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View Full Version : Protein Skimmer help please!!!


FishGuy5
01/13/2012, 08:01 PM
Suddenly this last week, my skimmer is skimming super wet and overflowing. I am emptying the cup every day. I cannot adjust the water level in the skimmer anymore. It is a Vertex 180. I have a Bubbleblaster 3000 feeding the skimmer. The skimmer was working PERFECT for over 6 months prior to last week. The only thing I did different was change the plumbing going into the skimmer. Any idea what I can try? Water level in sump is constant and stays the same. It's weird that i cannot lower the water level in the skimmer. Any ideas/suggestions?? TIA

diesel444
01/13/2012, 09:53 PM
check the air intake for the pump

FishGuy5
01/13/2012, 10:58 PM
That's been checked and replaced.

jamey1015
01/14/2012, 01:11 AM
Sounds like the outlet is plugged? Although I would have thought airline first too.

Johnwayne
01/14/2012, 01:18 AM
did you add new filtersocks without rinsing first? or was there a chance any oils were introduced ie new plastic or oily hands

RGibson
01/14/2012, 07:13 AM
Suddenly this last week, my skimmer is skimming super wet and overflowing. I am emptying the cup every day. I cannot adjust the water level in the skimmer anymore. It is a Vertex 180. I have a Bubbleblaster 3000 feeding the skimmer. The skimmer was working PERFECT for over 6 months prior to last week. The only thing I did different was change the plumbing going into the skimmer. Any idea what I can try? Water level in sump is constant and stays the same. It's weird that i cannot lower the water level in the skimmer. Any ideas/suggestions?? TIA

Why did you change the plumbing?

wildman926
01/14/2012, 09:26 AM
The only thing I did different was change the plumbing going into the skimmer.

Did you thoroughly clean the plumbing prior to use? It may have had chemicals from manufacturing, that would cause the overflow. Water changes (LARGE) will only cure this

It's weird that i cannot lower the water level in the skimmer. Any ideas/suggestions?? TIA

Is the return pipe halfway out of the water? Is it in 6-8" of water?

FishGuy5
01/14/2012, 11:52 AM
did you add new filtersocks without rinsing first? or was there a chance any oils were introduced ie new plastic or oily hands

A new cover to my pump was installed. Coralvue sent me a new "face/cover" to the pump because the original one was defective w/ screws rusting. That is why I did the work. I never rinsed it off-just straight install. The new cover allowed me to "shorten" the outlet by about 3/4". Tighter fit in my sump. Day 5 of overflowing cup on my PS. :mad:

FishGuy5
01/14/2012, 11:54 AM
Did you thoroughly clean the plumbing prior to use? It may have had chemicals from manufacturing, that would cause the overflow. Water changes (LARGE) will only cure this

Didn't rinse off new cover. Maybe the new plastic. Will do water change this weekend.



Is the return pipe halfway out of the water? Is it in 6-8" of water?


Return is at same level that it always was. Worked great before. Thinking I might have put it together wrong??