My skimmer is "gulping"

Reef Bullet · Apr 7, 2013

Lately I have been hearing this gulping kind of noise coming from my tank but couldn't figure out what it was until today. It's my skimmer and each "gulp" is accompanied by a large bubble that comes up to the top inside the cone. What could be causing this? Is something wrong with my pump? It happens a couple times per minute and it's kinda annoying.

dorkymk3 · Apr 7, 2013

cleaned the pump and check the venturi air line.

lovingacans · Apr 7, 2013

I had the same problem with a swc160 I had... I got tired of hearing it and trying to figure out why and just got rid of it.

Reef Bullet · Apr 7, 2013

lovingacans said:

Same exact skimmer!

Emac909 · Apr 8, 2013

Clean it. Does it have a bubble plate?

gr1mm · Apr 8, 2013

check the air line it might be clogged.

Reef Bullet · Apr 8, 2013

I gave it a vinegar bath and let it run in the bucket and get real clean end of Jan or beginning of Feb.
I just now unplugged it and pulled it halfway out of the sump to investigate. The bubble plate is clean and not clogged at all. I took the airline tube off and it is totally clean all the way through. Idk what's wrong. It's working ok but the gulping sound is annoying. I didn't take the skimmer apart to remove the pump and look at it but it looks ok from what I can see through the acrylic.

Thanks for your suggestions

Emac909 · Apr 8, 2013

Aren't u upgrading? Buy a new one sell the peace!

Reef Bullet · Apr 8, 2013

Emac909 said:

Yes and I already have a brand new Cadlights TIA-1350 waiting to be taken outta the box, but it won't fit under my current stand so I was hoping for a temporary solution for this one in the meantime before I get my upgrade build completed and everything transferred over.

lowbudget · Apr 8, 2013

tiny bubbles are getting trapped somewhere when it gets big enough it releases check the bubble plate

Reef Bullet · Apr 8, 2013

lowbudget said:

I did and there were tiny bubbles on the bottom of it but I can't see any reason why they'd be getting trapped. The bubble plate is clean as well as the rest of the skimmer.

jbaeza83 · Apr 8, 2013

Can you see where the big bubble comes from when it does gulp?

Mr. Plant · Apr 8, 2013

You can try: Boil some ro water, put in coffee cup, then take end of air line and let it suck up some of the boiling water, that will clear out the air line and venturi.....

reefes pieces · Apr 8, 2013

Mr. Plant said:

I was thinking the same thing. Could be something clogged in the coupler not the tubing.

Emac909 · Apr 8, 2013

Sounds like ur bubble plat isn't level and the bubbles build up on one side of the plate. Maybe u can see if the BP is not level and try to straighten it out of tilt the skimmer so the plate is level.

Reef Bullet · Apr 8, 2013

jbaeza83 said:

No I can't tell cuz when the skimmer is plugged in, the cone is filled solid with micro bubbles churning. I can't even see the bubble plate without unplugging the pump first

Mr. Plant said:

Thanks but I don't think it's necessary cuz I can see down through the top all the way to the other side and it looks completely clean in the tube

Mr. Plant · Apr 8, 2013

Reef Bullet said:

I would still try it, the clog is probably in the venturi which you can't see....

Mr. Plant · Apr 8, 2013

Reef Bullet said:

I would still try it, the clog is probably in the venturi which you can't see....

pgr11 · Apr 8, 2013

Might be time to pull it out for a complete tear down and cleaning. Even though you ran it in vinegar

Reef Bullet · Apr 8, 2013

Emac909 said:

Eric, I think you may be onto something! My skimmer does sit at a slight angle cuz of the height and the way the stand's bracing is underneath the cabinet. It has always been like this but even with the tilt, it's possible to sit a little different and I'm not positive, but thinking back it seems like the gulping might've started around the last time I cleaned the skimmer cup and I might've adjusted the way it was sitting slightly when I did this. I have been out back watching the twins play and enjoying a GORGEOUS Southern day but I haven't heard it since being back in so I may have fixed it when I put it back in the sump earlier this morning.

My skimmer is "gulping"

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