New refugium causing skimmer not to skim?

[netboy]

I searched for an answer on this but couldnt not get a definite answer. So i have an Octopus NW-150 and It has been skimming wonderfully until I decided to add a refugium. Well I actually changed quite a big, moved from a 10gal sump to a 40gallon sump/fuge and I also switched from 4x39 t5 to a single 250w MH (geismann 14.5k coral) not sure if that matters.

Ever since I did this I get zero foam. I tired givng the skimmer pump a vinegar bath thinking it was dirty or clogged but that didnt work. Visually the skimmer chamber has a bunch of micro bubbles. The refugium section is 15" wide and 20" long and has a 6"dsb. The DSB was dry sand which I then seeded with sand from my display tank. I started with a baseball sized clump of chaeto and it has tripled in size. So my initial thoughts was that all the nutients were being exported by the refugium and this is why I am not skimming at all. This has been going on for about 3 weeks, should I be worried? Because I am a little concerned. Everything is healthy btw and water is visually clear.

Thanks

 

[luke33]

If your nitrates are almost zero, it means your fuge is making a huge difference and your skimmer will eventually start, but maybe its such a shock to your system. Does your water go to your skimmer then your fuge or your fuge then your skimmer?

 

[netboy]

Ill check nitrates when I get home from work, but the way my plumbing goes is, from overflow---->skimmer chamber---->fuge---->returnpump chamber. Could the flow going through the sump/fuge be too high?

 

[luke33]

Yes, if the flow it to high, the skimmer won't skim. Its kind like filling up a turkey baser with the faucet. The water's moving to fast to get it just right. What kind of GPH is going through your sump?

 

[luke33]

If you have room, maybe add your skimmer to your return chamber as a test.

 

[netboy]

I have an overflow box rated at 1200gph, but it is no way moving that much water, I have a mag 7 on the return wide open...I will try moving the skimmer to the retun section later today.

 

[REMoses]

Yes, if the flow it to high, the skimmer won't skim. Its kind like filling up a turkey baser with the faucet. The water's moving to fast to get it just right. What kind of GPH is going through your sump?

Ok, How does the the flow in a sump cause a skimmer not to skim. To me that does not seem right and I admit I may be wrong. I have never heard of this happening before. The octopus is force fed water from the sump through a feed pump. The feed pump should be 1.5 times greater than your tank size. For the 150 it is recommended that the pump should be no bigger than 450 GPH. Is this what you are referring to? In my estimation the flow of water anywhere in the tank is irrevelant.

I have a similiar problem so I will be tagging along.

 

[old salty]

I noticed the same thing when I stuck a lump of chaeto in my fuge a few months back. I'm under the impression that they are both competing for the same "junk" that is in the tank.