Skimmer going CRAZY!

[nitratehater]

Hello aquarists,

Every once in a while my skimmer just seems to go APE! The white foam production is incredible, it fills up the collection cup with water in about 20 inutes when acting like this and I don't know what is causing it. I've checked everything, venturi tube, exhaust tube, but no results. I have a Kent Nautilus TE. It produces quite an affluent scum when working properly, and I think it's a good skimmer, but sometimes just goes haywire. Anyone who knows a Nautilus knows that there is really no adjustment for it, so it's not like it isn't 'set' right. Again, I did nothing differently. I just came home and found it this way.

Any ideas what could be causing this? Today was the worst yet. I've been running it for about a year.

Thanks, Mike

[BubbaWPB]

Skimmers can react to minute changes in different substances in the water - for instance, some skimmers are so sensitive, that if you put your hand in the tank, they stop producing foam for a day or two because of the oils on your hand. I'm sure there are multiple other things that either decrease or increase foam production. What they all are - who knows? Different foods? Minute changes in trace elements? Hard to say...

[nitratehater]

That sounds reasonable, and I've heard about oils affecting things like that before. So what should do? Just turn it off for a day or two? I did turn it off for about an hour last night, and it seemed to slow, but by this morning the collection cup was filled again and beginning to bubble over the top again, so I just unplugged it. Hopefully it will be ok by plugging it in tonight. However, it probably won't hurt to leave it off for a few days, right? i don't have a huge bioload.

[nitratehater]

Another interesting note is that when I change the filter pad (100 micron sheets) my skimmer goes foamy. As soon as the new filter pad is in and I restart circulation the skimmer reacts to it. This just happens for an hour or so until....I guess...the new filter is washed through or "broken in".

[BubbaWPB]

I rinse my 100 micron filter socks well - first with tap water, then with RO/DI water... otherwise, my skimmer foams over

[chrisbrph]

I also have a Nautilus TE for 5 years now- what you are explaining is exactly what has happened to me recently.

What has occurred with my Nautilus to cause the skimmer to go haywire and send the clean bubbles/water into the collection cup revolves around the pump. Every so often, the pump creates a water cyclone in the turbo-eductor attachment that produces the air/bubble column through the pump which does not allow air to enter the water stream prior to entering the pump. (One major plaw with the design) Ultimately the swirling water at some point will reduce the amount of curl and will return to normal allowing the air to enter the stream. This can be accomplished manually by unplugging the pump for a few seconds to change the water flow into the pump back to normal.

Based on the recent issues I am now in the market for a new skimmer but have not as of yet decided which one.

Sorry for the bad news- not your fault- poor design by engineering.

Chris

[nitratehater]

Interesting...chrisbrph,

However, I tried uplugging and replugging several times. I also dripped some clean (no salt) water down the air tube thinking there might be some salt-creep limiting the air, therefore overflowing the cup. Neither worked.

WHat you say is very smart, though. How did you figure that out? in my case, however, I think it must have been something in the water. I knew skimmers were sensitive, but WOW! I unplugged mine for about 24 hours and it was fine. I guess there was something that changed in the water, but I did nothing different. Who knows, maybe my big Red Sea sailfin had the runs! HaHaHa THere's a nice froth in the up-tube (?) now.

Overall, I'm pleased with the Nautilus TE. I heard so many positive things about it from real pros that I know before I bought it that there was no question which one I'd buy. Plus, it was reasonably priced. As a matter of fact, i got mine on eBay for about $120 shipped. It does produce quite an effluent scum that I guess it's working well. What do the rest of you think?

have you, Chris, been satisfied with it's performance? Other than the incident we're speaking of, of course.