Skimmer Help - Overflowing

[DanW]

Wondering if anyone can provide some advice…

I have a Euro-Reef RS125 in approximately 6” of water. When feeding the fish I turn off the return pump and skimmer (otherwise the food in the display will go into the overflows and into the sump). When turning on the pumps, I first turn on the return and allow the water level in the sump to return to normal and then turn on the skimmer. The problem is the skimmer will overflow unless I dial it down which means that I have to dial it back in over the next 15-30 minutes, a very tedious exercise.

Does anyone have a solution besides not turning off the pumps during feeding? Is this unique to Euro-Reef skimmers? Are there any skimmers that this does not happen?

Thanks in advance.

[luke33]

Hmm, i'd say 95-99% of us keep our return on and skimmer on during feeding. Especially the return pump. What i feel is happening is your water level in your sump is rising on your skimmer and your skimmer water level rises and right after you turn your skimmer back on it s water level is out of wack and you will have to readjust it every time you do this. The biggest key to running a successful nw single pass skimmer is consistent water level. If you don't have that you have a ton of problems and constant re adjusting.

[saltysupply]

what he said:) Just leave the pumps on during feeding, maybe just turn off powerheads.

[ctripi]

I have a RS135. Everytime it starts up, it has to be dialed back to the full open position to prevent overflowing. Within a few seconds the skimmer settles down and I re-adjust the output pipe to a predetermined spot (marked with a sharpie pen; nearly fully closed) that eliminates the sucking noise. I've yet to figure a way around this routine. To avoid future overflow eliminate your airline valve and clean the venturi intake-aspirator everytime your empty the skimmate.

[flipteg]

i think the problem is the lack of vent on the tube that is between the T connector and the surface of the water... try it by taking off the tube that is connected after the T-connector and let the water splash down from the T to the water's surface and see if that's the problem... i'm pretty sure it is cause i had the same problem before... when you turn off the skimmer, air will get in that part of the tube... once you turn it back on, the air inside can not escape... i fixed it by shortening the output tube so that it is only long enough to reach the surface of the water, but not fully submerge the opening...

[walmart]

I am having this same problem with my rs250

[DanW]

Thanks for the advice. So most people keep the return on when feeding? Doesn't a large portion of food go down the overflows?

Does anyone have an in-sump skimmer where it does not overflow when restarting?

flipteg: I'll try removing it this weekend and see how it goes.

[intenseimage]

You can always get a controller and when you do a feed cycle have it restart the skimmer a minute or so later than the return pump?

[Jim_S]

Is your skimmer exhaust submerged or above water? Back pressure on the skimmer can very easily cause an overflow...

[walmart]

Is the exhaust sopposed to be submerged?

[DanW]

The exhaust is submerged ( I think that is what flipteg is referring to). I am going to try to take it off this weekend to see if the skimmer still overflows. I am concerned about the noise if the exhaust is not submerged, though.

[flipteg]

yes, if you take it off completely, the noise and splashing will be bothersome... i suggested it only as a quick way to diagnose the problem... as i said before, what i did with mine is cut the exhaust so that part of it is underwater, but the other part is still out of the water... kinda like in a diagonal plane... this reduces splashing and noises...

[Jim_S]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11967876#post11967876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by walmart
Is the exhaust sopposed to be submerged?

NO!

This creates back pressure and back pressure = overflowing skimmer.

Terminate the skimmer exhaust just before the water line.

[Jim_S]

Here you can see to the right of the photo how the exhaust terminates just above the water line. I have it angled so that it hits the side of the sump and lowers any noise.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199/jimdogg187/Fuge_a.jpg

[walmart]

I took the exhaust pipe off and nothing is coming out of the exhaust elbow

[Jim_S]

I'm confused....

You removed the whole exhaust pipe? Now nothing is coming out?

[jamesnmandy]

LOL, it's not skimming anything then...other than the water trapped in itself

[walmart]

Meaning it comes out the top instead of the exhaust

[Jim_S]

This is how your skimmer should look:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199/jimdogg187/Misc/Insumpskimmer.jpg

You can add another 90 and a line down after the T to direct the water to your sump; however, that line must terminate before the water line.

HTH

[jthomps123]

I have my RC135 hooked up like its supposed to. When it gets started back up the bubbles also want to overflow. I just plug the air intake with my finger for a few moments and it passes.

[jamesnmandy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11968579#post11968579 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jimdogg187
This is how your skimmer should look:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m199/jimdogg187/Misc/Insumpskimmer.jpg

You can add another 90 and a line down after the T to direct the water to your sump; however, that line must terminate before the water line.

HTH

something like this

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d116/jamesnmandy/Tenecor%2075%20gallon%20hex/DSCF2016.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d116/jamesnmandy/Tenecor%2075%20gallon%20hex/DSCF2017.jpg

that 1" PVC is at a angle so that the end of the pipe is just out of the water, it's only there because if i let the water drop off out of the T it makes a lot of noise

[DanW]

flipteg: Got it, totally understand.

jimdog & jamesnmandy: Thanks for the detailed photos/drawings.

Now I have to be brave and cut the pipe. I believe the Euro-Reef pipes are metric so if I screw up I'll have to rig a regular pipe or re-order from Euro-Reef.