New skimmer overflowing like crazy

[MikeO]

New skimmer overflowing like crazy

I have a new tank setup that's been running for around 2 months, and I just added a couple of fish a week ago. No corals yet. Now that my nitrates and phosphates are getting high (NO3 = 10ppm & PO4 = 0.09) I added a new skimmer, the Bubble Magus C3.5. Never used this one before but it has a small footprint and was affordable.

I've let the skimmer run for 4 days now, but still as you can see in the image/video, the skimmer is massively overflowing.

- The water output adjustment tube is set to Max which is fully open. If I set it to anything else everything overflows way more.
- The water height is at 9", right at the recommended manufacturer height. I tried raising and lowering the height by +/- 1" and 2", this changed nothing.
- I made sure that the air intake tube and where it connects to the venturi are clear and unobstructed

This comes with an AC pump so I can't adjust it. However, if I reach in and partially cover the intake of the venturi, restricting the flow of water, then everything calms down and the bubbles stay at a normal level in the neck. It's as if the manufacturer provided pump (SP 1000) is way oversized for this skimmer.

I know that skimmers take a little while to break in, but this is crazy! Is it just me being impatient? Is leaving this running for another week or 2 really going to settle things down?

Any insight or suggestions would be very welcome.

Link to video: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AtwlmeKpqFHpgYZZmPGIMzsEG2S8Og?e=8aqPbz

Thanks

 

[wesleyferrell94]

I had similar issues with a reef octopus skimmer a few years ago. I learned that it was from some chemicals in the manufacturing process that cause it to do that. I pulled it out and let it run in a container with vinegar to help with the break in. I also had issue with over skimming when my filter sock had some soap in it from my washing machine.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Don't ya just love skimmer break in???? Mine took a month. It does look like there's quite a bit of water in the collection cup though, you might want to trim down the flow into it and/or adjust the air. When I tune mine in I want the microbubbles to kinda start in the middle of the bottom cylinder and the froth to just barely hit the collection cup. It's running right now too wet in my opinion. Good luck!

 

[Jekyl]

Mine had only done that from foreign additives being in the system. Chemiclean caused that effect.

 

[czoolander]

could be as simple as putting it on a stand . Mine did this for a full year before someone told me to raise it in the water about 3-4 inches. now it runs as it should

They sell skimmer stands online. or you can build one yourself I am sure they would be easy to make

Until the stand came that I ordered I also just flipped a small level plastic bucket and put my skimmer on that it worked as well .

This should work for you raising your skimmer in the water

 

[ying yang]

Egg crate and zip ties if want make cheap DIY skimmer stand.













































As for your skimmer

 

[ying yang]

Sorry brand new phone going nuts deciding move sentence down for me on its own lol if use a full stop but mine none controllable pump also and if turn water outlet so open more then this will drop the water down in the chamber as water exits the unit quicker and if close the valves then produces higher water going up towards the collection cup,just try to picture in your head what would happen if open and close valves so your getting the water to high so open valves more,I also took off the air restrictor on air intake but I've got different manufacturer than you but water movement is water movement,good luck and sorry no punctuation ^_^

 

[MikeO]

Thanks for the advice from everyone. It seems that a combination of multiple things will do the job. I've raised it 3.5" (far more than Bubble Magus recommends) and I restricted the water flow going into the pump by partially blocking the venturi intake. I does however make sense that there may be residual chemicals on the acrylic, so I'll remove the skimmer and run in some citric acid for a day.

 

[Digitalfirex]

So I have the same skimmer...

When I turn the tube to "off" it overflows like crazy. I have to dial it to 5 for it to seem ok with bubbles right below the start of the cup/neck. Sitting in 8" of water but somehow I don't think that's the issue for the tube?

 

[Coolcasino]

Check that the dial isn't installed backwards. Bubble Magus is weird. They use the measuring dial backwards. They use the max and min as the level in the skimmer. not the amount of water exiting. Tune the dial opposite of what you have it now and see if the level drops.

 

[ReefRondo]

Coolcasino makes a great point here and I remember this too. I propped mine up on a stand for a few months and eventually got it down in there. I gave this skimmer away and the new owner had it on a stand for years.

 

[Vagabond]

could be as simple as putting it on a stand . Mine did this for a full year before someone told me to raise it in the water about 3-4 inches. now it runs as it should

They sell skimmer stands online. or you can build one yourself I am sure they would be easy to make

Until the stand came that I ordered I also just flipped a small level plastic bucket and put my skimmer on that it worked as well .

This should work for you raising your skimmer in the water

Raising it is exactly what I did,used small glass food container (pyrex)my wife had laying around.

 

[Koh23]

Raise skimmer all the way, dont let pump runs dry of course....

Open valve all the way and forget about skimmer for a month... My aquamedic drived me nuts for some time, i tried to find solution, forgeting simple fact - if there is nothing or very low to skimm, skimmer will act crazy.....

Couple of fish is nothing, what is water volume?

But judging from pictures, either you didnt clean and remove residues from manufacturing, or something is in water... Run some carbon and see will it help

 

[homer1475]

FWIW...

Every bubble magus skimmer I have owned(been a few lol), liked to be run in about 6 to 7 inches of water. Always had them over foam when run in manufacturer recommended height.

As mentioned above, the numbers on the dial are always backwards, MAX being the minimum, and vice versus. If your able(not familiar with that model), I always put them together backwards, so the dial isn't backwards.

 

[MikeO]

So I have the same skimmer...

When I turn the tube to "off" it overflows like crazy. I have to dial it to 5 for it to seem ok with bubbles right below the start of the cup/neck. Sitting in 8" of water but somehow I don't think that's the issue for the tube?

So, with this exact skimmer, I had to run it for a couple of weeks on a high stand (maybe 5-6" of water and dial set to MAX). After that it seemed to settle in just fine. I removed the stand and it now sits in 8" of water. I too have the dial set to 5, so so what you're doing looks fine. I've been running it this way for around 4 months now and I'm quite happy with the skimmer. Produces consistent skim mate.

 

[Digitalfirex]

So, with this exact skimmer, I had to run it for a couple of weeks on a high stand (maybe 5-6" of water and dial set to MAX). After that it seemed to settle in just fine. I removed the stand and it now sits in 8" of water. I too have the dial set to 5, so so what you're doing looks fine. I've been running it this way for around 4 months now and I'm quite happy with the skimmer. Produces consistent skim mate.

What I mean is that the "off" doesn't turn it off or down. I literally have to unplugg in to empty cup. If I turn dial to off it overflows completely. Then being the opposite seems to be the answer, but I don't know how I would install in wrong.

 

[MikeO]

Correct. You didn't install it wrong: there's only one way to install. You have to understand that this is a budget friendly skimmer: there is no off position so even if you set the dial to have the min amount of flow the pump is still running. And yes, to empty the cup you either have to unplug it, or like me, plug it into a $10 smart plug and turn it on or off via your phone.

 

[dedragon]

FWIW...

Every bubble magus skimmer I have owned(been a few lol), liked to be run in about 6 to 7 inches of water. Always had them over foam when run in manufacturer recommended height.

As mentioned above, the numbers on the dial are always backwards, MAX being the minimum, and vice versus. If your able(not familiar with that model), I always put them together backwards, so the dial isn't backwards.

thats annoying of em but good solution!

 

[John Bolden]

Not to brag my ice cap skimmer only took 2 days to break in

 

[Geebs19]

Not to brag my ice cap skimmer only took 2 days to break in

I will never own a bubble magus skimmer again, the amount of issues I have had with the last 2 are ridiculous. Mine is off right now and Im waiting on BRS to get a new shipment in of another brand.