Why my skimmer stops skimming? - Aquarium Advice

kwan · 03-25-2008, 04:13 PM

My skimmer has been working fine until a fish died. After that, the skimmer would not produce any bubbles at all. I have changed water once and it occassionally skims a little and then stops. I have even cleaned my skimmer. So what is the problem? Could a dead fish casued so much problem in the water? All water parameters are same as before.

SassyAngel111 · 03-25-2008, 08:59 PM

How long has it been since you cleaned you skimmer? What kind of skimmer is it? Having a fish die should not cause that kind of problems with the skimmer. You might want to post your water parameters, like PH, PO4, NO3, NH4, CA, Alk, NO2, SG, temp of water.

Have you noticed a decrease in the power of the pump?

fijiwigi · 03-25-2008, 10:16 PM

could it possibly be the pump that powers the skimmer going bad or a shortage of electricity in the wiring?? when you say it skims a little than stops either its a pump issue or its clogged somewhere. HTH

kwan · 03-26-2008, 08:43 AM

I thought it might be a problem with the pump, so I cleaned the skimmer and pump it a few days ago. There doesn't seems to be any problem with the pump.

When I say it skims a little I mean the skimmer will bubble up and produces some skimmate. After a while it would lose all the bubbles like if though someone just puts food in the water and no bubbles for 10 hours or so. And the cycle repeats. But what I did notice is skimmer works a bit better after I've done a partial water change. I think I will do another water change in the next couple of days.

Water parameters are: SG 1.24, NO3 20, NO2 0, PH 8.3, KH 8, CA 400, Temp 27C. Basically no difference to before the problem.

**Devilishturtles** · 03-26-2008, 10:47 AM

Can you tell us the brand of skimmer? Sounds like a calibration issue, meaning the skimmer is set to skim too dry, and needs to be set to skim wetter.

**Ziggy953** · 03-27-2008, 01:05 AM

I tend to agree with Linds on that. Sounds like you need to tweak the skimmer. If you can let us know what kind of skimmer it is I'm sure someone out there has it and can help walk you through getting it to perform better.

ryshark · 03-27-2008, 02:10 AM

If it is a countercurrent skimmer with an airstone and is running "too dry" is it possible to tweak that kind of skimmer?

**Ziggy953** · 03-27-2008, 02:17 AM

I'm not a big fan of th countercurrent skimmers I don't think they do a very good job. I'm not sure if you can do much other then change out the airstone.

**Devilishturtles** · 03-27-2008, 11:50 AM

yeah, try replacing the airstone, that might help. otherwise I don't think there is much tweaking to do either... sorry.

kwan · 03-28-2008, 07:36 AM

It is a Deltec MCE600 hang on the back. I have tried tweaking again and again, but it is still not skimming. The pump is and air intake is producing bubbles all right. But the bubble just won't rise into the collection cup. I have made another partial water change and it seems to be improving. So it has to be something to do with the water chemistry which I can't measure.

03-25-2008, 04:13 PM	#1
kwan Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: London UK Posts: 362 Images: 2	Why my skimmer stops skimming? My skimmer has been working fine until a fish died. After that, the skimmer would not produce any bubbles at all. I have changed water once and it occassionally skims a little and then stops. I have even cleaned my skimmer. So what is the problem? Could a dead fish casued so much problem in the water? All water parameters are same as before.

03-25-2008, 10:16 PM	#3
fijiwigi Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Yakima, Washington Posts: 1,273 Images: 7	could it possibly be the pump that powers the skimmer going bad or a shortage of electricity in the wiring?? when you say it skims a little than stops either its a pump issue or its clogged somewhere. HTH __________________ The "experts" are many, but the truths are few. "When we have stopped learning, we have stopped listening"

03-26-2008, 10:47 AM	#5
Devilishturtles Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Frederick, Maryland Posts: 7,899 Images: 17	Can you tell us the brand of skimmer? Sounds like a calibration issue, meaning the skimmer is set to skim too dry, and needs to be set to skim wetter. __________________ -Lindsay Live in the Western MD/West Virginia/DC Metro Area? Join our very active regional forum Here Like the advice someone just gave you? Add to their reputation! Click on the balance icon underneath their username and let them know.

03-27-2008, 01:05 AM	#6
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 3,928 Images: 5	I tend to agree with Linds on that. Sounds like you need to tweak the skimmer. If you can let us know what kind of skimmer it is I'm sure someone out there has it and can help walk you through getting it to perform better. __________________ Happy Reefing! *120 Build in progress 6/18/08* Visit our Article section for answers on a variety of topics. LFS, PWC, PH RO/DI what in the world? Look here! Pods, algae and more!

03-27-2008, 02:17 AM	#8
Ziggy953 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sumerduck, Virginia Posts: 3,928 Images: 5	I'm not a big fan of th countercurrent skimmers I don't think they do a very good job. I'm not sure if you can do much other then change out the airstone. __________________ Happy Reefing! *120 Build in progress 6/18/08* Visit our Article section for answers on a variety of topics. LFS, PWC, PH RO/DI what in the world? Look here! Pods, algae and more!

03-25-2008, 08:59 PM	#2
SassyAngel111 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Buckeye, AZ Posts: 151	How long has it been since you cleaned you skimmer? What kind of skimmer is it? Having a fish die should not cause that kind of problems with the skimmer. You might want to post your water parameters, like PH, PO4, NO3, NH4, CA, Alk, NO2, SG, temp of water. Have you noticed a decrease in the power of the pump?

03-26-2008, 08:43 AM	#4
kwan Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: London UK Posts: 362 Images: 2	I thought it might be a problem with the pump, so I cleaned the skimmer and pump it a few days ago. There doesn't seems to be any problem with the pump. When I say it skims a little I mean the skimmer will bubble up and produces some skimmate. After a while it would lose all the bubbles like if though someone just puts food in the water and no bubbles for 10 hours or so. And the cycle repeats. But what I did notice is skimmer works a bit better after I've done a partial water change. I think I will do another water change in the next couple of days. Water parameters are: SG 1.24, NO3 20, NO2 0, PH 8.3, KH 8, CA 400, Temp 27C. Basically no difference to before the problem.

03-27-2008, 02:10 AM	#7
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 512	If it is a countercurrent skimmer with an airstone and is running "too dry" is it possible to tweak that kind of skimmer?

03-27-2008, 11:50 AM	#9
Devilishturtles Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Frederick, Maryland Posts: 7,899 Images: 17	yeah, try replacing the airstone, that might help. otherwise I don't think there is much tweaking to do either... sorry. __________________ -Lindsay Live in the Western MD/West Virginia/DC Metro Area? Join our very active regional forum Here Like the advice someone just gave you? Add to their reputation! Click on the balance icon underneath their username and let them know.

03-28-2008, 07:36 AM	#10
kwan Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: London UK Posts: 362 Images: 2	It is a Deltec MCE600 hang on the back. I have tried tweaking again and again, but it is still not skimming. The pump is and air intake is producing bubbles all right. But the bubble just won't rise into the collection cup. I have made another partial water change and it seems to be improving. So it has to be something to do with the water chemistry which I can't measure.

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