Bubble King Skimmer Club

[paal]

Thanks slief.
This thing is perfect! :-D


Right now it is standing in 8.2 inches of water. I can raise it of course but It looks like it is running just fine now.

I have it on 24W and the outlet a bit over half closed. Will try and lower the speed like you suggested.

I think I remember you saying somewhere else to avoid going for tighter than 50% Is that true for all BK models?

 

[slief]

Thanks slief.
This thing is perfect! :-D


Right now it is standing in 8.2 inches of water. I can raise it of course but It looks like it is running just fine now.

I have it on 24W and the outlet a bit over half closed. Will try and lower the speed like you suggested.

I think I remember you saying somewhere else to avoid going for tighter than 50% Is that true for all BK models?

On that skimmer you can probably go over 50%, I don't like to though. I prefer to adjust the sump level as needed and only close the wedge pipe a tiny bit. The more you close it, the greater the chance of surging as a result of siphoning from the drain line. If you see the level in the skimmer rising and falling over and over in quick succession in the skimmer body, that is generally the result of the wedge being close too much which restricts the flow out the skimmer and causes siphoning to occur.

 

[scuzy]

What's the proper speed for my bk mini 200? I have it running at 24w right now.


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[slief]

What's the proper speed for my bk mini 200? I have it running at 24w right now.


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I would normally recommend 28 to 32 watts for the 200's but every tank is different. You just want to use the pump to get the most dense foam. There is a point where you will end up with bubbles that burst at the surface instead of turning to foam and that is the point that the pump is flowing too fast for the skimmer. Also, sump depth plays a role in the ideal speed. When you increase the pump speed, you increase the flow into the skimmer which raises the water level. If you are getting good foam and good skimmate production, that is the biggest thing. The slow pump speed will result in more contact time which isn't necessarily a bad thing but that skimmer can handle more pump speed though you may need to raise your skimmer up/lower the sump level or open the wedge pipe more.

This is a pretty good thread that discusses the tuning of the RD3 based skimmers and what to look for when making the adjustments.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2546139

 

[sensei]

I am having problems with my BK skimmer. it is less than 6 months old.
it is a Super Marine 250 + RD3
I see a lot of microbubles in the sump, I can not be sure from were are all this bubles coming out of the skimmer into the sump.
What should I do?

 

[slief]

I am having problems with my BK skimmer. it is less than 6 months old.
it is a Super Marine 250 + RD3
I see a lot of microbubles in the sump, I can not be sure from were are all this bubles coming out of the skimmer into the sump.
What should I do?

It should be pretty easy to see where they are coming from. What speed are you running the pump at? I suggest a speed of 36-38 watts. If you are running it at too high of a speed, the water will pass through the skimmer so fast that microbubbles will exit the skimmer as well. If the skimmer is oversized and there isn't enough dissolved organics in the system, this could result in microbubbles as well since there won't be enough proteins in the water for the bubbles to stick together well in the form of foam. If you have a very low load, you should consider running the speed even lower.

I have the same skimmer on my 480 gallon display with a total system volume of 650 gallons There are currently around 60 fish in my system of which several are in excess of 8" long. The skimmer can still handle more too despite my heavy feelings. If your fish count is low in your display, the amount of proteins in the water or lack of will result in bubbles that burst at the surface with smaller bubbles passing through the skimmer. As such, you might try slowing the pump down some more so you can gain longer contact time. It will also help the bubbles rise to the surface instead of getting caught in the flow and exiting the skimmer into the sump.

 

[jerseypete]

It finally came in.

Anyone got any suggestions in molding the drain to a skimmate container?


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Did you ever tap the hole? I have the same skimmer and was a little leary on tapping the hole. Expensive mistake if I screw it up.

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[scuzy]

I didn't I found a slip on adapter for a 1/2 jguest that fits it with a few wrap of Teflon.


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[andrewbram]

So I have a bubble king 200 deluxe int. Soaked impeller in vinegar scrubbed shaft clean and nothing. Does anyone here have experience using any other pump on there skimmer. Red dragon bubble king 1000 is pump I have now. I am having hard time actually locating a true replacement pump. Any help would be appreciated as my g3 is bot keeping up.

 

[slief]

So I have a bubble king 200 deluxe int. Soaked impeller in vinegar scrubbed shaft clean and nothing. Does anyone here have experience using any other pump on there skimmer. Red dragon bubble king 1000 is pump I have now. I am having hard time actually locating a true replacement pump. Any help would be appreciated as my g3 is bot keeping up.

In all honesty, you will not find a better pump than the Red Dragons. There is good reason why they are coveted like they are and I'm not just saying that because of my affiliation with Royal Exclsuiv. Not only does it have a great block but the custom needle wheel coupled with the CNC machined volute makes for one of the best skimmer pumps you can buy short of the RD3. My suggestion would be to buy a new RD1000 block or upgrade to the RD3 Speedy skimmer pump. Your skimmer will never perform the same with a cheap pump.

