to the skimmer and skimmate returned and it made it all the way to the collection cup. I also tried this pump BB HY 5000 on the body of the ASM g3 and I noticed it overflowed easily, I pray its not a problem with the pump, like varying speed thanks to voltage because if it is then I´m screwed. But I also think that because the pump is more powerful and the ASM G3 cup lid its easy to get clogged and stuck then probably this problem happened quicker. Still praying its not the pump. __________________ Hansel, he´s so hot right now...

01/02/2010, 09:28 AM	#2
tufacody Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,890	I am not familiar with that skimmer, however my 300a would sometimes do that, and it was always a clogged venturi. I periodically have to take the volute off the askoll to clean it - a paperclip down the venturi isn't enough. Otherwise, is the water level in the portion of the sump when you have the skimmer staying the same?

01/02/2010, 10:02 AM	#3
convict3 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: pasadena tx Posts: 188	if my wife lights a candle or uses air freshener spray anywhere in the house my octo extreme overflows everytime