Cause of wet skimming question?

The Guy · #1 07-22-2015, 06:04 AM

I've read that hands and arms into a salt water tank or sump will drive the skimmer nuts and making it wet skim.
I never really had this happen until tonight when I was moving stuff around in my RSM 250 that has the skimmer in the rear sump section and all of a sudden I heard this noise I've not ever heard before,
I opened the top right up and my skimmer was over flowing like crazy.
The only thing I can figure is the oils from my skin caused the problem.
This Deltec skimmer is new to me and I had it dialed in and it was working great until this happened, it seems to have settled down now.
I guess if I'm going to work in the tank I should shut the skimmer off.
Anyone else had this happen?

Doug · #2 07-22-2015, 03:07 PM

I find that when Im in the tank it cuts the foam head way down not increase. This was the same for my MCE 600. Overflow for me is caused by dosing something like my Red Sea growth/food products. Also clean socks causes it to. Or any rise in water levels.

The Guy · #3 07-22-2015, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

I find that when Im in the tank it cuts the foam head way down not increase. This was the same for my MCE 600. Overflow for me is caused by dosing something like my Red Sea growth/food products. Also clean socks causes it to. Or any rise in water levels.

Makes sense, arm in the tank water level goes up, especially in a red sea tank.
I better shut the skimmer & ATO off while I'm in there from now on, having a tank with the sump attached on back is new to me as I've used a separate sump below in the past so it was never an issue.
Thanks for the comment Doug.

Doug · #4 07-22-2015, 03:35 PM

The 500 is in the water, correct? If so could be the rise from being in the tank.

corpusse · #5 07-22-2015, 03:59 PM

Oils from your skin will typically cause the skimmer to collapse not overflow. Similar to when you feed.

The Guy · #6 07-22-2015, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug

The 500 is in the water, correct? If so could be the rise from being in the tank.

That's right it sit-down in the middle compartment in the rear sump.

Quote:

Originally Posted by corpusse

Oils from your skin will typically cause the skimmer to collapse not overflow. Similar to when you feed.

Ok thanks, now I know, pretty sure now that it was the water level getting increased that caused the overflow when all said and done.
"lesson learned"