Two issues with my 125 and skimmer...

[DonCollins]

Hi All,

I have nw had my 125 up and running for about 6 weeks. About 2 weeks ago I moved my fish, and most of the water, over to the 125 from their previous home, a 55. About 3 days ago, my skimmer started going haywire...it stopped "bubbling" and started just shooting water over the top, filling my 4 gallon bucket set up for waste about every 3-4 minutes. The pump is still sucking air into the mix, as the water is full of bubbles as it enters the chamber, but again, mostly water coming over the top. I installed a ball valve on the advice of the LFS, which has not helped....the water doesn't over flow, but still very few bubbles. The skimmer is set up in the left hand corner of a 40 gallon sump being fed by a 900gph pump, and the air intake valve is working properly as far as I can tell (it will still shut off airflow when turned). The two return pumps are on the right side of the sump. I am sorry, but I do not know the model of the skimmer off hand and it was purchased second hand from a friend, but I can tell you it has a blue base and blue cap =)

Second, any way to clear up the aquarium? The return pumps, a pair of 700 gph pumps, return very bubbly water giving the tank a cloudy look.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Don

 

[Zer0]

Try getting a picture of the skimmer. Whether it be online or a pictureof your own. This way we can better identify it.

 

[ccCapt]

A pic of the skimmer or at least brand name would help. Check the nipple on the air intake (where the airline connects to the pump) on the skimmer. Make sure it's not blocked with salt creep. Just jam a paper clip into the hole. Sounds like it's clogged and not drawing air, which means there is more room inside the skimmer for the water...which just flows out thru the collection cup.

If your pumps/powerheads are pushing bubbles into the tank, they must be pulling air from somewhere.

 

[CementShoes]

Did you install bubble trap baffles in the sump?

Do you see the bubbles progressing through the sump or just on the outtake side of the return pumps?

 

[DonCollins]

Ok,Skimmer is a MTC 250 being fed by a 900gph pump. Checked air nipple, took it iff, rinsed it out. There was some blockage. Put it back on, same problem. Air is getting in and the skimmer is bubbling, but it is still shooting water over the top at a rate of about 2 gal/minute. When I turn the ball valve down, it stops bubbling shich was not the case when I first installed it. After reattaching the air nipple, it sounded like it was gurgling, but that has since subsided for the most part.

Bubble Trap?

Don in Ohio

PS--Pics coming if I can get the bubbles out of my tank and get this skimmer working!

 

[ccCapt]

Take the entire pump, including the venturi with the air intake and soak it in vinegar for a few hrs or even overnight. If it's salt creep or calcium build up, vinegar will remove it. Rinsing it in water won't do much.

How high is the return line from the skimmer in relation to the top of the collection cup that's overflowing? The height of the return line influences how high the water level is inside the skimmer. A pic of the whole sump/skimmer set up would really help.

 

[DonCollins]

Link to the actual skimmer. It is an HSA-250, not a MTC-250. The friend I got it from said MTC-250, but upon checking online photos, this is the actual unit.

page10

I am having tech diffuculties with my digital camera, and my cell phone camera does not have a flash and can not get a useable photo. Hopefully I can get the digital working soon.

Will soak the pump in vinegar today and report back.

Thanks for all the help!

Don