Bubble King Skimmer Club

[slief]

I am running it in my new tank, no live stock yet. It was on 8" water level and I have the pipe at 1/2 open. I lower it to 8.5" water yesterday and still have the pipe at 1/2 open, I don't see much improve. water level right now is 2 inch below the water mark or around 2.5" near the bottom of the cup.

You have no load in the tank so there are not sufficient levels of dissolved organics to to allow the bubbles to stick together into chains that form foam. As the organic levels in system build up, the bubbles sticking together will actually raise the beak line (line where bubbles turn to foam) inside the skimmer. So don't expect anything from the skimmer or any idea of how it will perform without a load in the tank. This is a relatively big skimmer and it needs a decent load for it to perform. And given your lack of load, you might need the skimmer in even deeper water to get the break line up higher into the body without having to close the wedge pipe too much. That said, without fish in the tank, the skimmer really won't do much if anything so don't read into the level inside the skimmer too much. You are kind of wasting time right now for nothing because it will all change once you start adding a decent number of fish.

 

[nly04]

Thanks for advice. I will put the skimmer on timer and let it run few hrs a day until I have fish in it then will tune it from there.

 

[slief]

Thanks for advice. I will put the skimmer on timer and let it run few hrs a day until I have fish in it then will tune it from there.

Just let it run 24/7 so it can break in and stay broken in or don’t run it at all right now. No need to run it on a timer.

 

[nly04]

Just let it run 24/7 so it can break in and stay broken in or don't run it at all right now. No need to run it on a timer.

Ok, I will leave it a lone for now. I am doing 4 months WWC/BRS tank cycle so I will not put in for another 8 weeks.

 

[sensei]

Slief,


Can I know the main difference between the BK Supermarin skimmers and the Deluxe external skimmers?

I have a BK Supermarin 250 in my 600g system but I would like to have a typical old school Berlin setup, with an oversized skimmer 2.5 to 3 times the size of the system.

I have around 30 fish in my system, 10 of them tangs and several are 1 foot big.
my NO3 rose to 30ppm, I am carbon dosing now but NO3 keeps climbing and I have been increasing carbon dose to keep in the 5-10 ppm range.

I am looking at the Bubble King® DeLuxe 500 external to have a little more than 2 times my system volume in the skimmer.

Thank you for your comments

 

[slief]

Slief,


Can I know the main difference between the BK Supermarin skimmers and the Deluxe external skimmers?

I have a BK Supermarin 250 in my 600g system but I would like to have a typical old school Berlin setup, with an oversized skimmer 2.5 to 3 times the size of the system.

I have around 30 fish in my system, 10 of them tangs and several are 1 foot big.
my NO3 rose to 30ppm, I am carbon dosing now but NO3 keeps climbing and I have been increasing carbon dose to keep in the 5-10 ppm range.

I am looking at the Bubble King® DeLuxe 500 external to have a little more than 2 times my system volume in the skimmer.

Thank you for your comments

You really don't want to oversize our skimmers. If fact, they always perform better when properly sized to the load and not the display size let alone system size. They are already very conservatively rated and your load is relatively low in terms of that Supermarins capabilities. I run an SM250 on my system. My display size is 500 gallons but the system volume is around 700 gallons. I have around 70 fish in my display. Several are large 10" tangs and there are several other fish that are in excess of 10". The SM250 could handle much more too. A truly heavy load by our standards is 1/2" of fish per gallon. I honestly don't think changing the skimmer is going to improve the no3 situation. A skimmer can only remove up to 30% of the dissolved organics anyways.

That said, the Deluxe wet skims as well as it dry skims as it has 2 separate adjustments for the internal levels. The telescope tube and the wedge pipe where as the SM only uses the wedge pipe. The body design is also slightly different which allows for better dry skimming. Both are made of very heavy acrylic and have a hand welded body. They are both our flagship lines though the Deluxe deals with lighter loads a bit better due to the wedge/telescope tube combo and body design. SM on the flip side is a GREAT skimmer but does prefer heavier loads and is best suited for wet skimming. In your case, you could just run it wetter if you want to strip more dissolved organics. That said, with your load, the Deluxe 500 would be way overkill and may perform inconsistently which would be counter productive for you. If anything, a Deluxe 300 would be a better choice unless you really planned on increasing your load substantially.

Hope that helps!

