Skimz skimmer tuning SM161

[Bayareareefer18]

First I want to apologize if this question has been answered over and over. I found several threads but couldn't find a definitive answer.

So I am currently a couple weeks into cycle. I'm hoping within the next week or two it would be time to get the skimmer going so figured why not try and tune it a bit now rather than run into issues when it's needed.

The issue I am having is the skimmer overflowing no matter what I do.

If I close the air intake valve all the way and raise water level to between the bayonet and cup, per instructions, I can get the skimmer to create foam but the pump is not happy and tons of micro bubbles are flooding into sump.

I recommended water level is 7-9.5" I believe. Initially I had it at 9.25 but have raised to 8.5" and still same issue.

If I open air valve so that micro bubbles stop flooding the sump it just overflows no matter what adjustments I make. So much that if I remove drain cap from cup it's a steady stream of water coming out.

I'm not sure if I am just not quite grasping skimmer dynamics or is there something I am missing.

Is it too early in the process?

I've read of skimmers "going crazy" with stuff in the water. Is this what I am seeing?

It's not skimmate just tons of very wet bubbles

For reference

Tank is new.
Rock was used but I bleach cured for a month then rinsed and dried. No cl2 readings in water.
Water is rodi
30# dry sand
A couple weeks into cycle dosing mb7 daily in am
Ammonia 2.0
Nitrite 5+
Nitrate 20
Phosphate 1
Have not tested cal, mag, alk at this point. Using blue red sea salt
SG 1.025-1.026

Thanks in advance sorry for such a long winded noob question but driving me nuts I can't seem to figure this out

 

[Javamahn]

Raise the skimmer up until it stops going crazy. It is breaking in and also pulling all kinds off junk on the tank. As it settles you can lower it to the final height that pulls skimate you want. Wet skimate pulls bad and some good nutrients dryer skimming means less emptying but may not be effective enough based on nitrate and phosphate testing

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Raise the skimmer up until it stops going crazy. It is breaking in and also pulling all kinds off junk on the tank. As it settles you can lower it to the final height that pulls skimate you want. Wet skimate pulls bad and some good nutrients dryer skimming means less emptying but may not be effective enough based on nitrate and phosphate testing

Thanks for the reply. I will give that a shot.

Is it a good or bad idea to try and break it in at this point of the cycle ?

 

[Javamahn]

Thanks for the reply. I will give that a shot.

Is it a good or bad idea to try and break it in at this point of the cycle ?

you can play with it but if it is wet skimming then it is also pulling out the bacteria you are trying to establish and depending on how you are seeding bacteria, the skimmer may slow down the cycle completion. I left mine in right away but I also went with cured live rock that was already seeded so my startup was pretty easy. Have you Nitrates moved from zero to 20? If so you may be done with your startup cycle and ready for a few fish after a WC

 

[Bayareareefer18]

you can play with it but if it is wet skimming then it is also pulling out the bacteria you are trying to establish and depending on how you are seeding bacteria, the skimmer may slow down the cycle completion. I left mine in right away but I also went with cured live rock that was already seeded so my startup was pretty easy. Have you Nitrates moved from zero to 20? If so you may be done with your startup cycle and ready for a few fish after a WC

Thanks again.

Still watching the numbers. Did the cycle a little wrong. When I saw ammonia begin to fall I was doing back to 2ppm.

Just found the cycle sticky and see I shouldn't be redosing ammonia til it a dropping to hear zero. I'm guessing nitrates have peaked but api test only goes to 5 and test is dark purple.

Waiting to see those nitrites start to drop. Phosphate seems to have peaked at 1

Have speckles of diatoms and tiny bit of green algae

Also just seeded an no3 block with MB7 and dropped that in my fuge as well

 

[Bayareareefer18]

you can play with it but if it is wet skimming then it is also pulling out the bacteria you are trying to establish and depending on how you are seeding bacteria, the skimmer may slow down the cycle completion. I left mine in right away but I also went with cured live rock that was already seeded so my startup was pretty easy. Have you Nitrates moved from zero to 20? If so you may be done with your startup cycle and ready for a few fish after a WC

Man that was a pretty good call on your part. Dosed ammonia back to 2ppm yesterday morning then tested in the evening about 12 hours later and was .5

I want to see the nitrites start to come down before doing that big wc and considering fish right?

 

[Javamahn]

Go get a salifert Nitrate test kit. Keep testing but I would say your pretty much cycled. Not sure how big your tank is but I will usually only do a 10-20% water change unless something is very wrong. Anymore and you could be affecting the biofilter that you have built. Add fish in compatible groups not all at once to allow the biofilter to catch up to the load. If you are only doing fish then they can go right in to the DT. If you plan on doing coral very soon then you may want to QT if the LFS does not so you can treat if any parasites or bacterias show up. Most by me do not quarantine to save cost and copper which is used for ich will leach into sand and rock and kill inverts and coral. I would start with clownfish if you plan on having them they are almost unkillable, not super expensive (unless you buy a designer)

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Go get a salifert Nitrate test kit. Keep testing but I would say your pretty much cycled. Not sure how big your tank is but I will usually only do a 10-20% water change unless something is very wrong. Anymore and you could be affecting the biofilter that you have built. Add fish in compatible groups not all at once to allow the biofilter to catch up to the load. If you are only doing fish then they can go right in to the DT. If you plan on doing coral very soon then you may want to QT if the LFS does not so you can treat if any parasites or bacterias show up. Most by me do not quarantine to save cost and copper which is used for ich will leach into sand and rock and kill inverts and coral. I would start with clownfish if you plan on having them they are almost unkillable, not super expensive (unless you buy a designer)

Thanks for the advice. I currently have an api test to which I know are well know for inaccuracy. I also have a seachem which proved to be pretty reliable. I will be getting some new kits though. Have a buddy that just sold his tank so has a bunch of kits and hannah checkers I need to grab.

Tank is 75 plus 40 sump. Guessing total volume is about 80.

My plan was to start with a pair of clowns then probably following with a pair of firefish and pair of bangai

I was looking at some nice maroons at my trusted lfs. Good stripe maroons I believe?

Was planning on starting with ceriths and trocus snails to start cuc

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Just want to document progress on this in case it can save someone from pulling their hair out

I wad able to raise the skimmer to 8" water depth and was and will having the overflow issue. I was getting ready to make some major reconfiguration reconfigurations in my cabinet to raise the skimmer even higher.

After about the 100th time of turning this thing off and on it suddenly stopped overflowing and producing a nice foam. I was able to put the skimmer back to 9" water depth.

After foaming for awhile and monitoring the skimmer then completely stopped foaming but no overflowing.

This morning skimmer is back to foaming .

I'm assuming this is all part of the break in process....