After Chemiclean....

[Pntbll687]

Had some cyano and used chemiclean and it worked great. Did a 50g water change on a 180g system. The water change was done sunday. The skimmer is still overflowing like crazy. How long should I let it go until it calms down? Another water change maybe?

The microbubbles in the display are killing me!!!

 

[desagon]

I have a bubble magus curve 5 skimmer. What I did was attach a small ball valve to the inlet of the silencer with some hosing and tape and cut down the flow from there. Then I adjusted the skimmers flow with its valve and adjusted both until it wasn’t spewing water everywhere. If that makes any sense.

 

[Scurvy]

I have had it last 4 or 5 days. a 2nd water change could help speed it up a bit but it usually continues for a few days. The two times Ive used it (In smaller tanks) I removed the skimmer cup and covered the neck with a zip lock bag and just let it run its course that way.

 

[Pntbll687]

I have had it last 4 or 5 days. a 2nd water change could help speed it up a bit but it usually continues for a few days. The two times Ive used it (In smaller tanks) I removed the skimmer cup and covered the neck with a zip lock bag and just let it run its course that way.

I'm guessing you used a rubberband or something to hold the bag down?

But anyway, that's a great idea. I have the cup off now and it's just overflowing like crazy. I added carbon back in to help things along.

 

[Scurvy]

I'm guessing you used a rubberband or something to hold the bag down?

But anyway, that's a great idea. I have the cup off now and it's just overflowing like crazy. I added carbon back in to help things along.

Nah, no rubber band. Just over the top to contain the bubble bursting spray/mess. It just drains back into the sump but keeps the cabinet/equipment from getting spritzed.

 

[Pntbll687]

OK. Now I'm just frustrated.

It's been over a week and the skimmer is still overflowing like crazy. I've change 75g of water in this time and seems to have zero impact on the skimmer. And I'm talking I turn the skimmer on and it overflows in 5 seconds. I currently have the cup off the skimmer.

Any suggestions would be welcome at this point.

 

[desagon]

Have you tried the ball valve on the silencer inlet?
That was the only thing that worked for me. I spent a week, just like you, waiting for the overflow to stop. Once I did that, it was working fine the next day

 

[Pntbll687]

I have it open as far as it will go.

 

[andrewey]

I've read of them taking up to two weeks after chemiclean. Hopefully, yours will settle down sooner, but I would just run the skimmer with the cup off and ensure the valve is an open as it will go.

 

[desagon]

This part. Put a piece of tubing on that inlet and run a small ball valve to slow the air coming in. If you don’t have a small valve, you could probably put tape over it and just poke holes with a needle until you find a good spot

 

[Pntbll687]

This part. Put a piece of tubing on that inlet and run a small ball valve to slow the air coming in. If you don’t have a small valve, you could probably put tape over it and just poke holes with a needle until you find a good spot

AHHH, thought you were talking about the outlet.

I'll give it a shot.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I've had it last as much as a week before.

 

[Beardo]

AHHH, thought you were talking about the outlet.

I'll give it a shot.

I've done the same many times and it works well. Can use a piece of plastic rubberbanded over the air inlet, a needle valve, or tape (never tried tape but imagine it would work. With the plastic or tape just poke small holes. The idea is to control the air flow to prevent skimmer from overflowing. As it settles down increase the number of holes (or slowly open valve) until you are able to remove it and have full air flow.

 

[desagon]

And keep the outlet full open while you do it! It’ll settle down quick

 

[01xp]

This part. Put a piece of tubing on that inlet and run a small ball valve to slow the air coming in. If you don’t have a small valve, you could probably put tape over it and just poke holes with a needle until you find a good spot

I cut the hose going to the silencer and added a small ball valve

 

[Pntbll687]

I cut the hose going to the silencer and added a small ball valve

This is what I did.

I have to almost completely close the valve to get the skimmer to not overflow.

The problem I'm running into is that there is zero foam production because there is so little air coming in.

I unplugged it for now.

 

[Pntbll687]

ok

I'm at a complete loss for what to do here.

I used chemiclean as per the directions. I did a 25% water change after 48hrs. I've changed about 150g worth of water at this point, changed carbon every week to make sure it's fresh, cleaned the skimmer, and the protein skimmer STILL overflows.

I've tried the ball valve on the silencer, and I have to close it so far that not enough air comes in to make any foam.

Who's got any other ideas???

 

[homer1475]

What I did was just collect the skimmed water(skimmer has a drain hose on the collection cup), and replaced it with fresh SW.

I probably changed close to 100% of my water this way. It was the only way I could get my skimmer to calm down afterwards.

 

[SDK]

I have gotten my skimmer to stop overflowing in a day after Chemiclean on two different occasions, with two different tanks and skimmer models....

Make up ten or twenty gallons of change water on a day when you have some free time. Sit down with an empty bucket by the skimmer and grab a book or something to read. Then just keep emptying the skimmer cup into the bucket, and replacing the water in the tank with change water...

I'm not sure what is skimming out, but it definitely works...

 

[SDK]

What I did was just collect the skimmed water(skimmer has a drain hose on the collection cup), and replaced it with fresh SW.

I probably changed close to 100% of my water this way. It was the only way I could get my skimmer to calm down afterwards.

Beat me by a minute lol...

I will say that I managed to stop it with closer to a ten percent change. Maybe other factors at play...