Help my skimmer not working

[Awibrandy]

Guys/gals, my skimmer Euro-Reef RS 80 is not working. Meaning it is not making the microbubbles inside the chamber, consequently not skimming.:banghead:

I thought it was the pump, and or the airline was clogged. Nope, I took the whole thing out ot my sump, and cleaned the pump and the tubing. Put it back and nothing. I tried adjusting the valve, and still nothing. The pump is running, there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the impeller.

Any ideas?:idea: Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[xvinny631x]

Is there a valve on the airline??? Or just for the water flow? I think there should be a valve on the airline to adjust

 

[Awibrandy]

Is there a valve on the airline??? Or just for the water flow? I think there should be a valve on the airline to adjust

Yep, did that still nothing..

 

[ReefFan]

how long has it been doing this? If you have some substance in there that is breaking the surface tension of the water, the skimmer will do exactly that. Happens everytime i feed presoaked food or even put my hands in there (the oils from hands will break the tension as well, thats why i always rinse the crap out of em before). The tension eventually comes back. There has been times where a heater was laying on a powerhead or pump, melting its surface and releasing oils (and toxins) on people. The ETS guy was happy to share his experiences with surface tension loss calls he's gotten in the past.

Anyway im not familiar with the Euroreef, mine is a downdraft type. But im assuming this surface tension principle applies to all types of skimmers including needlewheel, venturi and beckett types. Most recently i had that occur (not producing micro bubbles) for days n days. I finally found out that every 6 months you need to replace the bio balls in the chmaber with fresh clean ones cuz they become covered in a bio film, and that affects the skimming ability big time.

IF mechaincally everything looks ok, and youve cleaned out both the pump (parts soaked in vinegar) and venturi or air inlet, then you might wanna look into the presence of an oil releasing element in the system.

GL, you need that thing operational asap. Hope you can get it worked out

 

[batt600]

Hay Awibrandy . I have a ER did you check the silencer it might be cloged with salt that happened to me. If that knot it try blowing throw the tube with the pump on the venti might be cloged to.
Are you getting bubbles at all or none.

 

[Awibrandy]

Thanks for the responses guys!

This started happening last Tuesday after regular weekly water change.
ReefFan, not sure what is going on. Nothing new has been added to the system. Same foods as in the past 3yrs., always rinsed religiously more times then I care to count, (once I get to 4 I stop counting)LOL. My putting my hands in the tank or sump, or feeding never caused this before.
batt, I took the pump along with the air intake tubin with the valve still on it out, and gave it a good cleaning even used toothpicks to make sure I got anything that was stuck out.

I just looked at the skimmer again, and it is beginning to make a slight bubble film at the very surface, nothing to the bottom yet.

 

[batt600]

So your getting bubbles in the chamber ? can you take a pic of it running that will help alot.

 

[msharifa]

A change in water level can also prevent skimmer pump from pulling in air and consequently no bubbles. Is it possible that the water level in the sump has changed?

 

[duke62]

did u try blowing in the air tube

 

[Awibrandy]

Tank is on an ATO, no sump level change except for the once in awhile event where the ato's ph decides not to kick on.arg

Yep, blew in the airline tube, valve, and where it connects to the pump itself.

Gonna be next to impossible to get a clear pic, but I will try a little later. Right now I am out of it after working on the darn skimmer, gfo/carb reactor, and the 20% w/c.:knockedou
Getting old s_ _ks lemons..............

 

[batt600]

Try this turn the pump on take the valve off the air line tubing were its just the tubing ,block the intake side of the pump .This will force it to suck throw the air tube ,submerge air tube in water and let it suck up water for 1m or 2 then unblock the intake on the pump and lift the air line tube out of the water that should work . Try that and get back to me.

 

[Awibrandy]

Try this turn the pump on take the valve off the air line tubing were its just the tubing ,block the intake side of the pump .This will force it to suck throw the air tube ,submerge air tube in water and let it suck up water for 1m or 2 then unblock the intake on the pump and lift the air line tube out of the water that should work . Try that and get back to me.

Did as you suggested, iniatially when pump intake first blocked massive bubble but then nothing.
BTW, after w/c turned the skimmer back on, and no bubbles what so ever.
I also tried moving the pump, and skimmer away from the drain still nothing..
Pics

 

[batt600]

Sound like the venturi is cloged give it a vinegar bath that should fix it.

 

[Awibrandy]

Soaked the pump in 2qts. of vinegar with 2 gallons of hot water for over an hour.

That didn't work either!;(

As long as I have the pump's intake blocked I get massive amounts of micro bubbles, but the minute I take the cover or hand away the bubbles stop.:sad2:

 

[batt600]

Sound like your pump on it way out. How old is the skimmer?

 

[Awibrandy]

I have no idea.lol I got it from someone else. You are probably right.
Ziggy, tried your suggestion nothing.

I give up.:sigh:

 

[batt600]

If you need a new pump here euro new site. http://www.reefdynamics.com/

 

[duke62]

weird.i have pretty much the same skimmer.that happens to me everytime i unplug the skimmer.i just blow it the tubing real hard and it starts it back up.i think its the impellar.i wont replace it till its shot.im a guy and thats what we do wait till the last minute..haha

 

[Ziggy]

1+duke62 I do same way

 

[Awibrandy]

I hadn't had any problems with this skimmer until this last week.;(
To make matters worse I am seeing red slime creeping onto my pink birdsnest.:sad2:
Hopefully the skimmer that I am suppose to be getting will be ready for pick up real soon.