When I stop my return pump, the remaining water comes down the overflow and raises the level of my sump, in turn causing the protein skimmer to overflow. I rigged up a float valve in line with a wire powering the spin wheel motor. It works well but i was wondering if anyone else has a better method to prevent the skimmer from overflowing?
Protein skimmer overflowing
- Thread starter Coreygrrt
- Start date
This is a very effective method, please share what you made. Always good to learn from others. Other option ppl commonly use is to turn the skimmer off for 10 minutes or so as they feed or do maintenance. If you have a controllable pump and an apex, you can even send a command for it to run at a lower speed for x amount of time to also prevent this.
If you use an apex you can have the skimmer plugged into one of the controllable outlets. Then use the code
(If outlet return off then off)
So when the return turns off it cuts the power to the skimmer pump.
Then the use the defer code to give the skimmer some time to allow the water level in the sump to go to operating levels before the skimmer turns on. You use this code
(Defer 002 then on)
This code stops the skimmer from turning on for 2 minutes when the return turns back on.
But if your a controller freak like me you can then use float switches in areas of the sump that will shut the skimmer down incase water levels are higher then what they should be. You can also have a float switch in the cup of the skimmer so if the skimmer cup fills full the skimmer will turn off before the skimmer overflows. Here’s the coding I use on my skimmers outlet
(If outlet return off then off)
So when the return turns off it cuts the power to the skimmer pump.
Then the use the defer code to give the skimmer some time to allow the water level in the sump to go to operating levels before the skimmer turns on. You use this code
(Defer 002 then on)
This code stops the skimmer from turning on for 2 minutes when the return turns back on.
But if your a controller freak like me you can then use float switches in areas of the sump that will shut the skimmer down incase water levels are higher then what they should be. You can also have a float switch in the cup of the skimmer so if the skimmer cup fills full the skimmer will turn off before the skimmer overflows. Here’s the coding I use on my skimmers outlet
If you use an apex you can have the skimmer plugged into one of the controllable outlets. Then use the code
(If outlet return off then off)
So when the return turns off it cuts the power to the skimmer pump.
Then the use the defer code to give the skimmer some time to allow the water level in the sump to go to operating levels before the skimmer turns on. You use this code
(Defer 002 then on)
This code stops the skimmer from turning on for 2 minutes when the return turns back on.
But if your a controller freak like me you can then use float switches in areas of the sump that will shut the skimmer down incase water levels are higher then what they should be. You can also have a float switch in the cup of the skimmer so if the skimmer cup fills full the skimmer will turn off before the skimmer overflows. Here’s the coding I use on my skimmers outlet
(If outlet return off then off)
So when the return turns off it cuts the power to the skimmer pump.
Then the use the defer code to give the skimmer some time to allow the water level in the sump to go to operating levels before the skimmer turns on. You use this code
(Defer 002 then on)
This code stops the skimmer from turning on for 2 minutes when the return turns back on.
But if your a controller freak like me you can then use float switches in areas of the sump that will shut the skimmer down incase water levels are higher then what they should be. You can also have a float switch in the cup of the skimmer so if the skimmer cup fills full the skimmer will turn off before the skimmer overflows. Here’s the coding I use on my skimmers outlet
Sadly, no apex. I just can't bring myself to dropping the money on it quite yet.
I use a wifi powerstrip as well- hooked up to Alexa with some voice activated “routines”.
I created a “feed mode” routine that shuts off the skimmer and only turns it back on after 10min (when the sump water level should be back to normal). Would love a controller but a prime day power strip works ok for now…
I created a “feed mode” routine that shuts off the skimmer and only turns it back on after 10min (when the sump water level should be back to normal). Would love a controller but a prime day power strip works ok for now…