 

[sensei]

Slief,

I would like to add more fish in my tank but I do not feel confident in adding more now since NO3 keeps on rising with my current load, fish keep on growing in a big tank and I have to feed them. I would not like to increase more and more my carbon dose. My tangs are extra large I have ten and all are between (10-12 ") and they mega pop ...
I feed 3 sheets on nory per day and I can see a lot of nori particles in water column from the heavy pull that tangs do to the nori clip. I also feed frozen everyday.
My system is mainly for acropora. I would like feed heavy and heavy export

I though that the Deluxe skimmers were build mainly for dry skimming? do they perform consitently for wet skimming? they do not have the RD3 pump with the controller correct?
do the pumps in the deluxe are always at same speed?

the spec of the 500 deluxe says for aquariums from 2200 to 5000liters, so I guess I could not go wrong with it and it would be help me as I load my system with more fish?

I do not want to be using filter socks or any other export mechanism and rely purely in my oversized skimmer, this is why I insist

waiting for your response
best regards

 

[slief]

Slief,

I would like to add more fish in my tank but I do not feel confident in adding more now since NO3 keeps on rising with my current load, fish keep on growing in a big tank and I have to feed them. I would not like to increase more and more my carbon dose. My tangs are extra large I have ten and all are between (10-12 ") and they mega pop ...
I feed 3 sheets on nory per day and I can see a lot of nori particles in water column from the heavy pull that tangs do to the nori clip. I also feed frozen everyday.
My system is mainly for acropora. I would like feed heavy and heavy export

I though that the Deluxe skimmers were build mainly for dry skimming? do they perform consitently for wet skimming? they do not have the RD3 pump with the controller correct?
do the pumps in the deluxe are always at same speed?

the spec of the 500 deluxe says for aquariums from 2200 to 5000liters, so I guess I could not go wrong with it and it would be help me as I load my system with more fish?

I do not want to be using filter socks or any other export mechanism and rely purely in my oversized skimmer, this is why I insist

waiting for your response
best regards

The pumps do run at a set speed and no RD3 on those models but that pump is virtually bullet proof and proven to last damn near indefinitely with reasonable maintenance intervals.

Yes, they will wet skim just fine. You just have to fine tune using the wedge pipe to raise the level inside the skimmer so you are skimming wetter.

And yes, that is the conservative range but you’d want at least 250” or so worth of fish to keep that skimmer happy. Granted girth of larger tangs and feedings does play a roll so you’d likely be fine and have good consistency. And a skimmer alone is NOT necessarily going to keep your nitrates down. As I said above, the most the best skimmer will reduce dissolved organics is about 30% so that leaves up to 70% dissolved organics left in your system. So you might still need some other form of nutrient reduction whether it’s socks, refugium, turf scrubber, carbon dosing, nitrate reactor whether it’s biopellets or a sulfer reactor etc. That said, some nitrates are needed even for SPS as corals need nutrients and consume dissolved organics.

The Deluxe 500 is a stupidly great skimmer as long as you have enough load to maintain a consistent foam head. And that skimmer could handle however many fish you could reasonably put in your display. And your load as it sits now is a bit light relative to that skimmer size and what it can handle. It’s a massive beast of a skimmer and will make your existing skimmer look like a dwarf.

 

[slief]

Slief,

I would like to add more fish in my tank but I do not feel confident in adding more now since NO3 keeps on rising with my current load, fish keep on growing in a big tank and I have to feed them. I would not like to increase more and more my carbon dose. My tangs are extra large I have ten and all are between (10-12 ") and they mega pop ...
I feed 3 sheets on nory per day and I can see a lot of nori particles in water column from the heavy pull that tangs do to the nori clip. I also feed frozen everyday.
My system is mainly for acropora. I would like feed heavy and heavy export

I though that the Deluxe skimmers were build mainly for dry skimming? do they perform consitently for wet skimming? they do not have the RD3 pump with the controller correct?
do the pumps in the deluxe are always at same speed?

the spec of the 500 deluxe says for aquariums from 2200 to 5000liters, so I guess I could not go wrong with it and it would be help me as I load my system with more fish?

I do not want to be using filter socks or any other export mechanism and rely purely in my oversized skimmer, this is why I insist

waiting for your response
best regards

If you do decide to get that skimmer and decide you want a self cleaning head for that, let me know as I am also a rep for Aquadriver and we make a self cleaning head that is designed for that model skimmer that is unlike any neck cleaner out there. It's German made and has features no other neck cleaners offer that not only clean the neck but also improve the skimmers overall efficiency.
https://aquadriverusa.com/products/...-head-sch-for-500mm-diameter-protein-skimmers

 

[sensei]

Thanks Slief,

if you were to choose between a SM300 and a deluxe 400 that are rated for the same aquarium size, which one would you choose and why?

In addition, I have never had an external skimmer, not sure if they leak easily and it is better to always go for internal skimmers?

