Fed up with the Bubble Magus

I've had this bubble magus skimmer from the day I set the tank uo and every so often it overflows and requires an immediate water change because it'll dump 2 days worth of skimmate in to the sump. I've check everything; salinity, make sure no blockage on the air line, I cleaned it throughly and checked my parameters just to be safe and nothing. I don't dose either so that's out of the question and I use just regular rodi water and I replaced the cartridges about a month ago so it's free and good rodi. This morning it did it again and now my torch and my blastos are receding badly and I'm pretty sure it's due to the skimmate being dumped into the tank. I'm fed up with it and want to upgrade because it does it out of no where most of the time. suggestion to a better alternative skimmer? this bubble magus was rated up to 210 and would like something rated the same. in sump preferr but I have an external hole on the return side to plumb a external skimmer.


edit: just for reference the model bubble magus I have is a NAC8

 

I only have this problem when there is something new in water. Like when I used epoxy on aquascape. Or recharge my purigen. Something is adding chemicals into water that makes skimmer go crazy.
With expoxy I had to run skimmer line into a garbage can until whatever was in water displaced. Not sure that helps

 

hmm might be epoxy. didn't think about that

 

Good one ballgame. I was wondering why once in a while mine fills up with that watery soup.

 

Skimmers can be touchy. The Slightest Change in Water Height will make mine go nuts. I run my drain line into a gallon jug so I don't get skimmate in my sump.

 

+1 to epoxy causing produce a ton of bubbles.

 

Just be careful when doing this with an ato hooked up.

 

That's what it is if you recently used expoxy and/or added skimmer after recently using expoxy.
I'm not a scientist so can't explain why this happens. But good news is it can be fixed. Just need to let it run and water sort itself out. For me I have a tube on side for overflow. It's not a big tune so I had to take cap off end. Add tubing extension and have it empty into a garbage can. After a week it sorted itself out. Now I only use expoxy if I have too because it this process. Not bad but not ideal.
Anyway that's what I think it is.
Also I just recharged my 2 purigen bags. Thought I rinsed bags off well but once I added them into system my skimmer went nuts. Took bags out to keep rinsing and it stopped. I ended up getting new mesh bags cause wouldn't stop.
When water chemistry changes skimmer goes crazy.
Good luck.

 

I tried using a BM Curve 5 for almost a year and had the same problems. The skimmer was affected by a 1/4" fluctuation in sump level and would frequently overflow. I discovered an easy fix - Tunze.

 

I ran a bubble magus nac6 for a year and had no problems other than it needed cleaning more than other equipment to keep it running smooth. I also had some sort of sponge event happen in mine... it was odd.
Not sure if this is your problem. but here's my experience.
I had to find the correct height and yes, someone mentioned it, a consistent water height helps out skimmers also (a lot!). What about water height in general? I found I was able to tune my BM after I raised the skimmer up to only be in about 8-9" of water. That's when I was really able to tune that skim into a coffee maker. Before, when it was sitting in too much water, the backpressure (on the output) was greater than the pressure of the main body. With flow, it's going to find the easiest way out of a situation. If your skimmer is in too much water, the exit is under more water, your skimmer's easiest exit now is thru the top, Mt St Helens... Now, if you raise that skimmer up, the exit gets closer to the surface of the water. So, less backpressure on the skimmer output. So, now your skimmer has less backpressure and you turn it on to suck up the water and air, rushes into the skimmer and now the pressure equals out, your water level is around the same level as your sump and then YOU CRANK IT! Turn that pump up, bubbles start going nuts, you see the water level rise in the body of the skimmer! Yes, yes YES!!!! That's what you want, now you can tune your skimmer so that body of water is going to push out the exit you placed close to the top and your bubbles fall haphazardly into your cup.
(I got a little carried away there...)


Just for anyone coming to this thread, I've (and many others) used this epoxy with no skimmer problems at all. I think I kept my skimmer on when I was adding this epoxy to the tank.
http://www.limpitsreef.com/EPO-Putty.html

Also, vinny nailed the other problem with outletting a skimmer outside your sump. A nasty SG swing and not one you put your keys in the bowl for either... I made that mistake, once. (and not the keys in a bowl) haha
http://www.avastmarine.com/ssc/do/product/Davy-Jones-Skimmate-Locker

This could take care of that problem, shutting off your skimmer when the skimmate triggers the sensor. You're limiting your export to the size of this locker, which would limit your SG swing. I know reef octopus makes a similar version.
I like the avast version, just because of the sensor... (dang pickiness) but either one would be a good investment. It's on my list....