Why does my skimmer go berzerk ???
 

Okay, this is driving me mental!! I've been using this skimmer (Bubble Magus CS220) since this past spring and recently it has been behaving strangely. At least once a week it will bubble over and flood the collection cup and spill into my sump. Drives me mad! I have only ever seen it do this when I use a lot of epoxy but I'm not using epoxy once a week. In fact, I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary. The skimmer has been cleaned thoroughly 3 times this month. The water level in the sump compartment that it is in does not change. I know that it'll do this if a new sock is put on that happens to have detergent residue on it, but nope, will bubble over with old unchanged sock. The first few times it did this I thought, okay, some spawning event or some such thing must have occurred. Well, this is still happening at least once a week and has been doing this for over a month now. If it keeps this up I'm going to throw this skimmer into the blue recycling bin.. after I've run it over a few times. :twised:

Try injecting some hot water down your airline with a syringe. If you have a blockage in your airline or venturi the skimmer level will increase rapidly because the pump is pushing more water than air. This is something that should be done on a regular basis to keep the skimmer running efficiently. It's worth a try.

Been there done that :(

I would say it is cuz it is CRAZY just like you :razz:

Mine does the exact same thing about as frequently. Different model skimmer but still a Bubble Magus. Maybe it has something to do with the pump. I've looked at all kinds of things to explain it away like small variances in water level and blockages and dirty intake venturi but it doesn't seem to be any of those things ... it just happens.

And it torques me off too. :( I've been living with the collection cup overflowing the last few days because I just give up on resetting it every few days.

Mine went crazy lst night and it's not even bubble magus and I didn't do anything different from what I normally do.

Huh.. Weird. I've never had a skimmer just randomly blow its load. I've always been able to determine why (epoxy, new sock, medications, etc). This is driving me ape detritus!! At least I'm not the only one. I can't live like this tho so if it keeps up I'm recycling its red ass!

Do you notice when it happens. i got this too when the water level is too high when i turn off my return pump during feeding.

Have you tried to shoak the whole skimmer in vinegar and let it break in again? may be some proxy got stuck in chamber?

Your controller should monitor your ph. That being said can you record your ph levels and the approximate times it overflows?.
Just a thought.
Kevin

Always seems to happen while I'm at work. I have not turned off my return pumps for a few months now :)

The three times I did clean it this month I did run it in vinegar.

pH probe says pH goes from 7.7 to 8.2 each and every day without exception. Has been like that since I started monitoring pH with the probe over a year ago.

so when you are at work, your auto feeder is on right? Does your feeder ring still align correctly?

Yes. But it doesn't happen every day. Just some random point in the week.

What day does your blue recycling bin got collected :-) Btw, have you check the air valve?

Yup shoved a pipe cleaner down that bad boy and cleaned it out several times.

Between this damn skimmer and the coconut bra fiasco I'm starting to question whether I should continue with this hobby :(

I don't think it's the skimmer.

If you have a look at episode 88 pt 4 of LA Fishguys, shortly after they add some skimmate to a new skimmer in a tank with water only, the skimmer foam level starts rising.

Here's a link to the video: http://www.lafishguys.com/88-%20prot...skimmer-04.htm

I think that what's happening in a tank that is otherwise stable with a properly adjusted and clean skimmer and the skimmer suddenly overflows is that there has been a sudden increase in coral allelopathy with increased mucus production.

I don't think you can prepare for it, other than have an in sump skimmer or install a drain tube in your collection cup (part way up the cup) that flows back into your sump.
That way it won't drain your tank and when you notice it just clean your skimmer cup and change your carbon.

Mitch

Hey, with all the problems I have been having, you have no excuse for leaving this fine, frustration, hair tear out, cursing hobby!!!!!

You'll figure it out, good luck and let us know if you find the reason.

I personally run clean RO water down all my air lines on both skimmers once a week, to clean out anything that may accumulate. Something you might want to try.

I think the dissolved organics/allelopathy theory is probably onto something there. I've had this same problem with other skimmers as well and the one common element to all the ones that had this problem was they are all meshwheel or needlewheel style, so I think whatever it is, it's something that skimmers that rely on smashed bubbles are particularly sensitive to. Skimmers that rely on foam by crashing and friction, like becketts, aren't sensitive in the same way because what seems to happen for them in most cases is that the foam just stops producing for a little while and then starts up again.

If it is (or could be) a dissolved organics issue then it seems to me the first thing to try would be to increase the carbon. For some DOC carbon does a better job of removing than skimmers are unable to, so it can't hurt in the long run (except you'll need to budget more for carbon but in the grand scheme that's a pretty inconsequential running cost compared to others)..

I have had overflowing problems with many skimmers, especially in the store.

The main issue is when the air line or filter gets plugged. Make sure you clean it with fresh water, not salt.

I noticed it happend a lot on the BM-QQ's because the airline is connected to the collection cup, alas the airline gets plugged with skimmate, then it blows it load.

Just my observations.

Ken - BWA

maybe your clams spawn :-)

If that is the case then my clams are getting more action than I am :(

LMAO. Perhaps show this thread to your wife as a form of petition! :lol:

omg, i am in tears. you are hilarious Kien. Trust me, with 2 kids like you have, hard to get those "action" these days

Guys this can't be happening. Please...just tell me it's NOT and we'll move on :lol:

Brett, my skimmer blows it's load once a week, this is definitely happening and could be a result of weekly orgies in my tank :-|. Maybe I'm the one that needs a merman costume...

im pretty sure its your skimmer
and since im a good guy, ill buy your skimmer for $150 to help you out and ill try to "rebuild" it.

I will raise you 1 dollars :-). Seriously, Kien you should try to put another skimmer in and see if both skimmers overflow, it so then it is your tank sexual activity problem or some fish can really poop.

You can have mine if you want, might be a little big for you though.

Nothing spawns that often so you can throw out that idea, your not feeding anything new to the tank?

If it weren't for the fact that that's barely appropriate for someone to see ONCE I'd make it my new sig haha.

Sorry dude I just had to throw that out there, could not resist :twised: