Skimmer and pump help!!!

[Mrlova506]

The problem: Hi everyone I am new to the site.! I have had the pleasure of enjoying a freshwater tank my whole life and have decided to take a leap and try out a reef tank. It has been quite the learning process for me. After battling with two different internal skimmers I decided to go ahead and purchase a sump and skimmer from Absolutely Fish. I love this place and wish it was a lot closer to me. After hooking everything up I plugged everything in and disaster. The skimmer (reef octopus 1000) was overflowing like crazy I opens the valves all the way, closed them all the way, left it running for a week. Nothing worked. Also the guy sold me a rio +2500 pump to pump the water from the sump back to the tank. Another fail. It is ridiculously loud puts so Many bubbles into my tank you can't even see the live rock, and sucks all the water right out of the sump. I tool everything back to the store to see of they could help me. Every time we got thr skimmer to work the second someone touched it, it began to over flow. We swapped it out for a new one and got it to work perfectly but as soon as I got home and set it up it still would over flow. It's been going since Monday. Last night I was playing with it and it finally began to run properly so I decided to plug the pump in and see if I could get it to work (by the way the guy sold me a $20 valve for the pump to restrict the amount of water pushed out.... Doesn't do a [moderator edit] thing). As soon as I plugged the pump in and water began to flow from the overflow box thr skimmer went crazy overflowing and thr pump sucked all the water out even with the valve completely closed. I called the store to see if I could get a maintenance man out to the house to help Me and I haven't heard from them in 3 days. I really need some help I have been so patient with the cycling process and am dieing to atleast get some cleaners in my tank but I want to get my sump skimmer and pump to work before I add anything. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!!!! General Info: Tank size - 39gal Currently live Rock only plans on being reef tank Substrate – live sand caribsea Agra-alive indi pacific black and Hawaiian black mix Lighting - marineland reef capable led 36inch Water Source: tap :-/ Skimmer – yes reef octopus 1000 Refugium - yes Live Rock – yes in tank Parameters: Unsure as of right now have not tested in a few days No ammonia, nitrites low, ph 8.2 temp 80 Inhabitants: None as yet still setting up tank

 

[jphendren]

Rio pumps are notoriously loud. I have one that I use to mix my saltwater, and you can hear that thing buzzing pretty much anywhere in the house the night before a partial water change. Are you running tap water in a reef tank, if so, stop. Use only RO/DI water. There are many dissolved solids in tap water, none of which do you want in your reef tank. Sorry, I can't help you out on anything else, as I have not set up my sump as of yet.

Jared

 

[Sqasnatch]

I'm still new as well. However I have an aqua medic for a skimmer and it is awesome. But I do find that some additives will make it overflow. I'm tin king there is something in your water causing this. Put a valve in the air line for your skimmer and reduce the air maybe.. Not sure how those octopus skimmers work. And never never get a sea clone skimmer

 

[Mrlova506]

Thanks guys! I am working on an RO/DI unit now im talking to my dad now to see if he wants to go half with me on one since he has a 55gal. freshwater tank. It would save him alot in the end on buying water conditioner. Until then I plan to head to my LFS and get 10 gallons of RO/DI inbetween my changes. I am exchanging the rio for a Mag. Now im getting mixed suggestions about which one to get. the store I bought my equiptment from is telling me go with a Mag3 because the Rio +2500 is too powerful for the size of my tank (not the size of my overflow return rate. Another LFS in my area suggested I go with the Mag 7 which is going to give me the same return rate as my overflow is giving the guy said it has nothign to do with tank size. He said if I want i could go with a Mag 5 but he thinks the 7 would be better.

I have an Eshopps PF-800 overflow box (600-800 gph)

 

[mr_X]

you have to use a pump that will match your overflow output or you'll be in danger of losing siphon.
the 7 would be a better choice.
take your skimmer and put it in the sink and fill it with tap water. turn it on. what happens?
if it still overflows, it's a skimmer adjustment needed.
if it no longer overflows, a water quality adjustment is needed.