FAQ/Troubleshooting/Technical Information

What water level should I run my in sump skimmer at?

This is the question we get asked the most about in sump protein skimmers, there really is no set depth that the skimmer needs to run in. The two things you need to look for is that the pump is covered with at the minimum or 1″ of water about the highest point on the pump and second is that the water level in the sump is below the water outlet pipe on the skimmer. You want to see the water flowing out of the skimmer and drop down into the sump water.

My skimmer pump is noisy!

This could be the result of a few things, but keep in mind that all pumps of any manufacturer is going to make noise. Placement and surface that a pump is placed into can also affect the noise of a pump. If you have a hollow surface under the skimmer pump then it acts like a drum and will enhance the noise. You can use some mat materials to help dampen noise and vibration.

Take the pump apart and check that nothing has been sucked into the pump. Check the pin wheel impeller and make sure that no pins are broken off. Broken pins is a sign that something was sucked into the pump causing the pins to shear off. This will put the impeller out of balance and you will need to purchase a new one.

Clean the impeller assembly at least once every 6 months. Calcium will build up on certain parts and cause the pump to run harder which in turn will make it louder.

Check the shaft to see if it has broken. A broken shaft is another indication that something was sucked into the pump. The pump will still run but everything will be out of balance and make a lot of noise.

Make sure you have the air hose attached to the silencer.

My pump will not run unless I blow into the venturi air hose.

Sometimes a air pocket will sit inside the skimmer pump and cause the impeller to spin in air. If it does not have enough water in the pump body the pin wheel cannot get started. Blowing air into the line will force the pocket of air out and allow water into the pump housing which will start it spinning.

Having to blow into air venturi hose can be a sign of a clogged venturi or air hose. Make sure the venturi is free of salt creep as well as the air hose.

This could also be a sign the magnet impeller is going bad. Magnetic impellers seem to lose there magnification over time and need to be replaced.

I can hear my pump humming but no water is being pumped.

Check the pin wheel impeller make sure it is free to rotate back and forth on the shaft. If it is stiff then it needs to be cleaned or the pin wheel assembly needs service. Check out our video instruction on how to correct this. This is a service that needs to be done on the Sicce PSK-2500 pumps.

This could also be a bad magnet impeller and may need to be replaced.

I am having startup problems with my skimmer pump.

Check to make sure the impeller, air hose and venturi are all clean and free of any calcium deposits of salt creep.

Refer to our video instructions for the Sicce PSK-2500 as you may need to perform a tune-up on your impeller assembly.

Could be a bad magnet impeller that needs replacing. We find that magnets tend to lose their magnification over time and may need replacing.

I can’t find any pipe or fittings that will fit the pipe on my skimmer.

Unfortunately we here in the U.S are about the only ones still using British Standard diameter pipe and fittings. Most everyone else in the world is using Metric and that is what our skimmers are built with. We do provide an adapter that will go from metric to British Standard for the input and outlets on some of our skimmer models. The easiest fix to mate British Standard pipe to our skimmers is to purchase a rubber coupler at any Home Depot or hardware store. Purchase the rubber coupler that is closest in size to the metric pipe you have. The coupler comes with hose clamps for each end and this makes a nice spot to take the skimmer apart from the plumbing should you need to.

My skimmer is not producing any foam or foam that is rising to the collection cup?

All skimmers require a break in period before any foam will be made or start rising in the main cylinder. When first starting your new skimmer set the water level in the skimmer low but keep the output wedge pipe fully open or the outlet valve all the way open.  Do not raise the water level in the skimmer for at least 2 to 3 weeks if you do then you run the risk of the skimmer overflowing and flooding your area. Please be patient during this break in period. Your skimmer is working but it needs to run for sometime to allow all residual oils in the acrylic to break down before it will build a head of foam to travel to the collection cup. As the foam starts to rise over time you will see waste matter picked up into the foam. It will start to collect on the walls of the acrylic.

Also a skimmer will not make foam if you do not have enough of a bio load in the aquarium. The skimmer may make some foam but if you do not have any organic waste in the aquarium it will not have anything to pull out of the water thus shutting down any skim mate.

