Skimmer help

[reefin_with_the_fam]

Hey everyone, I have my 150g up and running and have never had a tank over 26g so this skimmer is completely new to me. It’s a Sea Side Aquatics ES5. I have it on an egg crate rack with the water level between the 9.5-10.5 manufacturers recommendation and this thing is just constantly overflowing.

My tank is new and ammonia and nitrite are undetectable. Nitrate is between 12-25 from a NYOS test.
Salinity is 1.026
Do I just need to leave it and let it break in and overflow until it’s done?

 

[fishguy242]

hi yes

 

[fishguy242]

keep us posted ,post some pics new tank have fun

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I think that your skimmer is undersized but that does not matter now due to the fact it is a brand new tank, go slow and appreciate it more. When you start dumping your skimmate every 8 hours it will be a good time to get a bigger skimmer.

 

[theMeat]

Does that skimmer air adjustable ?
Does the red part on the end of venturi move in and out?

 

[reefin_with_the_fam]

I think that your skimmer is undersized but that does not matter now due to the fact it is a brand new tank, go slow and appreciate it more. When you start dumping your skimmate every 8 hours it will be a good time to get a bigger skimmer.

Yeah a coworker gave it to me since he wasn’t using it in his tank anymore. I’m hoping to get a year out of it before I’ll need to get a bigger one. I’ll definitely keep that in mind about every 8 hours

 

[reefin_with_the_fam]

Does that skimmer air adjustable ?
Does the red part on the end of venturi move in and out?

Yes it is adjustable. No matter what I adjusted it to it still kept overflowing. And no matter what I set the water height at it still kept doing it too.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Open the skimmer all the way, which usually causes the bubble to go down, lower water level, remove the lid on the skimmer and see how that works.

 

[reefin_with_the_fam]

So I started it up today and it’s just overflowing nonstop. Not sure if I should just let it overflow until it’s broken in? Doesn’t it overflowing have some adverse effects to salinity?

 

[burnetb1]

Does it make foam or is it just bubbly water that's overflowing? I had problems with salt creep in my air line. That would choke the skimmer of air and cause it to overflow all the time. I cleaned the venturi and air line going to it and it fixed the problem.

Also, how old is this tank? If its brand new there might not be enough organics in the water to create foam. My other suggestion is to raise the skimmer, but you mentioned it does this at all heights.

 

[reefin_with_the_fam]

Does it make foam or is it just bubbly water that's overflowing? I had problems with salt creep in my air line. That would choke the skimmer of air and cause it to overflow all the time. I cleaned the venturi and air line going to it and it fixed the problem.

Also, how old is this tank? If its brand new there might not be enough organics in the water to create foam. My other suggestion is to raise the skimmer, but you mentioned it does this at all heights.

This is what it looks like. I had given it a vinegar bath before since when I got it was super dirty. It’s as if it’s brand new.

The tank is only a few weeks old. I cycled it with Turbostart 900 and am just now getting the diatom bloom.

 

[burnetb1]

Lol, i didnt look up what your skimmer looks like, but i have the same one! Its under Bubble Magnus tag but its the same thing.
Definitely not getting choked for air. I would just see how high you can raise it out of the water before it stops overflowing. Not exactly sure whats going on there. I kept mine in 8 in of water.

 

[reefin_with_the_fam]

Lol I essentially have to pull it almost completely out of the water.

 

[burnetb1]

Whatever works man lol. That doesn't look ridiculous. As your tank matures I bet you will lower it. Good luck!