Just trying to make sure I underatand skimming

It took me a week or more to get my skimmer where it should be.
After a water change you may get excessive wet foaming.
Adjust the water level to where it won't foam over at all. It will eventually start dry foaming higher and higher. Put the return going back into the sump if you're not sure.. that way there's no restrictions on it.
On mine if I had let it wet foam up it would fill the waste receiver and that would cause the foam to not build up. So it needs a clear air flow to find the sweet spot.
As days go on my foam got a little higher in to the neck. I would gradually adjust the water level up higher and higher until it was just right going in to the cup.
Set the bubble size according to the manufactures recommendation.
Not sure if this helps since my skimmer is a different manufacture..


As far as the algae...

What are you feeding, and how often.
Lighting and lighting schedule.
Water source?
How often are you changing water, how much?
Are you using carbon? Don't use cheap carbon unless it's thoroughly rinsed first. .. it can leach a lot phosphates itself.

Most practical ways to reduce phosphates:
Feed less, especially flake dry foods
Siphon detritus and wastes frequently

macro algae helps starve nuisance algae of nutrients.
Most algae won't grow below .02 mg/l phosphate.

 

Hello Mike, well, now I have a better understanding. The built in on may be just fine. Like others have said skimmers tend to over produce when the surface tension is broken and/or there is a change in chemistry of any kind including new water from the change. I shut mine off of course when doing the change and leave it off for an hour or so until the tank settles back in. If you can't completely shut it off, turn down the water flow to the least it can be and give it time to adjust.