Problems with Skimmer

M

Malefactor

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So, to help figure this out, i took actual video of the issue. Periodically, it works fine when i mess with things. The problem is, i have no idea what i messed with to make it work. Maybe someone else can give me some pointers. This is the first skimmer i've ever had and it hasn't worked right since i got it. I did check the pump / impeller and the impeller was broken in half, but at a point that it still stayed "stable" and was working. Thinking it wasn't working well enough, i went ahead and bought a new one. This is day 3 after the new impeller. This is what it's been doing since i got it. It gets to the neck and then doesn't go any higher except briefly on occasion.

Video 1 is what it looks like after 3 days running and the setup
[video]http://vid71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/silvered_scars/Skimmer%20Prob1_zpsoqtohkfr.mp4[/video]

This is what it's doing from inside and what's happening
[video]http://vid71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/silvered_scars/Skimmer%20Prob2_zpsvrcblikb.mp4[/video]

This is cleaning it to see what happens at startup. Interesting thing here which may be a big part of the problem... For some reason, the pump doesn't start right away. I have to turn the head a quarter of a turn as if loosening it to check impeller to get it to start and then put it back in place. After it's started it stays running though and has plenty of air bubbles and obvious circulation in it. I've checked inside the pump where it connects there and can't find anything at all that may be catching on it. If there's something that is known to cause this let me know. Pump is a Sicce PSK 2500
[video]http://vid71.photobucket.com/albums/i132/silvered_scars/Skimmer%20Prob3_zpsrjyhgs4n.mp4[/video]
 
First I would try and raise the bubbles up some closer to the neck of the skimmer. But as for the pump not starting right away. I think I read that those pumps need a small washer added to help keep it from being sucked into the motor. The magnet wears out the plastic over time and adding a thin plastic washer to the back helps act like it was never worn out.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
i closed the outflow valve to the skimmer half way, but doesn't look like the water level is changing at all from what i can see.
 
+1 water level in skimmer needs to be higher

2. Those sicce pumps suck what is happening you turn it on and the impeller will run counter clock wise you turn it off and on and impeller will run clockwise or you need to mess with the volume of blow air into the intake to get it started


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It's best to clean the skimmer cup leave skimmer on so you don't have to mess with the pumps if they are running perfect


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OK, closed off the outlet all the way just about and the water level did rise. But not overfill... Did rise though. What's odder than that... I was playing around with water flow and opened my siphon all the way which caused it to gurgle... Skimmer IMMEDIATELY responded and started overflowing. I don't know if it was the extra flow of organics through the chamber or the extra air from the intake to my sump gurgling, but something caused that skimmer to start kicking up a head of foam like noone's business. When i got the flow straightened out and siphon reestablished... Skimmer went back down
 
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