My skimmer was working great, now there is no foam head or anything being pulled out of the water?

This is an indication that you may have a skimmer that is too large for your size aquarium or you have no organic waste to be pulled from the water. Once the skimmer pulls out all the waste matter and has no organics in the water it will stop producing foam. When the organic matter increases again your skimmer will kick into gear and remove the waste. If you have just done a big water change or do water changes very often then there is little work for the skimmer to do when you have all new clean saltwater added to the aquarium.

Another important thing to remember is that whenever you put your hands in the aquarium you will break surface tension in the water which causes the skimmer to shut down. It is very important that you clean your hands before working in the aquarium and remove any oils or soaps that maybe on your hands. If even a small amount of oil or soap is introduced into the water it will take a good amount of time before the skimmer will recover and start making foam again.

Feeding your aquarium will also shut the skimmer down from making foam. If you are feeding certain foods or using certain trace elements this will prevent the skimmer from making foam.

Adding chemicals such as Chemi-Clean will cause your skimmer to stop making foam or it could cause it to go into overload and overflow your collection cup. It is best to shut your skimmer down while using any chemicals to treat algae or disease in the aquarium.

Why does my skimmer keep over flowing?

An overflowing skimmer is caused by two problems. The first is that the water level in the sump is cover the outlet pipe on the skimmer or is at the same level as the outlet pipe. When the water in the sump is running at or above the outlet pipe on the skimmer you are putting back pressure in the main cylinder of the skimmer. The water has to exit and when the outlet pipe is underwater it is pushing against the weight of the water in the sump. When the skimmer is new you maybe able to get away with this for a little amount of time, but once the skimmer is fully broken in you will have overflow problems all the time. You must either lower the water level in your sump or raise your skimmer in the sump by placing it on a small stand or even some cut off pieces of PVC pipe. You can easily cut a few pieces of PVC for the base of the skimmer to sit on at the depth that you need to raise the outlet pipe out of the water.

The second reason for overflow is that something is preventing air from entering the skimmer pump through the venturi. When air is restricted it allows for more water to be pumped into the skimmer. More water in the chamber will cause the skimmer to overflow. Make sure you check the air venturi and air hose for any salt creep deposits. Also make sure the air hose is not bent preventing air flow into the pump. If the air hose is bent reroute the hose so that it will not bend.

How often should I clean my skimmer body and cup?

When you see that the organic waste is covering the walls in the upper portion of the skimmer body it is time to clean your skimmer. Wipe the walls of the acrylic down with a soft sponge or cotton cloth and fresh water. Never use any chemicals to clean the skimmer or any acrylic products. You should also clean the collection cup and empty all the waste water at this time. If you are gone of long periods of time use the drain on the collection cup to fill a reserve container to hold the waste liquid.

I notice that the acrylic on my skimmer is making a strange pattern or crazing effect that is embedded in the acrylic itself?

Acrylic that suddenly changes in appearance like this is due to a chemical reaction. Acrylic is a product that is made from fossil fuels. When it comes in contact with a high viscosity chemical such as most household cleaning agents, paint fumes, hair dye, toe polish remover, denatured alcohol  or any CFC based compressed can fumes this will cause the acrylic to stress and if the chemical is in direct contact with the acrylic it could cause it to crack or have a pealing effect. It is import to realize that the skimmers we produce pull huge amounts of air through them. It is almost like a small vacuum cleaner running at all times pulling air from throughout the home. When you are working with these harsh chemicals in or around your home simply turn the skimmer off until all the fumes are gone out of the environment. We are not held liable for any acrylic damage due to this crazing effect unless you receive the skimmer in that condition and it has not been used. If you receive a skimmer that has what appears to be defects in the acrylic or a crazing effect and you have not used the skimmer contact us and we will exchange it for you. If you notice that your skimmer does have this crazing effect after it has been setup and running for sometime it does not affect the performance of the skimmer in anyway. While it may not look as pretty as it once did while new it will still function the same. It is  important however that you find out the cause of the acrylic crazing and make sure not to continue using the chemicals around the skimmer. Continued use of these damaging chemicals can cause the acrylic to start a pealing process which will deteriorate the material to a point it will break in pieces.