Skimmer spewed scimmate all over sump.

This one shows the bubbling in my skimmer. The collection cup fills pretty fast

This one shows how much bubbles I get because of the extra flow.. The only reason I have more flow going to my refugium is because I thought it'd help my skimmer (did that yesterday)

This video shows the water level going up and down in the overflow. This has an opposite effect in the sump (level in overflow goes down, level in sump goes up, and vice versa)

This is my skimmer after about 5 mins

 

The videos are not playing for me. When you cleaned your return pump you increased the flow through the sump. You also added detritus to the system when you added the macro algae. Both of those can/will have an effect on the skimmer.

Did you try raising the skimmer up to get it in the recommended water depth? Just note how the skimmer is performing and how much it needs to come up. Then simply pick the skimmer up with your hand to where it needs to be and then note how the skimmer is performing. Give it 45-60 seconds to give it time to adjust to the difference in the water depth.

Good luck with it.

 

I fixed the links.

Also, the skimmer started acting up before I cleaned the return pump. I haven't tried raising the skimmer, but I'll try after work tomorrow

 

The surging in the overflow is likely caused by the extra flow from your overflow pump. You are trapping air in the return line and it is causing a flushing effect. Do you have a vent line on your return line to vent air? I had to drill a hole in the top of my return and put a piece of airline down into the return when I was running an overflow box. Can we get a pic of the overflow assembly showing all piping in the box?

For the skimmer, have you checked the pinwheel for debris? If you have recently added the cheato it is possible that a piece was sucked up in the skimmer pump and gotten stuck in the pinwheel.

 

Not sure about the water level going up and down but the foam looks normal to me. My skimmer does that after cleaning. As it settles down it transitions to a dryer foam which is what I like. I get very dark skimmate if I leave it alone for several days. It's always wetter at first. But if your collection cup is filling up too fast then something is set wrong. Is there a thread on Reef Central for that specific skimmer? If not go to the coralvue page and ask Jeremy. If your water level in the sump is not stable you'll never be able to have a steady sweet spot for the skimmer. Need to figure out that first.

 

Also check your return line for snails, obstructions. Are there any valves on that plumbing coming from the overflow box? My guess is there is something blocking the plumbing and is causing the fluctuations in the sump level.. thus causing the skimmer to not be stable. Need better pictures of the plumbing set up.. Standard durso? it looks like a herbie or home made siphon type with no hole like a durso.

 

I have two holes in the PVC cap for ventilation. But since I have extra flow, those two holes are now not enough.

When I cleaned my sump after having the skimmate go everywhere, I cleaned my skimmer's pinwheel. The only things that were there were a few small snail shells. I removed those.

I don't have a box overflow; it's a corner overflow. This is what it looks like

The skimmer has calmed down a bit, and the cup hasn't filled yet. If it wasn't for the fact that turning the gate valve either does almost nothing, I'd say my skimmer is running fine! But the thing is, when I used to turn that valve, the water level in my skimmer would go up or down, depending on which way I turned. Now, it doesn't do much. Also, my skimmer is just full of bubbles. Not as much water in it as it used to have.

I doubt any snails are in the return. The only time they made a difference was when I didn't have enough ventilation in my durso, anyway. The overflow is a standard durso (see picture above).

My concern is with the skimmer though, not so much the water level fluctuation

 

Try opening up one of the holes in the top enough for an airline tube to fit, then stick the airline down 6 inches or so in the return line. You will have to play with the line moving it in and out to find its "sweet spot", Just make small adjustments and wait a few mins to see if it is better or worse. Takes patients, but I have done this on all of my tanks that have run an overflow.

Also where abouts in Ontario are you?

 

I run the same durso in my 65 now w the airline

 

I'll try that tomorrow, too.. Lol. Too late tonight to be messing around with the tank. Does it matter how much airline is coming out of the top of the cap? As it is, my overflow sends water all over the PVC cap, so I have airline in both holes so no water gets in.

I'm in Sudbury, sadly. Only one SW fish store here, and the prices are pretty high