My skimmer keeps overflowing

[meathelmet2]

Here is what happens. When set my skimmer up I set the valve to let in just the right amount of water and air in. It runs fine for about 1-2 hrs then the venturi on the pump stops working and way too much water flows in the chamber and out of the collection cup then all over the floor.
The skimmer is an older model from about 5 years ago it is a hang on type skimmer but I do not remember what kind it is. How do I get the venturi to stop failing?

 

[Len]

When you stop the pump and restart it, does the venturi start working again right away?

 

[meathelmet2]

When you stop the pump and restart it, does the venturi start working again right away?

yes

 

[Len]

Hmmm. That is a very strange behavior. The only thing I can think of is there is some blockage in the airline that complete seals after a couple hours. I would inspect the venturi and airline (and air valve) and clean it out. I really can't think of anything that would cause the venturi to stop sucking in air all of a sudden.

 

[Sea Turtle]

Does this happen right after you feed your fish? I have noticed with mine that right after I feed mysis shrimp to my tank it has an affect on the skimmer. I think that the oil in the mysis shrimp do something to the air mixture. Might have something to do with it. Otherwise, sounds like it's time for an upgrade.

 

[meathelmet2]

Feeding does not seem to have an effect on the situation. It has happened a few times before I fed the fish, and sometimes after.

 

[Anonymous]

Could the valve be causing back pressure on the pump?

Where is the valve located?

 

[meathelmet2]

The valve is located on the water outlet of the skimmer. I have used this skimmer in at least 3 different tanks over the last 5 years. with no issues. Im going to take the water pump apart and see if something is wrong it tonight.

 

[Saltlick]

Haha, I can tell you what kind of skimmer you have, a Red Sea Berlin HOB skimmer cause even though they
skim, they never skim the same every day, and you have to dick with it daily to get it to work right. I know
cause I too drug one out of a box to get a reef going 7 years after my last one. I was "gonna save all kinds
of money" cause I had a skimmer and some white old live rock. Derh. Yeah, that a thousand dollars will get
you a small reef tank. OK, maybe your do not have the RedSea Berlin, but it sure sounds like mine, lol.

One thing that might help is to attach a little air pump to the air inlet line, and naturally, take it apart first and
soak the line in some hot water and loosen up what is surely going to be some salt deposits and once it is clean,
it should work fine for at least a week. :roll:

 

[meathelmet2]

Thanks for the help I might try that today.

 

[Saltlick]

In fact I need to drop by the fish store today and buy a little air pump, cause I have
gone from being able to adjust mine to being wide open and not getting bubbles up
into the neck of the skimmer. I have had no skimmate in a week. Granted I am cycling
and there is no food going in right now, but I ought to be getting something. The
bottom line on these skimmers is they are marginally effective, technology has left
them behind, but they ARE capable of skimming provided you over-equip them with a
monster pump. I am also thinking of ways to inject bubbles before the nozzle. By the
time I finish buying stuff to fix THIS skimmer, I could have already bought a skimmer
that works better.

 

[meathelmet2]

Im thinking my water pump must be getting weak. This skimmer never used to have any problems. Im going to put a new pump on it this weekend and see what happens.

 

[Saltlick]

That skimmer wants at least 550 gph to even begin to operate efficiently. As for
the air pump story, I tried to save money yesterday and bought the cheapest air
pump petco had, and it basically STOPPED my skimmer from creating bubbles. So
that was a wasted ten bucks. People say you can drill out the venturi a bit to get
better action, but I did, by a mm or so, and it got worse if anything. I am thinking
of actually narrowing the hole with some epoxy.

I am also going to do something that I think will work. My water pump that powers the skimmer
is fitted with an open intake, onto which I have jammed on of those foam pre-filters. i am thinking
of using my crappy new petco air pump with an airstone on the end and sticking that airstone in
the open end of the foam pre-filter. That would suck bubbles into the pump, making it slightly
less efficient, but greatly adding to the air entering the venturi.....hmm, I think I have a weekend
of skimmate and Super Bowl ahead. GO SAINTS!