Super Skimmer Modifications

[hotimportknight]

Alright, I got my skimmer all cleaned up and it was working great, then I feed some frozen food (dont remember the brand, the usual frozen cube stuff) and its going nuts again... My question is, what should I do? Turn the water level down so it doesnt skim as wet and wild? Or just let it run its course? It was skimming perfectly before hand for a solid day or 2, got a nice few inches in my pop bottle of dark nasty skimmate. What do you guys think I should do? If its freaking out like that is it actually skimming a lot? or just wastefully skimming lots of water for some reason?

[hotimportknight]

I see someone said that they rinse the frozen food and it doesn't do that, but the particles in those frozen cubes are so small would that really work well? Do you guys rinse your frozen cubed food before feeding?

[Piggy]

Are you sure your pump isn't to far below the water? As long as your sump water level stays consistent it shouldn't over flow. Mine is set so the foam come to the top of the container lid. So I get a more dryer waste. I just hate to think of it over flowing and all that crap going back into the tank.

[Piggy]

Forgot, I do not rinse my frozen food. I figure the finer particles are good for my corals.

[hotimportknight]

Thats what i was thinking, that the finer stuff that goes into the water the coral and filter feeders can eat, i dont change anything, it was running the same, its in my sump where the water level is constant in the first compartment, i fed some frozen food and checked it out and it started flooding almost immediately, the skimmate is fairly dark and nasty looking even though the 2 liter bottle is half full in 15 minutes...

[Piggy]

Try turning it down so the foam just comes up to the top of the tube (inside the container). Watch it to see if it falls down just a tad if it does let it stay like that if not adjust it till it does. From what your saying your getting very wet crap. Hope you understand what I'm trying to say. It's a lot easier to show.

[yote]

Cory,Is your skimmer pump more than 4 inches under the water?If it,raise it up.Then adjust it so that the foam is up in the funnel about 1/2 inch.
I also like to unplug my skimmer when I feed.

[fishbait]

mine used to be right at 4 inches deep. I raised it up to 2 inches and it works much better. It hasn't overflowed since. and it has been skimming much drier. maybe this will work for you too.

[Oscarsdad608]

I have a becket MRC-1 skimmer that goes nuts if I don't rinse frozen foods. They are packed high in phosphates.and cause hair algae if I don't rinse. If you want your filter feeders to get the fine particles you should turn your skimmer off.

[hotimportknight]

I'm not really sure how deep my pump is, its on the stock piece of tubing that came with it to attach the pump when hung on the side of a tank, probably 4" of tubing, the top of the pump is about 4" under water I guess? Is that right or did I use the wrong piece of tybing or something? I thought I used the right one for a hang on application in my sump...