Help! 9010 overflowing.

[tuzeman]

about a month ago I cleaned my 9010 for the first time (I'd had it for about 6 months). Since then it has been producing much more skimmate, but also much lighter in color. Tea-like, I would say (even with the screw all the way in). So I took it apart again. Everything seemed fine, so I put it back. Now a different problem, this time it would make a gurgling noise when the screw was in even half a turn, I had to take the screw completely out to quiet the thing down. I left it like that for a couple of weeks until this morning when I decided to take it apart again just to check it out. Everything was in order so I put it back. Only to have a different problem - Microbubbles! argh. Out it comes again. everything seems fine, I put it back in, no more microbubbles, but guess what, another problem. Now the bubble column shoots straight up and fills the collection cup in about 40 seconds!

Any ideas? Please?

 

[rvitko]

Are you installing the pump so that the outlet is inserted into the clear jet pipe? If that was not done you would get a lot of microbubbles. The other two problems would most likely be caused by having the elbow of the outlet pipe inserted too far or by having the sponge above the top of the pipe.

 

[tuzeman]

Hmmm. I'm not using the sponge at all and I just took the elbow out and made sure not to put it in too far, but it still shoots straight up the column and fills the collection cup...any other ideas?

 

[rvitko]

Is water exiting the pipe? How far is it submerged? Is the outlet of the pump inside the jet pipe? Basically the water is not draining as fast as it is entering. The stand pipe goes on the left if you are facing the front of the skimmer.

 

[tuzeman]

a few more observations: there is only a very small amount of water coming out of the standpipe. there are still microbubbles, but they are coming from the outlet in the back. the pump is connected to the jet pipe and the skimmer is raised in my sump and submerged about 5 inches. the standpipe is on the left side.

 

[rvitko]

There should be only a slow trickle from the stand pipe. Did you add any sort of vitamin, stress coat, slime algae killer, medication, amino acid. etc?

 

[tuzeman]

nothing.

 

[rvitko]

If you close the screw does the foam still fill the cup in 40 seconds? Did you change anything, stir up the sand, do a big water change?

 

[tuzeman]

Yes, I put the screw in all the way, it still fills right up. no big water change, no sand stirring, nothing...are the micro bubbles coming out the back a clue of any kind?

 

[rvitko]

Usually that would indicate to me a change in surface tension but if you added nothing and didn't do any major changes I am at a loss. Generally if the water carries the bubbles further the surface tension has changed. The only two points that come to mind is maybe the elbow is in too far or the air line has disconnected from the screw adjustment and the skimmer can take all the air it wants. If the top cover came off or the silencer assembly was pulled on this is a likely possibility.

 

[spsdude]

This just happened to my 9010 today. It has been awesome for
about a year now. It sits in a sump. Roger I add ESV
B-ionics everyday. I think when I added the calcium it overflowed from the tank directly to the skimmer in the sump. Your thoughts?
Thanks,
James

 

[rvitko]

This could be, these problems fix themselves though, you just want to change where you add the B-ionic so this cannot recur.