skimmer overflowing...gotta question

petere1989 · 12/13/2013, 07:37 PM

Somethings been making my skimmer act up over the past few days, and its just been overflowing, is that ok really? the tanks only been up like 6 weeks and i don't have a lot in there right now but i've ran the skimmer since the beginning. I think its my coral putty to glue down the corals, as i've heard that and it started when i put some in. Is it ok to just let it go until it calms down?

IanWR · 12/13/2013, 10:06 PM

I think you should be ok. When I was breaking in my skimmer it would overflow most of the time for about 3-4 days. I just opened the drain and ran it into a filter sock. You can also check to make sure that the airline isn't blocked, check that the water level hasn't changed, etc.

deemos · 12/13/2013, 11:58 PM

Hope this helps.

You should have a valve on your skimmer, You need to tune it with little turns until you find the ideal skimming level

FullBoreReefer · 12/14/2013, 12:12 AM

Could be the putty. Retune using the valve as stated above. When it dies down, retune again...

petere1989 · 12/14/2013, 10:10 AM

Theres a long pvc pipe that has the air intake cut into it, on mine you turn that and wide open there are two dots that line up, and you go from there. I've turned mine a little and that just makes it worse. I took the skimmer out and cleaned it and checked everything and put it back in and its still overflowing. Its a Bubble magus 5.5 if anybody has one of those.

fishgate · 12/14/2013, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petere1989

Theres a long pvc pipe that has the air intake cut into it, on mine you turn that and wide open there are two dots that line up, and you go from there. I've turned mine a little and that just makes it worse. I took the skimmer out and cleaned it and checked everything and put it back in and its still overflowing. Its a Bubble magus 5.5 if anybody has one of those.

Bubble Magus - lol, mine is too and is impossible to tune. If I ever get some free money into the trash it goes and I will get a new one.

deemos · 12/14/2013, 10:26 AM

Can you post a picture please?

Bubble magus's skimmers are not to great in my opinion I would go with a better known brand ( not reef octopus) I've been using aqua excel for 6 months without any problems , things a beast. It's worth the investment.

Maybe someone with more experience can suggest a better skimmer.

FullBoreReefer · 12/14/2013, 11:43 AM

I got an older model BM over 5yrs ago. It's still kicking and does great! Not hard to tune at all...

FullBoreReefer · 12/14/2013, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petere1989

Theres a long pvc pipe that has the air intake cut into it, on mine you turn that and wide open there are two dots that line up, and you go from there. I've turned mine a little and that just makes it worse. I took the skimmer out and cleaned it and checked everything and put it back in and its still overflowing. Its a Bubble magus 5.5 if anybody has one of those.

You have the entire skimmer set to low in water if you aren't able to use the valve to tune it correctly. Mines in about 9" of water. They recommend about 10-11" of water on my model (which they don't make anymore or at least I can't find anymore). But I found 9" gives better use of the valve, at least on mine...

Reef Frog · 12/14/2013, 03:48 PM

Yes putty & glue will absolutely make your skimmer over skim for hours - maybe much longer in a new tank. Just let it run and try to tune the air valve later as described above. You just have to wait it out and you'll be producing nasty stuff in due time, but right now you probably don't have enough dissolved organics to produce anything at an early stage.

FullBoreReefer · 12/14/2013, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FullBoreReefer

You have the entire skimmer set to low in water if you aren't able to use the valve to tune it correctly. Mines in about 9" of water. They recommend about 10-11" of water on my model (which they don't make anymore or at least I can't find anymore). But I found 9" gives better use of the valve, at least on mine...

http://www.fish-street.com/bubble_ma...rotein_skimmer

Although this isn't where I got mine, but apparently you can still find them lol

12/13/2013, 07:37 PM	#1
petere1989 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Peoria, Illinois Posts: 949	skimmer overflowing...gotta question Somethings been making my skimmer act up over the past few days, and its just been overflowing, is that ok really? the tanks only been up like 6 weeks and i don't have a lot in there right now but i've ran the skimmer since the beginning. I think its my coral putty to glue down the corals, as i've heard that and it started when i put some in. Is it ok to just let it go until it calms down?

12/14/2013, 12:12 AM	#4
FullBoreReefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Wooster, OH Posts: 1,862	Could be the putty. Retune using the valve as stated above. When it dies down, retune again... __________________ 60x36x24 mixed reef. 40b sump. Regal 250int Varios. 4xHydra26HDs+t5s. 4xMp40wes. Apex2016.

12/14/2013, 11:43 AM	#8
FullBoreReefer Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Wooster, OH Posts: 1,862	I got an older model BM over 5yrs ago. It's still kicking and does great! Not hard to tune at all... __________________ 60x36x24 mixed reef. 40b sump. Regal 250int Varios. 4xHydra26HDs+t5s. 4xMp40wes. Apex2016.

12/13/2013, 10:06 PM	#2
IanWR Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: SK, Canada Posts: 214	I think you should be ok. When I was breaking in my skimmer it would overflow most of the time for about 3-4 days. I just opened the drain and ran it into a filter sock. You can also check to make sure that the airline isn't blocked, check that the water level hasn't changed, etc.

12/13/2013, 11:58 PM	#3
deemos Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 34	Hope this helps. You should have a valve on your skimmer, You need to tune it with little turns until you find the ideal skimming level

12/14/2013, 10:10 AM	#5
petere1989 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Peoria, Illinois Posts: 949	Theres a long pvc pipe that has the air intake cut into it, on mine you turn that and wide open there are two dots that line up, and you go from there. I've turned mine a little and that just makes it worse. I took the skimmer out and cleaned it and checked everything and put it back in and its still overflowing. Its a Bubble magus 5.5 if anybody has one of those.

12/14/2013, 10:26 AM	#7
deemos Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 34	Can you post a picture please? Bubble magus's skimmers are not to great in my opinion I would go with a better known brand ( not reef octopus) I've been using aqua excel for 6 months without any problems , things a beast. It's worth the investment. Maybe someone with more experience can suggest a better skimmer.

12/14/2013, 03:48 PM	#10
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Yes putty & glue will absolutely make your skimmer over skim for hours - maybe much longer in a new tank. Just let it run and try to tune the air valve later as described above. You just have to wait it out and you'll be producing nasty stuff in due time, but right now you probably don't have enough dissolved organics to produce anything at an early stage.