Help w/ skimmer, too much foam even full open.

Fitz19d

New member
I just got a pre owned Reef Octopus 110. I'm having troubles figuring out where I'm having an issue, where even when I turn it all the way down so that the inside water level is at the bottom of the S (Inch below where it begins to curve up in a cone), I'm still getting the bubbles coming up so strong that my skimmer cup is getting filled up within a hour or two with appears almost straight water.


It's right at or a little 8 inches of water in the skimmer. Should I try raising the water level more? Or Make a platform to lower relative water level? Water level about a half inch below the exit pipe which is at a relative horizontal but still down ward angle. (Baffle in way for straight down.)

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It seems like the skimmer may be sitting too deep into the water, deep enough that your controls cannot compensate for it. I would raise the skimmer on a platform, maybe 1"-2", so that it sits at a depth of 6"-7".

Skimmers do have a tendency to produce too much foam when new or recently thoroughly cleaned. Still, you have to run it to break it back in, and you cant run it if it keeps overflowing.
 
it might just be because it's new - and or too deep.

but from the skimm - are you adding water conditioner like aquasafe when doing a WC?
 
the skimmer should work fine at that water level. perhaps your water contains a lot of dissolved organics making the skimmer run crazy. you can temporarily elevate the skimmer.
 
I'll try raising it. Is used but was heavily cleaned by previous owner. Did have a couple days of good production as it sucked up most of my suicidal anemone.

No water conditioner. Rodi + salt.
 
It seems like the skimmer may be sitting too deep into the water, deep enough that your controls cannot compensate for it. I would raise the skimmer on a platform, maybe 1"-2", so that it sits at a depth of 6"-7".

Skimmers do have a tendency to produce too much foam when new or recently thoroughly cleaned. Still, you have to run it to break it back in, and you cant run it if it keeps overflowing.

+1
It sounds like it may be too deep.

Also, have you used any type of red slime remover, i.e. Ultralife, Chemiclean, etc.? Or, any other type of water conditioners?
 
It sounds to me like you got something in your water (eg. a tiny amount of soap still on your hands. I've had this happen a few times. Just let the skimmer run and over flow. Over a few days, the surfactants will break down. It has never hurt my lifestock. The skimmer is just injecting so much air that even a tiny amount can cause overflow.
 
Fitz,

I had the same problem with a used NWB-110. However, mine's didn't over-foam until about a month into usage. The water line was about half an inch above the minimum level line. I thought it was the epoxy or superglue I was using, but it was overflowing for weeks before I figured I had better find a solution.

I opened the valve on the skimmer all the way, and I raised the skimmer about an inch or two, using two plastic glad-sandwich containers flipped upside down underneath it. It fixed my problems.
 
Fitz,

I opened the valve on the skimmer all the way, and I raised the skimmer about an inch or two, using two plastic glad-sandwich containers flipped upside down underneath it. It fixed my problems.

If there is no flow through these containers, i.e. the water is trapped inside them, it can/will produce hydrogen sulfide H2S, a very toxic chemical.
 
stupid question, but did you clean out the lines?

my RO Diablo was overflowing the skimmer cup the last couple weeks. i took it apart sunday and took a look at it. turns out there was some dried salt and calcification partially blocking the air intake line that runs from the air silencer to the "collar" around the pump intake where it mixes the air with the water.

it looked almost like a clogged artery. i cleaned out that tube and the collar in some warm tap water, put everything back together, and it is all working fine.
 
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