Do modern skimmers flood easier than the old models?

[mandarin417]

I am getting back into reefing after a 13 year pause. I think my tank 13 years ago had a skimmer on it that looked something like the Precision Marine Bullet series running on a Mag Drive pump. If the power went off of my pump, the large sump would fill up but the skimmer wouldn’t overflow.

I have a really nice AQUAMAXX CONES CO-2 IN-SUMP PROTEIN SKIMMER. I put it on a tank with only a couple of dry rocks in it and immediately it started pulling out some grunge. The tank is still in “test my plumbing” stage out in the garage soon to be drained and refilled inside the house.

So as I was playing with the system, I powered off the return pump, the sump filled and my protein skimmer flooded and the skimmer cup top gurgled spreading some droplets on the sides of the cabinet.

So I guess by design, these new skimmer s will flood if the sump water raises too high. I see folks do some magic with water sensors in their skimmer cups or water heights and main pump monitoring along with an Apex controller (have one in the box) to turn off the skimmer pump.

My question – what is different about the “classic” model PM Bullets compared to the newer models that made them seem to never flood due to sump water height? If I want a hands free no worry about flooding skimmer – should I go back to the old classic? Hey, the old classic did a terrific job but I think it might have been noisy!

[rgulrich]

I used to be able to flood not only my Sanders wooden airstone-driven skimmer in my aquarium, but my Oceanic Model 3's in the sump as well. That just may be the way of things in a sump if you turn off the power to your return pump and the water level in the skimmer chamber rises.
You could simply design the skimmer chamber to be higher than in the rest of the sump and have the aquarium drain into it, get skimmed, and then drain into the rest of the sump. I really do like the efficiency of the newer skimmers, though. There really are some good ones out there these days.

[oseymour]

I see folks do some magic with water sensors in their skimmer cups or water heights and main pump monitoring along with an Apex controller (have one in the box) to turn off the skimmer pump.


My skimmer will overflow and my ATO will alarm if my sump levels get too high, this happens when i turn off my return pump for maintenance or feeding. What I've done is program my apex to deay my skimmer and ATO for 2 minutes after I turn on my return pump.

[mandarin417]

Not hooked up yet but I have the Tunze ATO which I don't think has a high water alarm. I am guessing that I would add a high water float, connect it to the Apex to shut off the skimmer. But if the cup is filled, it gurgles. Maybe I need to use the drain on the cup to flow into another container that would overflow into the sump if it overfills. Always engineering involved. Definitely want to add a shutoff and delayed start during feeding and if the main pump is turned off.

[sirreal63]

If you want to avoid that overflowing, go with a properly designed recirculating skimmer, it doesn't matter what the water level is in the sump, it won't overflow.

[kgk]

If you want to avoid that overflowing, go with a properly designed recirculating skimmer, it doesn't matter what the water level is in the sump, it won't overflow.

Recirculating skimmers are great. Set one up with a neck cleaner & a collection vessel, and forget about it for a while.