That said, before ruling your block dead, I would suggest taking a look at this thread and in particular the post regarding cleaning the bearing. When properly maintained, these Red Dragon pumps will last 10 years plus. Cleaning them every 4-5 months and properly breaking them down for cleaning is critical to insuring that the blocks doen't overload as a result of calcium buildup. The bearing is the most overlooked maintenance item when it comes to cleaning the pump and it's the one area when not properly cleaned that will create friction and excess load on the impeller and lead to premature failure of the block.

Check out post 2 in this thread in the Bubble King forum here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2573406

For reference, this is the replacement block for your skimmer.
http://royalexclusiv.com/Spare-Part...or-Bubble-King-Supermarin-1500-2500::177.html

 

[andrewbram]

In all honesty, you will not find a better pump than the Red Dragons. There is good reason why they are coveted like they are and I'm not just saying that because of my affiliation with Royal Exclsuiv. Not only does it have a great block but the custom needle wheel coupled with the CNC machined volute makes for one of the best skimmer pumps you can buy short of the RD3. My suggestion would be to buy a new RD1000 block or upgrade to the RD3 Speedy skimmer pump. Your skimmer will never perform the same with a cheap pump.

That said, before ruling your block dead, I would suggest taking a look at this thread and in particular the post regarding cleaning the bearing. When properly maintained, these Red Dragon pumps will last 10 years plus. Cleaning them every 4-5 months and properly breaking them down for cleaning is critical to insuring that the blocks doen't overload as a result of calcium buildup. The bearing is the most overlooked maintenance item when it comes to cleaning the pump and it's the one area when not properly cleaned that will create friction and excess load on the impeller and lead to premature failure of the block.

Check out post 2 in this thread in the Bubble King forum here.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2573406

How much mod do I need to upgrade to the new red dragon pump. And which one exactly would I need

 

[slief]

How much mod do I need to upgrade to the new red dragon pump. And which one exactly would I need

No mod needed.
This one will do the trick. This is the Double Cone version which is the exact same pump but has an extra stand included with it for the Double Cones. The Deluxe version does not include the stand but we are out of the deluxe version which is slightly less due to not including the stand. They are the same model pumps though. ..
http://royalexclusiv.com/Skimmer/Re...ed-Dragon-3-Speedy-50-Watt-1500-l-h::871.html

 

[Chrisrush]

I just received my MBK 160. What's the optimal water height for it? Been running for about 48 hours. Also, do I keep the stand pipe open?

 

[slief]

I just received my MBK 160. What's the optimal water height for it? Been running for about 48 hours. Also, do I keep the stand pipe open?

Optiomal depth will vary based on the amount of dissolved organics in your system and fish load. I would suggest opening the wedge wide open and adjusting the sump level until the line where bubbles turn to foam (this will be a very obvious line) are 1/4" to 1/2" below the white flange where the collection cup screws to the body. The let it settle in for 24 hours and adjust more if needed. That will be your driest skim position. Then use your wedge pipe to make it wetter as needed by closing the weed pipe.

 

[Chrisrush]

Optiomal depth will vary based on the amount of dissolved organics in your system and fish load. I would suggest opening the wedge wide open and adjusting the sump level until the line where bubbles turn to foam (this will be a very obvious line) are 1/4" to 1/2" below the white flange where the collection cup screws to the body. The let it settle in for 24 hours and adjust more if needed. That will be your driest skim position. Then use your wedge pipe to make it wetter as needed by closing the weed pipe.

Great. Thanks for all the help Scott.

 

[Dugless]

For a 125 gal with a small sump skimmer section I was considering th BK Mini 180 extra slim, but after reading I'm leaning towards the 200 Mini extra slim as it has the Red Dragon Speedy 3. Would this be oversized too drastically?

 

[ReefClownMIA]

For a 125 gal with a small sump skimmer section I was considering th BK Mini 180 extra slim, but after reading I'm leaning towards the 200 Mini extra slim as it has the Red Dragon Speedy 3. Would this be oversized too drastically?

What kind of Bio-Load, fish count, and reef style (SPS/LPS/mixed) is your tank. Any other filtration ... algae scrubber, fuge etc...

 

[Dugless]

This is in plans for a new setup, so nothing acquired just yet. It would be SPS with med-high bio load. I'm thinking 20+ fish. No scrubber, but a small refugium with chaeto. I like to keep things simple and rely on water changes, about 25% each month.

 

[slief]

This is in plans for a new setup, so nothing acquired just yet. It would be SPS with med-high bio load. I'm thinking 20+ fish. No scrubber, but a small refugium with chaeto. I like to keep things simple and rely on water changes, about 25% each month.

Given the limited load, I would stick with the Mini 180 or a better choice would be the Double Cone 180. I think the Mini 200 is ultimately on the large size for your system and would need a REALLY heavy load on that size display for best consistency.

 

[ndds1]

Hello, does anyone know if the BK mini 160 can fit in the skimmer section on the Trigger Systems Emerald 26? Thanks.