Help - Vertex Omega 150 Skimmer Overflow

[Julius Chen]

If you use Vertex Omega 150 (or 130), pls help look at your pump assembly and let me know if I am missing a part per my description below.

My Omega 150 has been working well for 3 weeks, and somehow started overflowing since noon today. The changes I did that MIGHT contribute to the over flow is to add water level in sump from 6.5" to 8", and use IC-GEL to glue a dime size magnet.

Once I saw overflowing, I pumped water out down to 6.5" (or less), and turned off my ATO. But skimmer continues to overflow, despite I fullly closed (clock wise turn) the intake nozzle of the pump and the fully opened the outlet of water/air leaving skimmer body.

1st photo shows skimmer overflowing. Note that water inside the skimmer body is way lower than water level in the sump. It seems too much air is drawn in.

Maybe I lost/broke a part when trying to adjust?

The intake nozzle which can be turned to regulate air intake (I believe). 2nd photo is the inlet of the pump, and the white tip on the right side is the nozzle. 3rd photo show the 4 parts when disassembeled plus the pump motor block (from bottom to top).

Questions you can help -

1. Am I missing a part? Thinking in the 3rd photo, between the 2nd and 3rd part counting from bottom may have a rubber ring to regulate air intake? The 4th photo attached show the nozzle when screwed inside. The red tip there is the air intake tube. Clearly there is a lot space for air to flow freely.

2. I did broke a small piece of the pump inlet (one of the 3 tabs helping attaching inlet to pump body) - see last photo. Can this cause the nozzle to fail in regulating air? I glued it back and from what I can tell the inlet is attached firmly to pump body.

3. Anybody know if Vertex has a rep on this forum I can reach out?

Thanks!
Julius

 

[1kwksvt]

All your parts look there not missing anything. Still a newbie with this skimmer myself but check your intake on the air silencer if it got plugged it will over flow, the glue could have put something in the water that is causing the over flow and should settle down and i run my water height at 7.5 inches

 

[1kwksvt]

Its almost like your skimmer has to re break in it will settle out take the draim plug off the skimmer cup and let it run

 

[Julius Chen]

1kwksvt, Thanks! With air silencer removed, still over flow. Actually if I plug the air line with thumb, less air will flow into skimmer, water level inside skimmer body rises, and no more over flow.

Attached photo shows water inside the skimmer is only ~2 inches tall compared to sump water level at 6" now. No matter which way I turn the white nozzle (which is supposed to control air/water ratio), seems no impact to amount of air and water level inside the skimmer body.

Can you see your water level inside your skimmer body? And if you turn the white nozzle a bit, will air/water level inside skimmer change?

FYI - I run the pump in vinegar last night, and cleaned the air tube too. But no improvement in overflow.

 

[marioensf]

Have you added anything else to the tank? Food? Additives? Some skimmer go nuts when something was added; might not be the skimmer itself. I remember adding oyster eggs and the skimmer would jut go crazy. All I had to do was unplug the skimmer for a while while feeding some stuff into the tank.

 

[Julius Chen]

Twice a day feeding, one tea spoon of 1mm pellets. Then that IC-Gel to glue a coin size magnet to an acrylic (or plastic) backing.

I have run the skimmer since this morning, with air turned to lowest (nozzle turns clickwise fully), water outlet fully open, collection cup removed. Continues to overflow with no improvement. Water inside skimmer chamber is 2" talk vs. sump water at 6.5" tall.

I may try the skimmer in fresh tap water to see. I know it worked when i used tap water to test it.

 

[rocsec1]

Do you have both of the tubes connected to the pump.
I've had one going for 18 months now and it did take a while to get it dialed in

 

[1kwksvt]

Wait is the magnet in the tank that you glued! Could be and oil coating when they make them which will cause the skimmer to go nuts

 

[1kwksvt]

Another question is your skimmer throwing mocro bubbles out the outlet tube you close?