Skimmer question.

[izzyish]

Hey guys, I'm having issues with my Vertex Omega Skimmer. I recently transferred a blue hippo tang from my wife's tank into mine. During the process the tang must have rubbed pretty hard on a rock because we noticed a scratch on its skin. My wife dosed API Stress Coat to help it heal and she also dosed some garlic to help with stress. Anyways, my skimmer started going crazy so I had to turn it off. I had it off for a couple days, so I went to turn it back on last night and it's still going crazy. How can I fix it and how do I prevent this from happening again? Will my skimmer do this once I start dosing Alk, Ca, and Mg?

TIA
Izzy

 

[Jritter02]

That's a pretty broad question. Yoire going to have to describe what "going crazy" means. Cause my definition of going,crazy, and my wife's....are completely different. she says I'm going crazy dumping all my money into my tank, and even worse...getting a 90g. Describe what it's doing.

 

[izzyish]

That's a pretty broad question. Yoire going to have to describe what "going crazy" means. Cause my definition of going,crazy, and my wife's....are completely different. she says I'm going crazy dumping all my money into my tank, and even worse...getting a 90g. Describe what it's doing.

LOL, I guess I'm lucky to have a wife that began the hobby before I did, so she knows the crazy costs involved.

I guess the skimmer is doing it's job, I've just never seen it act this way. The skimmer cup started overflowing ridiculously back into my sump. The tank is about 2-3 months old and so is the skimmer. I began running my skimmer halfway through the cycle process.

 

[coralsnaked]

I will "***-u-me crazy means overflowing?

Set it to run dryer. More air and less water volume. This is caused by the Stress Coat and will resolve itself shortly. Then return skimmer to prior settings. Or just turn it off a couple of days and wait it out.

 

[izzyish]

I will "***-u-me crazy means overflowing?

Set it to run dryer. More air and less water volume. This is caused by the Stress Coat and will resolve itself shortly. Then return skimmer to prior settings. Or just turn it off a couple of days and wait it out.

Will try tonight, thanks! Does this happen when dosing Alk, Ca, & Mg?

 

[MondoBongo]

it might also be worth checking the air intake line and air collar around the pump impeller for blockages. i know sometimes calcium or other junk will build up along that tract and cause mine to act up as well.

 

[izzyish]

it might also be worth checking the air intake line and air collar around the pump impeller for blockages. i know sometimes calcium or other junk will build up along that tract and cause mine to act up as well.

Okay will do. I was planning on taking it out tonight an cleaning it.

 

[Jritter02]

My skimmer always runs kinda wet and I never really get the dark skim. I only have 3 fish in my24g nano. Mostly corals. I figure I either have a clean tank or my skimmer ain't worth a d@mn. Its probably the second option. Its a cheap skimmer. But before I had 2 jumpers I at least had some dark tint to my skim.....now....not so much

 

[coralsnaked]

Will try tonight, thanks! Does this happen when dosing Alk, Ca, & Mg?

No Foundation elements will not affect your skimming settings

 

[Lsufan]

Try & hook up a hose to your drain on your skimmer & let it drain into a bucket.On mine usually after i drain a gallon or two the skimmer calms down. U will have to have some saltwater to replace what u drain out

 

[droog]

A few things cause a skimmer to overflow and go crazy. Most reef glue products do the same thing. I leave the setting alone but take the collection cup off the skimmer and just let it overflow for a day. That way the skimmer is still oxygenating the water. Its not producing skimmate but for a day or two thats no biggie.

IIRC Vertex recommend this procedure when breaking in the Omega.

-droog