Please Help, skimmer not working correctly!?!?

[shawn100]

My skimmer seems to not be working properly, it's a Southbay in sump skimmer. For some reason it is overflowing out of the top from under the lid and out of the holes in the lid. The pump is working fine and the airline isn't clogged, I don't know what else to do! When I cleaned it the other day, it was working, it had a lot of green nasty stuff in it and since I have cleaned it the top storage is clean and the bubbles are spilling out. I took a Nitrate reading and it was high ( I think the skimmer not filtering has something to do with it?) I'm starting to become concerned for all my fish and other things. If I loosen the ring so the top portion isn't secured it stops overflowing and seems to work better...I just don't understand! Please help this newbie!

 

[hot883]

Does it have an airline connected to it? IMO it does since you said it stops when you loosen the top!!? It sounds like it is getting to much air, thus overflowing. Try adjusting a little at a time. Just my $.02

 

[shawn100]

Hot883- Yes it does have an airline, how do I adjust the amount of air?
BTW thanks a lot for your input!

 

[buzz]

Shawn - I have found that there is some sort of coating on filtersocks that causes skimmers to go haywire for a short time. Rinse your filtersocks before you put them in the sump going forward.
Your skimmer is only overactive because there was something introduced to the water it is trying very hard to remove.
You can safely unplug it for a day or two until things settle down as well.

 

[shawn100]

Hey Buzz,
Thanks for more info. I just got done reading your email. Question about the overactive skimmer. Although it is overactive and spewing up a lot of bubbles wouldn't the bubbles still be green/brown instead of very clean? I'm not sure of this, I'm still learning! I did remove my filter sock because this was one of the dynamics that I changed that was different than when I got it...but to no avail, after a whole day. Should I have that ring that joins the two chambers tight to complete a seal? Maybe I'll try unplugging it for a day or so and see what happens. Or maybe I'll try to give that store a call and see if they have any inut. Thanks again, and BTW I'm totally digging the setup!
Thanks,
Shawn

 

[buzz]

Under normal circumstances, the bubbles will only rise high enough to spill over if they have waste product in them, thus the green color. Given the amount of whatever it is trying to skim, you have more bubbles forming which go high enough to spill over even if they are not only waste. That is why it is clear. It is very wet foam. It will skim regardless of whether the seal is tight or if the cup is just sitting on the skimmer.