I have a Vertex 180i skimmer. All of a sudden the skimmer cup is overflowing and won't stop. I tried every adjustment of the Venturi and riser, even took apart the whole skimmer and put it back together. Still get too many bubbles which overflow too fast. i can not adjust it down. Any suggestions of where to start looking for the problem?
Skimmer gone crazy
- Thread starter rdnyva
- Start date
ericarenee
New member
it could be a hole in the air line above the water level if you are slowing the air volume down with adjustment screw...
Skim
New member
Obvious that some thing in the tank may have passed or Coral letting out some toxins but something has entered the water column. If you don't have Carbon running add some if you do change it with fresh and that should help.
But then again it is a Vertex.
HEE HEE HEE
Skim
But then again it is a Vertex.
HEE HEE HEE
Skim
Last edited:
Thanks for all the input, it is appreciated. The problem continues for the 3rd day. I did add a phosphate reducing pad. I've done this before and skimmer will go nuts for 12 hours or so. Usually I'd just turn it down or shut it off altogether, until things return to normal. I put my finger over the air intake tube and this results in an immediate stopping of overflowing, no bubbles, just water in the chamber. So I think it's just a matter of reducing the air intake, but adjustments don't work. I've observed that the overflow isn't a waterfall, it's mostly foam. That's with the riser set to zero. I'm not sure what that means. I'd gladly welcome more suggestions and input.
I have a Euroreef RS150 that I sometimes use on my QT. I swapped it out for the Vertex and get the same problem. I guess that eliminates a skimmer issue. I've removed the phosphate pad and have been running carbon for 24 hrs, but the problem still persists. All fish and coral and inverts look fine. Any thoughts?
krzyphsygy
Active member
The Phosphate pad is what did it. 100% Guaranteed. It has happened to me. The only way to get the skimmer to stop is to remove the pad. It changed the surface tension of the water and made it a little slimey causing the overflow. Carbon and water changes to bring it back is all you can do. Attach the drain on the cup to a bucket and use this to do the water changes. When it stops overflowing your done and so are the water changes.
moondoggy4
Team RC
Remove the cup from the skimmer and let it run until it calms down.
I am going through this now with a Vertex omega 150. The cause in my case was mounting in a ton of frags (25 over 3 days). I turned skimmer off, added fresh carbon and a polyfilter and did a 25% water change. taking polyfilter out tonight and will run wide open draining into a bucket as suggested. It is not as bad as a couple days ago. On other tanks I did notice that venturi skimmers would go nuts from the polyfilter (probably same thing as with the phosphate filter mentioned above). BTW I saw a new Reef Octopus doing this on Sunday on a friends tank. It is something with venturi based skimmers. The downdrafts, becketts, and AquaC all shut down when stuff goes in the water and in my experience the venturi (4 types at least) do the overflow thing. This skimmer does skim like a beast though, so will bear it out. Plus- no more room for frags 
