Have you ever overflowed a skimmer collection cup?

Have you overflowed your skimmer collection cup releasing skimmate back into the system?

  • Yes

    Votes: 41 28.9%
  • No

    Votes: 13 9.2%
  • Multiple times

    Votes: 83 58.5%
  • I don't have a skimmer

    Votes: 5 3.5%

  • Total voters
    142
OK so I am a liar.. I have no idea what I'm talking about cause you don't believe it's possible.. thanks
Maybe you miss understood what I was saying.

I didn't call you a liar I just said the skimmate didn't do it and something else did.

I believe something in your tank that you introduced that you forgot about caused your skimmer to overflow and cause the issue.

You have a lot of people trying to help you with a lot more knowledge than you, so don't be so rude.
 
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about normal here... :rolleyes:
Turn that thing Down!!!
 
Mine usually happens when I tune it poorly and trying to find the right setting.
Often goes from skimming nothing or very, very little. To overflow with a tiny amount of adjustment.
If the skimmate is full of crap I'll get rid of it. If it's majority clear looking, back into the skimmer it goes when it's off.
 
Have you seen a litter box?? Do you know how many chemicals are in cat urine? Something so toxic pregnant women are advised to not be around it.
Actually, it's in the poo, not the urine, but yeah there's so much stuff that can make its way into our tanks from the environment that there's bound to be a few mystery losses...
 
Ok guys.. look.. as it happens this discussion is not actually about my experience. lol...

The discussion is about weather or not skimmate can be lethal to a tank.

My experience says yes, others say no.

I have told you all the exact situation the relates to MY own tank issue in regards to overflowing skimmers.

No outside influences, kids, wives, cats, dogs, or boogymen involved. My skimmer collection cup overflowed and as a result, I had a 70% mortality rate in my FOWLR tank in a span of 8 days. Once the skimmer cup was cleaned, the deaths stopped. period.

You can all debate this till the cows come home, get eaten as steaks and burgers and come home again. I will NEVER advise adding skimmate to a tank... EVER.
 
Mine usually happens when I tune it poorly and trying to find the right setting.
Often goes from skimming nothing or very, very little. To overflow with a tiny amount of adjustment.
If the skimmate is full of crap I'll get rid of it. If it's majority clear looking, back into the skimmer it goes when it's off.
So you dump on a clear load, back into the tank, but clear out heavy skim?
 
maybe a better poll would be- have you ever started a thread that spilt poop all over the place. This convo smells like my skimmate- bring on the nitrates! Yes I’ve overflowed my skimmer but never on purpose
 
Ok guys.. look.. as it happens this discussion is not actually about my experience. lol...

The discussion is about weather or not skimmate can be lethal to a tank.

My experience says yes, others say no.

I have told you all the exact situation the relates to MY own tank issue in regards to overflowing skimmers.

No outside influences, kids, wives, cats, dogs, or boogymen involved. My skimmer collection cup overflowed and as a result, I had a 70% mortality rate in my FOWLR tank in a span of 8 days. Once the skimmer cup was cleaned, the deaths stopped. period.

You can all debate this till the cows come home, get eaten as steaks and burgers and come home again. I will NEVR advise adding skimmate to a tank... EVER.
I disagree- In a low nutrient system Not running a skim or even Socks is beneficial. The issue you had, I believe, was basically Overdosing them all at once.
 
Mine usually happens when I tune it poorly and trying to find the right setting.
Often goes from skimming nothing or very, very little. To overflow with a tiny amount of adjustment.
If the skimmate is full of crap I'll get rid of it. If it's majority clear looking, back into the skimmer it goes when it's off.
I feel your pain! I'm running the bubble mag curve 7 elite, And it is the most finickiest skimmer. A turn so slight on the water adjustment valve can turn the concentrate from gooey, to overflowing.

I've also experienced skimmer cups rebreaking in after being washed. Not the neck, Just the cup, And this caused an overflow situation for 10 days straight until enough deposits were left to make it work again..

