When i stop my skimmer it overflows.

[basile]

Ok when ever i feed i stop my pumps and here's is why. I also dose supplements of phytoplancton and other minerals because i have gorgonians, NPS and clams.


I have an external coast to coast overflow and if i don't stop the return flow and the powerheads i loose some of the food and supplements into the socks and skimmer and i see this as a lo$$$$$. plus eventually a nitrate problem.


Now when i stop all those i also stop my skimmer ; You have too, or it will overflow , their's noway .

So my problem is when ever i restart all the pumps and the whole system and then i restart the skimmer it will overflow no matter what, although i haven't touched anything and nothing has changed , not the water level, or any parameter in the short time, 15 min that the system was stopped.


Anybody has any explanation or advice on that or has similar experience?​

 

[VicD81]

Im still in my build phase but I never thought about that and now that you mention it I've to to build in a timer to prevent this. The problem is that when you restart your system it takes time for the water level to return to normal so for the first min or so the skimmer is submerged too deep causing the overflow.

Solution turn on your return pump and give it a couple of minutes for water level to stabilize then start the skimmer.

 

[Mike J.]

My theory is that the phytoplankton and minerals are causing it to overflow. You can wait an hour after you feed to turn it back on or set your skimmer to run dryer.

 

[Alabamareef]

+1.
You can even leave your skimmer off longer than 1 hour if you like. There are others that are setting up there skimmer to shut off at night to try not to strip the water so much.

My theory is that the phytoplankton and minerals are causing it to overflow. You can wait an hour after you feed to turn it back on or set your skimmer to run dryer.

 

[trido]

My theory is that the phytoplankton and minerals are causing it to overflow. You can wait an hour after you feed to turn it back on or set your skimmer to run dryer.

+2 This sums it up pretty good IMO.

 

[basile]

Yep i think you guys are right. I was thinking that too, the skimmer rated for a 300 G system just scrapes all the juices out, lol and take all the good stuff i just put in, so a few hours of circulation into the system without the skimmer so the sponges, corals and gorgonians and my macroalgaes have time to get the goodies; should be ok. Thanks guys.

 

[Reefing Madness]

My theory is that the phytoplankton and minerals are causing it to overflow. You can wait an hour after you feed to turn it back on or set your skimmer to run dryer.

+1.

 

[kschweer]

I agree with others as well. Another thought is are you turning everything back on at the same time? In my frag system I turn everything off to feed as well and if I turn everythig back on at the same time my skimmer will overflow too. I wait about 5 minutes and turn my skimmer back in and I works fine. The reason for my skimmer overflowing is that the water level in the sump is too high for it when I turn it right back on. The 5 minutes allows the sump to return to the correct level with the pumps on.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Yeah, does the skimmer come on at the same time as the return?

 

[basile]

Thanks guys much better reasult now, less waste , well i can head to see Godzilla now and not worry anymore LOL.

 

[VicD81]

So is it working for you now? What did you do differently?

 

[basile]

So is it working for you now? What did you do differently?

Yes thank much better, i leave it an hour or so and the supplements have a chance to be absorbed by the corals and sponges.