Protein skimmer overflow

[mjw]

Anyone have a suggestion for how to prevent a protein skimmer from overflowing every time my return pump turns off and the sump water level goes up several inches?

I have an automatic fish feeder that turns off the pumps for a few minutes when it dispenses food. In addition I have some high water sensors that will kill the return of the water gets too high.

But every time the water rises in the sump, the protein skimmer overflows.

Suggestions?

 

[Blitheran]

This is where a controller would be beneficial.

If the return pump shuts off it kills power to my skimmer, ATO, heater and filter roller

 

[mjw]

This is where a controller would be beneficial.

If the return pump shuts off it kills power to my skimmer, ATO, heater and filter roller

Yes I use a hydros system to shut all of it off at once… including the skimmer. But, when it all turns back on, the pump takes 1-2 minutes to drain the water from the sump back to normal levels so the protein skimmer starts to overflow very quickly because the sump water level is too high until the return pump catches up

 

[KrisReef]

Can you put the skimmer pump on a kill switch linked to the sump level?

Never mind, I was typing when you were typing…

 

[Blitheran]

Yes I use a hydros system to shut all of it off at once… including the skimmer. But, when it all turns back on, the pump takes 1-2 minutes to drain the water from the sump back to normal levels so the protein skimmer starts to overflow very quickly because the sump water level is too high until the return pump catches up

You need to put a defer function, my skimmer waits 5:00 minutes after return pump turns on to allow the sump level to Normal out

 

[Impunitus]

I made an input that is a combiner for both of my return pumps. My skimmer is then dependant on that to be on, that way if one pump is off the skimmer remains off.

On your skimmer object you then also set a minimum off time which only starts counting down once the deoendacy is cleared. So if it takes 2-3 minutes for your return pump to get things right, set this to 5 minutes and you won't have issues.

 

[Impunitus]

Picture of the above.

 

[Euphyllia098]

If you didn't have a controller Just put it on a cheap 10 dollar kasa smart plug.

Turn the skimmer off and back on via a schedule at the same time as the feeder. Give yourself like a 10 minute buffer on the amount of time it's shutoff just in case the timing is a bit off between the 2.

 

[mcarroll]

In addition I have some high water sensors that will kill the return of the water gets too high.

Why not another one for the skimmer pump?

Or why not put the return and skimmer on the same switch, so that when one goes off they both go off? Put your heater on it too and you have a one-stop-shop for water change day.

 

[Seregus]

The controller way of doing so should be an additional water level sensor siting above normal sump water level, say 1cm (or if you know exactly where your skimmer overflows below this level but above normal water level)… this way you simply not allow your skimmer to work if water level is above this sensor.

This way less logic for feeding / maintenance modes and etc.

Also this level could be used to switch off your roller mat (or it might be rotating during high water level because its own level sensor could be under water?)

Also you could create an alarm if water level in sump too high for 1 hour you get push notification

 

[mjw]

Picture of the above.

Got it… this is a great idea. I set a 20 minute minimum off time because my feeding schedule is 15 minutes of off time for return pump. 20 minutes should be more than enough for sump to rebalance.

Thank you!