# skimmer randomly overflowing?



## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

I think I need some help tuning this skimmer. (vertex IN-180)

I've had it overflow once before, and it made a bit of a mess on the floor. well tonight, I'm just about to go to bed, and I thought I heard something not right, decide to check it out and the skimmer cup is filling up with water! good thing I checked it.

Its been running fine since yesterday when I cleaned it, I was skimming more on the wet side, maybe I don't have my bubble level set correctly?

so if you can take a look at my craptastic ms paint pic and let me know where you think the bubble level should be? and where it should be for a dry skim and where it should be for a wet skim. right now I have it set just under #3, mainly in fear of it overflowing. is the skimmer ineffective at this level?



Thanks in advance


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

With the IN skimmers, I set it b/w position 2 and 3.

Check/clean all the fittings of the venturi pathway, especially the one attached ath top of the wedge pipe.

HTH


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

I run my skimmer at between level 2 3

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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

Im a level 1 man myself. Did you put anything into your system like epoxy or glue. They can cause overskim events like you describe. 

When you clean a skimmer, like the body/neck you may find that the skimmer will need some time to "Break in" again.

* About the level 1 thing. Im a super dry skimmer, once every few weeks I used a small spatula to take the 1/2" of build up from the collection cup neck, lid and collector, and use my finger if anything builds up on the neck. I don't use this Vertex skimmer but have in the past and thats how I ran it, without issue. These IN skimmers don't dry skim as well as some of the other designs on the market but still did pretty good when I was using one.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

RR37 said:


> Im a super dry skimmer, once every few weeks I used a small spatula to take the 1/2" of build up from the collection cup neck, lid and collector, and use my finger if anything builds up on the neck. .


I used to do the same until skimmer got overflowed at night (was power failure) 
All build up went back to the tank. Now every 3 days cup cleaning

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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

sig said:


> I used to do the same until skimmer got overflowed at night (was power failure)
> All build up went back to the tank. Now every 3 days cup cleaning


Yeah thats some bad luck Sig. I've got a contact switch in the collector for shut offs, and a float in the sump so when the water level rises the skimmer shuts itself down. Nothing worse than finding a dead return pump and an overflowing skimmer ! I've been skimming like this for a decade without issue, the controller has been running like this for about two years now though. To be honest Im not sure if the redundancy has even saved me yet, feels good though.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

thanks for telling it. I will make the same



RR37 said:


> Yeah thats some bad luck Sig. I've got a contact switch in the collector for shut offs, and a float in the sump so when the water level rises the skimmer shuts itself down. Nothing worse than finding a dead return pump and an overflowing skimmer ! I've been skimming like this for a decade without issue, the controller has been running like this for about two years now though. To be honest Im not sure if the redundancy has even saved me yet, feels good though.


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

oh wow i'm suprised to say the least. i thought that the bubble level had to be alot closer to the top. i'll turn it down now. 

RR37: i did use a small...very small amount of putty to attach a small birdsnest frag, but that was a couple of days ago, and no immidate reaction. 

before i had to run some antibiotics through the tank, and that made my skimmer go wonky. at every setting it was still overflowing that the cup filled up about every 20mins, but after running it for a while it calmed down. then i did a huge water change and everything is all good. 

thanks for the replies guys.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

you are lucky that you do not have a Super Reef Octopus. These will go crazy for a week after detecting chemistry in the tank



Flexin5 said:


> o
> RR37: i did use a small...very small amount of putty to attach a small birdsnest frag, but that was a couple of days ago, and no immidate reaction.
> 
> before i had to run some antibiotics through the tank, and that made my skimmer go wonky
> ...


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## kies1 (Oct 8, 2009)

sig said:


> you are lucky that you do not have a Super Reef Octopus. These will go crazy for a week after detecting chemistry in the tank


So true I can speak from experience


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

^funny you say that because at first i was going to get a reef octopus lol


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## ReefABCs (Nov 10, 2012)

sig said:


> you are lucky that you do not have a Super Reef Octopus. These will go crazy for a week after detecting chemistry in the tank


Hey Sig, 
I have an SRO and no issues like that to date. (I really like this skimmer actually) What chemistry are you referring to that I need to look out for? I have used 2 part epoxy to mount some corals but no overskimming at all.

To the OP I recently did have this random overflow and kept turning down the bubble height over a weeks time to no avail. I was going to post here and ask for help myself. I decided to check the pump out and found that the air inlet was getting clogged with calcium or some type of hard substance. I cleaned this out and its running like a charm again.


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## kies1 (Oct 8, 2009)

ReefABCs said:


> Hey Sig,
> I have an SRO and no issues like that to date. (I really like this skimmer actually) What chemistry are you referring to that I need to look out for? I have used 2 part epoxy to mount some corals but no overskimming at all.
> 
> To the OP I recently did have this random overflow and kept turning down the bubble height over a weeks time to no avail. I was going to post here and ask for help myself. I decided to check the pump out and found that the air inlet was getting clogged with calcium or some type of hard substance. I cleaned this out and its running like a charm again.


I have found this as well with my sroxp1000sss. Once cleaned works like a champ. This is the only time I had issues as well. Also to tho OP make sure your sump water level in the skimmer compartment stays constant.


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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

ReefABCs said:


> To the OP I recently did have this random overflow and kept turning down the bubble height over a weeks time to no avail. I was going to post here and ask for help myself. I decided to check the pump out and found that the air inlet was getting clogged with calcium or some type of hard substance. I cleaned this out and its running like a charm again.


Does you pump run hot ? Heat soaked areas attracts/causes precipitate very quickly.


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## ReefABCs (Nov 10, 2012)

RR37
Interesting question. I just checked and left my hand on it a few min but could not feel any temp diff at all from the water. 

Maybe its sucking in dust? I recall now on my areofomer skimmer I had to clean out the venturi every other month or so for build up of crap. 

I would like to hear more on how and what you used for the skimmer shut off though to prevent overflows.


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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

ReefABCs said:


> RR37
> Interesting question. I just checked and left my hand on it a few min but could not feel any temp diff at all from the water.
> 
> Maybe its sucking in dust? I recall now on my areofomer skimmer I had to clean out the venturi every other month or so for build up of crap.
> ...


I'd like to think touching it is enough of an indicator, I had a sendra driven skimmer, that thing heated like crazy, I couldn't feel it on the exterior just on the volute. Constantly had to clean encrusted grime from the intake and impeller/shaft assembly.

The flood prevention thing. I'm using a reef keeper to do it. I have a standard float switch sitting in my sump which turns the skimmer off in the event I hit feed mode on my return pump or the water level rises in the chamber my skimmer is located. Reverse ATO logic. Then I have another float switch in my collection cup running the same logic, if that fills up it shuts the skimmer down. I put in a quick disconnect so I can remove the lid and take it with the cup for cleanings.

Ill try attaching a pic from my phone...










If you don't have a controller you could use a relay (4 prong) 87,90,85,86 I think, not sure about the numbers. PM me for more info on this as you'd need to cut into the cord for your pump then flip your float switch to high/low from low/high.


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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

Ive had this issue for Years, IN100/IN180/IN280

PM me and ill let you know a Little secret on helping that from Helping, It very easy fix.


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