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View Full Version : things that make your skimmer overflow!!!!!



Troylee
07-08-2010, 09:46 AM
here is a list we compiled from another site i thought i would share....... if your having trouble with a overflowing skimmer check here first.....

I thought it would be interesting to post what sets your skimmer off at times. I think this could be a good resource and good place to share experiences with the foam cannon syndrome Nothing more irritating than having your skimmer uncontrollably foam over the top nonstop. So what set it off? Lets start a list. I'll go first i guess

Any water conditioner like Prime will set it off for a few days.
Coral foods like additives, phyto...etc
Some foods like oyster eggs...ever try that...wowsa!
My all time favorite which will cause havoc for weeks....dundun duhhh - Aquamend! I've never seen a skimmer go through such a mess as one that has been infected with the evil aquamend.



I have had new filter socks, some foods, and epoxy all cause massing overflowing. Those are the ones just off the top of my head. Not to mention some additives of course.

New filter socks, Cyclopeeze!!!, Rod's Food, Epoxy.

prime reef food does like there is no tomorrow... aquamend as mentioned.... strotium additive has did this to me also... coral frenzy tends to kill the foam head on mine not overflow it....

In my system PE mysis makes the skimmer foam head go up a little then down within in 5 or so min. Then it will skim watery (less concentrated) for at least a day maybe a little more.

Another good way is to have your venturi get clogged and if your vent holes get covered to where they can't breathe.

Melafix I knew it woud cause over foaming but being that I'm 22 and had to see how bad it would be for myself I left the skimmer on for about 2 mins after adding it to the system and oh man it was awesome ha. This was a very large 2 pump six foot tall aquamedic it looked like a foam party you see on tv. Oh the bad things that can happen while being bored at the shop ha.

Well you can add intercepter to the list lol.....
Nuked my tank yesterday as a percationary since I never had intercepter as a dip and after 8 hours I popped the airline back on the venturi and the skimmer flooded..... Hmm wonder how long this last... I put the carbon back online so maybe today when I get home I should be able to fire it back up....

Troylee
07-08-2010, 09:48 AM
please feel free to add anything that has caused your skimmer to overflow..... it's a good list to check for reference before tearing your skimmer apart..... most of the time it's something we add and not the skimmer creating the problem....

spslover
07-08-2010, 09:57 AM
From my experience this does it as well.

Purple Up

Xcali1985
07-08-2010, 10:28 AM
@Troylee: Ive found that if you turn off your skimmer for about 2 hours after feeding photoplankton and mysis, etc. that there is less of a foam reaction to them. Possibly because more is taken in by the livestock. If food is causing your skimmer to go overdrive, its wasting you money, I THINK.

five O
07-08-2010, 11:08 AM
I think what cause's most skimmer problems as well as other fish tank failures is OPERATOR ERROR. This seems to be the reasons why most things fail, break, mess up, do grow, die, get an infestation, fall over or just plain don't work because of the human factor. I know that I have been responsible for more than my fair share of operator errors in the past, and I'm sure their will be many more in the future.

sakeating
07-08-2010, 11:45 AM
Thanks! I noticed that most equipment questions in this section were skimmer related at the moment anyways.

lvsuckerfish
07-08-2010, 11:51 AM
Ammino's knock the top off my skimmer lol

TheGreatAukSociety
07-08-2010, 12:43 PM
Mine does when I take the pump apart for cleaning.

Narazbad
07-08-2010, 12:44 PM
Seems skimmers are the topic of the month right now.