Ok, starting my fist skimmer on a new tank. Tank has been running 5 weeks and I decided to start my skimmer. No fish or coral but started with live sand, dry rock, and bottl bacteria. Have been ghost feeding every other day. Skimmer has been running a week and a half and still overflows. Any suggestions or is there not enough bio load to make the skimmer run properly!?
Skimmer Questions?
- Thread starter Salty Danner
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You may want to raise the skimmer by putting it on a stand in the sump to see if that helps it from always overflowing.
It is on a adjustable stand and I have tried it from about 5 to 8 inches water depth. The bubbles are really wet and it fills the cup in 30 sec. to a minute. I have also tried different settings on the gate valve and air setting.
K, I’ll give that a try, thanks!
Greg P
Valuable Member
Could be something in the water keeping the skimmer from settling in.
You could try one of these steps;
- Adjust it to fill the cup slowly and dump the water out while adding new replacement
water
- Perform a WC or 2
- Run some GAC (carbon)
I found my new to me skimmer back in the day didn't like new filter socks. Once I ran them through the wash in 'water only' that problem went away.
In your case, it could be something as simple as oil from your skin.
You could try one of these steps;
- Adjust it to fill the cup slowly and dump the water out while adding new replacement
water
- Perform a WC or 2
- Run some GAC (carbon)
I found my new to me skimmer back in the day didn't like new filter socks. Once I ran them through the wash in 'water only' that problem went away.
In your case, it could be something as simple as oil from your skin.
PatW
2500 Club Member
All sorts of things can excite a skimmer. Often a solution is to have some saltwater on hand. You let the skimmer run until it fills up the cup. Turn off the skimmer. Empty the cup. Add a cup worth of salt water. Repeat. Often it only takes about 10 reps to get the skimmer running normally. Whatever it is in the water that is upsetting the skimmer seems to get skimmed out pretty quickly.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
New skimmers need a soak in some vinegar water for a short time. Removes any oils from manufacturing.
Till there is enough bacteria in the system, which coats everything including the walls of the skimmer body and collection cup, it's going to overflow. Especially during cycling, which you don't need to run the skimmer.
To help things along, remove the airline tubing from the skimmer and just let it run without producing bubbles. Once cycled, it should be good to go or turn it off and wait. Your call.
Till there is enough bacteria in the system, which coats everything including the walls of the skimmer body and collection cup, it's going to overflow. Especially during cycling, which you don't need to run the skimmer.
To help things along, remove the airline tubing from the skimmer and just let it run without producing bubbles. Once cycled, it should be good to go or turn it off and wait. Your call.
I am now wondering if I should do a water change. I read where to much bacteria starter can cause this problem and when I started the tank about 6 weeks ago I used about 1 1/2 time the start up dose of fritz bacteria to get it going.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Chances are you may not have anything for it to remove. Is your tank cycled? If not, no water change now.
I am not sure about if it is cycled, I had ammonia readings about week after it started. Then they went away, I have been ghost feeding and still have had no readings of nitrates. I’ll hold off on a water change for a bit longer.
Update: well got home and skimmer is now operating closer to normal and not over skimming. I ran carbon since 5:30 this morning and it seems to have helped. Will keep an eye on it. Thanks for all the input!
