Tunze 9410 skimmer pulling just water into the cup.

[Jeff000]

Skimmer has been working fine for 7 months, then yesterday it starting pulling just water into the cup, would fill up in about a minute from empty.

So I cleaned it up as best I could, same thing.... so now I have that screw pinching the line as much as it can, there is a lot more water coming out the spout then normal, and it is still going to overflow the cup in less then 24 hours. mostly water.

What could it be? everything looked normal, nothing was even what I would call dirty.

 

[ggrillo]

Have you added anything new? (Meds, additives...)

Sent from my HERO200 using Tapatalk

 

[rvitko]

As ggrillo said, the most common cause of this is an additive and it will continue to do this until the additive is used up, decomposes or is removed. Usually after 3-7 days the skimming will return to normal in this case.

 

[Jeff000]

I haven't added or changed anything in my system.

 

[rvitko]

The only other causes I can imagine is something is stuck in the needles of the needlewheel so it is larger/has more surface and is moving more air and water.

Or the air line is kinked or pinched or plugged so it is moving more water.

The pump essentially does about 500 gph and the air adjustment just determines the ratio of water to air which can be nearly 50/50 or 100% water, as the air goes down, water flow increase.

If the skimmer is submerged deeper it takes in more water and less air as well.

Also keep in mind filter medias can cause a foam over, a new filter sock for the skimmer is a definite cause, many of these medias contain phenols and the skimmer reacts to them as you describe.

 

[Jeff000]

Water level is constant +/- 2mm maybe. Same as always.
Don't run a filter sock or media anywhere.

I took it apart and it looked normal, I'll check it again today.
the airline is full close right now, full open is how I've ran for the last 7 months. If I put it full open it fills very fast.

 

[Jeff000]

Hmm, and for no reason at all, when I got home from work, it seemed to be back to normal?????

 

[rvitko]

This is usually what happens with an additive, are you sure you didn't change anything or that a brand you always used made no formulation change. This is generally the result of a surfactant. Did you maybe change a food you use?

 

[rishma]

sometimes chemicals in the air can cause this too. I had the same problem when painting the house. Running fresh carbon fixed it right up.

 

[Jeff000]

This is usually what happens with an additive, are you sure you didn't change anything or that a brand you always used made no formulation change. This is generally the result of a surfactant. Did you maybe change a food you use?

I don't use additives.
I am half way through the salt so same batch. And been using the same brand food, and again in the middle of a pack so same batch.
I use a canopy, so not much can get in, but use same cleaning products, and make sure none get in, and not painting or anything like that.

It started pulling water again. seemingly out of the blue, no cleaning or anything near the tank at all for sure. and nothing has changed.

Very strange.

 

[rvitko]

I don't have an answer, beyond the causes I listed here I cannot think of a reason.


"The only other causes I can imagine is something is stuck in the needles of the needlewheel so it is larger/has more surface and is moving more air and water.

Or the air line is kinked or pinched or plugged so it is moving more water.

The pump essentially does about 500 gph and the air adjustment just determines the ratio of water to air which can be nearly 50/50 or 100% water, as the air goes down, water flow increase.

If the skimmer is submerged deeper it takes in more water and less air as well.

Also keep in mind filter medias can cause a foam over, a new filter sock for the skimmer is a definite cause, many of these medias contain phenols and the skimmer reacts to them as you describe."

Is there any chance you could email a video or post one so I could try to diagnose it, I would be interested in a good side shot of the skimmer, especially the phase chamber under the cup and the connection of the air hose and silencer to the pump.