Something wrong with my Skimmer?

[99light]

This morning before work doing my normal quick inspection, i noticed a thick layer of bubble/suds in my sump. I started looking around and i noticed my skimmer collection cup was completely full of water, and the bubbles were coming out of it. I shut the skimmer down emptied and washed out the collection cup and put it back on. Powering up the skimmer, it filled roughly 1/3of the cup with water in less then 30 seconds. I left to let the dogs out for their morning pee, came back in and the collection cup had refilled with water again and was forcing bubbles out the top of the cup.

The only thing i did was to add 2 large pieces of Base rock to the tank last night, and maybe 3 lbs of rubble to the sump. Could this be causing that?

The water level in the sump is a bit higher then it was, i am assuming because of the rock displacing water ( each piece of rock in the display tank weighs in at a touch over 20lb)

I am attaching pics of what it looked like before i added the rock, and this morning after i noticed the bubbles, Sorry for the poor pic quality, my phone isnt the latest and greatest.

Thanks for any help you can provide

Normal



This morning

 

[sirreal63]

Something on the rock, notice the foam in the drain section before the skimmer. What was done to the rock or where did it come from?

 

[99light]

BRS Pukani Base rock The rubble pieces in the sump i soaked in salt water agitated it for a couple hours then *dip rinsed it* before going to the sump. The 2 large pieces in that went into the tank were just way to big to fit into any of my buckets, so i rinsed them as best i could.

That could cause the skimmer cup to fill with water tho?

 

[downbeach]

Did you add any kind of "conditioner" or other type additive, to the tank?

 

[99light]

No, the only thing added to the tank since i set it up was the base rock i put in last night.

 

[FTDelta]

Did you cure your rock?

 

[cephalotus]

I believe you have two problems. 1. You have fouled the tank with uncured rock. 2. That style skimmer needs to be in a stable water level to maintane adjustment. Readjust the skimmer do a water change, run some carbon and hopefully your tank will be fine.
Your skimmer really needs to be in a chamber that does not fluctuate water level.

 

[swcc]

+1 to above. so set water level correct and possibly turn down water level in skimmer till this stabilises.

 

[99light]

Thanks, i bought this used with no instructions, the water level in the sump is definitely higher then before. I will find some instructions online for setting water level.

 

[tekjunkie28]

How does dry rock foul a tank? I'm lost, as I got brand new dry rock and washed it off and tossed it in the tank.

 

[cephalotus]

Thanks, i bought this used with no instructions, the water level in the sump is definitely higher then before. I will find some instructions online for setting water level.

The last baffle before your return pump needs to be higher than the water level in the return compartment. Either raise that baffle or lower the water level below the baffle

 

[99light]

The last baffle before your return pump needs to be higher than the water level in the return compartment. Either raise that baffle or lower the water level below the baffle

Thanks, that makes things easy, had no luck finding instructions online

 

[cephalotus]

Thanks, that makes things easy, had no luck finding instructions online

No problem, that is what this is all about. Good luck

 

[99light]

Ok, so i removed water from the sump, I cannot make the return pump compartment lower then the middle section or the pump runs it empty before the middle puts enough water into it. The water level above the baffle is maybe 1/4- 1/3 of an inch over the top of the baffle.

I pulled the skimmer up into the air and let the water drain out. I removed the skimmer collection cup and emptied it out. I stuck my finger in the inlet of the skimmer pump and felt no debris. The air hose for the skimmer pump is well above the water line. As soon as i turn the skimmer back on, the it starts to make its bubbles, but then the water comes with the bubbles and within a couple of minutes the collection cup is full of water again. I have triple checked the collection cup to the skimmer is tight, and the lid to the collection cup is tight.

Its not nearly as "sudsy" as it was this morning, but the collection cup is still filling to the max with water and pushing bubbles out the 4 lock slides ?

 

[99light]

Man, i feel like a heel. I ended up completely removing the skimmer pump to see if i could take it apart. Low and behold, as soon as i removed it from the skimmer i could see something wedged down in what seemed to be the water intake. Pulled it apart and it looks like when i added the rubble i added a few small shells. I just pulled a 3/4 inch snail/crab shell that was wedged all the way in the intake.

Put the pump back together, back onto the skimmer and voila, no more collection cup full of water....!

Its still coming up a bit to "wet" i think in the cup, but now its been 10+ minutes and theres only a 1/4inch of water instead of completely full, I think moving things around so much i probably knocked it out of adjustment. I will call ASM tommorow and try to get ahold of a set of instructions so i can learn how or where the adjustments are on this..

Thanks everyone for the help

 

[99light]

Well, not quite out of the woods yet. Leaving for work this morning, the collection cup was again full of water and foaming out the top, albeit at a much decreased rate. The skimmer pump is quite loud after listening to it for awhile, i think i may have caused some internal damage. I unplugged it for now. I will end up trying to disassemble it further to see if any more debris and if not looks like i may look for a replacement skimmer pump