Skimmer cup overfill

[newhobbybar]

Hi,
This is the 2nd time this happened already and I just don't want to see it happening again.
I have what I believe to be a RS-135 with gate valve mod.
It works fine, except every couple months or so, it just goes bananas and water rises so much that it just goes above the neck and starts to fill the cup with pure water that ends up overfilling the cup and all the skimmate just ends up going right back to the tank.
Not to mention, the worst part... As water cascades out, it hits the body of the skimmer and splashes water on the side of my cabinet, which in turn, end up on my hardwood floor.
It's not a flood, just enough to make it wet and ruin it.
I want to avoid this.
What I did both times this happened was to lower the water level by opening the gate valve and shutting the skimmer off. Then, removed the cup and cleaned.
When I placed the cup back and restart the skimmer, everything works as it should like before.
So, I adjust the water level back to normal again and this works for another couple months.
There doesn't seem to be no obstruction on the intake of air of the venturi. I can feel it pulling air and hear it too. I even close it with my finger and can see the water level rising and when I open it, the water level goes right back to normal.
But I still think this is the culprit of the problem.
So, with all that said, is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening ever again?
Is there any other skimmer that will never do that?
I'm thinking a recirculating skimmer would never have problems with venturi blockage, would it?
Or, a skimmer like Avast that has a sensor on the skimate tank to shut the skimmer off, right? How is the cleaning of a skimmer with separate skimmate container? Does the tubing get nasty and clogs? Do you still have to clean the collection cup?
Any help to solve this problem will be appreciated.
I don't want to see my floor wet anymore. It gets ruined more and more everytime this happens.

 

[zigzag1]

It happens. One way you could avoid it is to add a electronic float valve to your cup that turns off your skimmer pump when the cup reaches nearly full. Or, add a secondary skimmate reservoir and put a float valve there. JMTC & GL!

 

[milspec]

What are you dosing or feeding?
Are you noticing this when you change filter pads or bags?
Does the skimmer bubble over or just fill up with water?
Dose the water level in your sump increase or decrease with evaporation or a defective return pump?
Do you have an auto top off if yes does it keep the water level constant?

 

[aquaticartist]

If it is only happening every couple of months, it sounds like your venturi air intake is becoming clogged with salt deposits. Take your air intake hose and have it suck up some hot RO water. Do this at least once a month and see if this helps prevent your issue.

 

[C Dog]

My skimmer cup has a small nipple on the bottom. You can take the rubber cap off and hook small tubing onto it to run to a bigger tank. Maybe you could do this?

 

[newhobbybar]

Ok, after some digging, I found out that the problem I had was with the tubing that goes into the venturi.
I don't have a check valve on the tubing. Not sure if it would be wise to use one anyway.
As I turn the skimmer off for maintenance, the tubing fills up with water.
That water is pulled back when the skimmer is on again, but leaves small film of water and salt in the tubing that dries and creates a crust.
Overtime, this very thin crust gets so thick that was blocking the air from being pulled properly.
So, I guess I need to add venturi cleanup on my list of maintenance
But I think I'm going to modify the cup to accomodate an external skimmate locker with a sensor to kill the skimmer just in case.