Vertex omega 130
 

So I got this skimmer a couple of days ago and got called out to work before I was able to get through the 24 hour break in. now my girlfriend says it's still overflowing. from what she's sent me and what Iv read there are bubbles below the bubble plate, this means there is something in my water? My first step when I go home is to replace my carbon. Am I on the right trac or should I be looking in a different direction?

Breaking in a skimmer takes more than 24 hrs. If new it can take couple weeks. Best to dial it back and gradually adjust until you find the sweet spot. You may also want to check the water height level... I think it recmds 7-9 inches...

The hight is about 7 inches or 7 1/2. The standpipe is open all the way and it's still overflowing is the problem I'm having

You may also want to try raising it to see if it makes a difference.. Each system is different.

If I raise it much more the outlet will be out of the water, might make a lot of noise that way and I can't see it having to be out of the water like that. Is my bubbles below the bubble plate a hunch or am I totally wrong with that. If you look at the pic you can see the bubbles all the way down and below the plate.http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/15/7ama3ezy.jpg

I meant raising the water level, not raising the skimmer higher... That will reduce the water level.

If I raise the water level will that not just make it just a overflow worse?

Put it in freshwater with vinegar in it and let it run for couple of days and then put it back into water...helps with the breaking in :)

I was told to try that, I am away for work so won't be home to wed, at that point it will have been in the sump overflowing for 7 days. And I'm only home for a few hours so should I put it in vinegar and let it run for 4 days?

I wiped mine down with vinigar and water, worked perfect afterwards, no break in

What do you mean whiped down?

Sure no harm in that (given that your tank wont suffer from less oxygen level due to no skimmer).

This is totally normal man my skimmer took like a full 7 days of overflowing before it settled in

even with it fully open?

Has it calmed down at all? Or still going crazy

Just texted the GF for an update, and she says its still overflowing, been 5 days now. trying to get more information from her

Here is the latest picture. I think it will fill up very fast judging do you guys think this is actually skimming now or just overflowing mostly now?http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/16/ude2a5a2.jpg

Just overflowing and filled up in a couple of hours so it looks like it's getting better but still no dice

So finally got a chance to get home and change my carbon and 10 mins later it was low in the chamber. As I suspected the bubbles were 2-3 inches above the bubble plate. As before they were below. Well I started adjusting it and came back after 20 mins and it was below the plate and overflowing. So should I change my carbon again? I have a dual brs reactor and filled them both up about half way, carbons only been in for an hour or so at this point. Also like to add that I dosed my prodibio today before the carbon

One of the bikes in prodibio make skimmers go crazy don't remember what one

Sorry viles

I thinks that's reef booster should have mentioned reef booster wasn't dosed

The skimmer would have lost the head because of you in the tank, oils from you skin will cause the skimmer to drop down.

Have you tried to pull the hose off the bottom of the silencer, its not uncommon for shipping stryfoam to partially block the air intake causing to bubble over. Are you using ro water? I was told with my first bubble king that I needed ro water as so as I switched it stoped bubbling over.

Always used ro/DI on my tanks like I said the bubbles were above the plate and it was creating head, I will check the air intake but I did a pretty thuro check when I got it, didn't put my hands in the water when it started to skim as normal. Sorta baffled as it was skimming like I wanted it to for maybe 15-20 mins then started overflowing again. Still overflowing

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/24/8a9aru5e.jpg

This is what I mean by bubbles below the bubble plate

Also have lots of bubbles out of the riser T

Silly question but looking closer at the pics I see you have a red hose off the second num on the pump volute, did it come with that or did u add that where is it going to ?

All my skimmers from vertex/ royal exclusive have had a cap on that or it's been opened under the water.

The red hose is for ozone and came with it, the top has a black cap on it. It has gotten better and skimmed for a bit then lost it's head when cleaned some algea with a toothbrush.

Anytime you put your hand in the water the head will collapse , most good skimmers will do this

Try this

Set your omega water level really low walk away for two days this will dirty up the neck then slowly raise it the omegas are touchy so msll adjustments and allow it to settle for 15 mins before touching it sgain remember don't put your hand in the water

Feeding and cleaning are they same;)

A frien. Of mine has a csc skimmer and it was doing the same. I told him to pull his filter floss and it stopped almost immediately

Also are u putting any prime or like chemicals in water

I only use ro water. Never any chemicals in my tank. It seams to be skimming this morning. Not really thick but it is taking lots of green out will take a pic after breakfast

For anyone wondering the carbon did the truck, just need to make sure the bubbles are above the bubble plates

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/30/sy5aseqe.jpg

Does this look like it's skimming to wet to anyone or does it look good? That's about a day? To much?

Being that u only had it 2 weeks it'l. Take a while to properly break in.
Yes it is skimming wet you can open it a little but it may not start properly skimming for a couple more weeks

Is the venturi closed?


Mine is skimming about the same atm

The Venturi as in on the pump? Yes it's fully closed. Not sure how to adjust that. The standpipe is about half? I believe. I have had it for 3 weeks now or so.

I just got a new Vertex Omega 150 after reading all this I'm putting it in ro/ vinegar mix and let it run for a few days in a tote tub before I put it in the sump, hopefully that will help the break in process. :lol:

I would deffs do that. My biggest issue was that I needed to run some carbon

I'm having the same issue on my wife's tank with the same skimmer.
It's been overflowing like mad for two weeks since we got it and raising or lowering the water level hasn't helped.

It's at about 7.5" right now and there are bubbles under the plate, I guess I'll try some new carbon tomorrow and see if that makes a difference.

The first photo is the bubbles below that was causing it to overflow. Make sure you run carbon and give it a day or so, depending it may fix the issue within hours like mine. The second picture with the bubbles above the upper plate is how it should be to create head. Make sure the venturi is screwed all the way in. And the stand pipe is fully open, fixed my issue! GL