When it's dialed in that thing is dialed in ! Just don't change anything .Frustrating to say the least.
 
Ok guys.. look.. as it happens this discussion is not actually about my experience. lol...

The discussion is about weather or not skimmate can be lethal to a tank.

My experience says yes, others say no.

I have told you all the exact situation the relates to MY own tank issue in regards to overflowing skimmers.

No outside influences, kids, wives, cats, dogs, or boogymen involved. My skimmer collection cup overflowed and as a result, I had a 70% mortality rate in my FOWLR tank in a span of 8 days. Once the skimmer cup was cleaned, the deaths stopped. period.

You can all debate this till the cows come home, get eaten as steaks and burgers and come home again. I will NEVER advise adding skimmate to a tank... EVER.
This discussion was actually about if you've overflowed a skimmer. You have repeatedly turned it into a discussion about your tank.

Our conversation about Your tank and Your statement that skim it is Lethal if released back into the system was the basis for this information gathering session.

It doesn't need to be about your tank and you don't need to participate.

As our opinions differ, I do look to others for their relatable experiences.
 
maybe a better poll would be- have you ever started a thread that spilt poop all over the place. This convo smells like my skimmate- bring on the nitrates! Yes I’ve overflowed my skimmer but never on purpose
I'm confused. What are the options of the better poll?

Yes/no/Daily?
 
I feel your pain! I'm running the bubble mag curve 7 elite, And it is the most finickiest skimmer. A turn so slight on the water adjustment valve can turn the concentrate from gooey, to overflowing.

I've also experienced skimmer cups rebreaking in after being washed. Not the neck, Just the cup, And this caused an overflow situation for 10 days straight until enough deposits were left to make it work again..

When it's dialed in that thing is dialed in ! Just don't change anything .Frustrating to say the least.
Cleaning it is going to affect the ability to produce skim drastically (and where it is dialed in at) as the entire skimmer is being “rehabilitated” back to new. You are basically starting over with a New Skimmer. The amount of air you’re inputting will be different than a skimmer that has been running for several months. This is due to buildup in that system, (which helps to level out how much of a change you are making when you dial it in). A new skimmer will not Function the same as one that has been broken in. You have to stay on Top of it.
 
I disagree- In a low nutrient system Not running a skim or even Socks is beneficial. The issue you had, I believe, was basically Overdosing them all at once.
I have personally on multiple occasions dropped the cup on my old SC aquariums skimmer that was full to the brim because it is a terrible design that sticks, until it releases very quickly.

In a Fowlr system, North of 200 gallons. Total system volume, I still don't think overdosing them all at once could have done it.
 
I have personally on multiple occasions dropped the cup on my old SC aquariums skimmer that was full to the brim because it is a terrible design that sticks, until it releases very quickly.

In a Fowlr system, North of 200 gallons. Total system volume, I still don't think overdosing them all at once could have done it.
Overdosing high nitrates in a system with fish that were susceptible to illness already can be a death sentence.
 
Cleaning it is going to affect the ability to produce skim drastically (and where it is dialed in at) as the entire skimmer is being “rehabilitated” back to new. You are basically starting over with a New Skimmer. The amount of air you’re inputting will be different than a skimmer that has been running for several months. This is due to buildup in that system, (which helps to level out how much of a change you are making when you dial it in). A new skimmer will not Function the same as one that has been broken in. You have to stay on Top of it.
Cleaning the neck should I absolutely agree because that's where the hydraulic fracturing is occurring. Surface fracturing is no longer occurring at the very top of the bubble column.

This is actually the reason I look no longer clean the neck of my skimmer. Cup dump only.
 
Overdosing high nitrates in a system with fish that were suesceptible to illness already can be a death sentence.
I don't think fish susceptible to illness were in the original equation. We were told it was a Fowler tank with extremely resilient fish.
 
and if you don't, and spill 16 oz of nasty skimmate into a 300 gal system, turn water green .
it is not going to kill your fish, stand it back up ,let it skim back out over the course of a day or two.
been there ,done that .
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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