 

[slief]

Thanks Slief,

if you were to choose between a SM300 and a deluxe 400 that are rated for the same aquarium size, which one would you choose and why?

In addition, I have never had an external skimmer, not sure if they leak easily and it is better to always go for internal skimmers?

Deluxe 400 for sure. I prefer internal skimmers due to their simplicity as you don't need extra plumbing for the drain and feed line and the fact that you don't need a separate pump to feed them so less power too. There should be no need to worry about leaking if your plumbing is done right but a collection cup overflow could result in water on the floor. Either way, I prefer internal skimmers.

 

[sensei]

Slief,
Why would you choose the deluxe 400 vr the SM300??
what is the benefit of one vr the other one?
price is almost double in the deluxe and it is rated for same aquarium size, so that is a contra of the deluxe. In addition, the deluxe has two pumps and would be more pumps to clean every 45 days
SM has only one pump and is a RD3 with the controller.

I can not see any benefit in the deluxe 400 vr the other one.

 

[slief]

Slief,
Why would you choose the deluxe 400 vr the SM300??
what is the benefit of one vr the other one?
price is almost double in the deluxe and it is rated for same aquarium size, so that is a contra of the deluxe. In addition, the deluxe has two pumps and would be more pumps to clean every 45 days
SM has only one pump and is a RD3 with the controller.

I can not see any benefit in the deluxe 400 vr the other one.

The Deluxe 400 has a much higher body volume than the SM300 so you have better contact time and more efficient dissolved organic export. The Deluxe is more flexible in terms of load and tuning and will perform better with lighter loads than the SM but could handle heavier loads too. Those are the number one reasons I’d go with the Deluxe over the SM. The Deluxe is my favorite skimmer and the AC pumps are bullet proof and since you want a large skimmer (Berlin method), having those AC pumps with their adjustable nozzle will work in your favor since you can adjust the air/water intake ratio for varying loads. Don’t get me wrong, I love the SM’s too but if I had a choice, I’d go with the Deluxe anytime and given what you are after, I think the Deluxe 400 would be a good choice.

The AC pumps should be cleaned every 5 to 6 months. No need to clean them every 45 days and those pumps are proven to last 10+ years so there is nothing wrong with those pumps. They are set it and forget it other then initial tuning via the adjustable nozzles.

 

[sensei]

Thanks a lot for your answers Slief,

one last question:
I believe that the recommended cleaning skedule for the SM250 pump is monthly is not it?? why is the cleaning time of the deluxe pumps different ( 6 months)?

 

[slief]

Thanks a lot for your answers Slief,

one last question:
I believe that the recommended cleaning skedule for the SM250 pump is monthly is not it?? why is the cleaning time of the deluxe pumps different ( 6 months)?

Very glad to help. The maintenance intervals are not that stringent. It really depends on the system. Some systems depending on dosing habits and where the dosing is done can build up calcium inside the pump quickly and depending on critters in the sump like snails, maintenance could be done more frequently. I clean my RD3 skimmer pump every 4-5 months. I do check the nozzle every month or so to make sure there isn't any salt buildup in the venturi port though.

 

[sensei]

Slief,

the usual maintenance I do for my BK250 is cleaning the pump and the venturi, but I have never cleaned the resonator. is it necessary to clean it as often as the pump?
How do you clean it and what do you inspect?
how do you disamble it?

will not cleaning the resonator lower the performance of the skimmer?

Thanks

 

[slief]

Slief,

the usual maintenance I do for my BK250 is cleaning the pump and the venturi, but I have never cleaned the resonator. is it necessary to clean it as often as the pump?
How do you clean it and what do you inspect?
how do you disamble it?

will not cleaning the resonator lower the performance of the skimmer?

Thanks

I check mine every year or two. If it gets plugged up with dust, it will inhibit air flow. If the skimmer is in a very humid enviornment, it could get pluged up with salt from the air but dust is the most common issue and even that is rarely an issue. To clean it, pop the silencer off the wedge pipe by holding the wedge pipe in one hand and the silencer in the other and lift it off the wedge pipe. Then disconnect the silicone hose from the bottom of the silencer. Next, take a long thin screw driver or meat skewer (I’ve used that in a pinch) and push it up through the tube on the bottom of the silencer (where the silicone hose connects to) so that the end of the screw driver or whatever you are using is pushing up against the underside of the silencer lid. Then use your tool to push the top cover off the silencer. The cover isn’t glued. It’s press fit into the body of the silencer. I use a long thin screw driver and place the handle part of the screw driver on a table and grip the body of the silencer and push down to pop the lid off. Inside is the foam filter. Put it under the faucet and squeeze it like a sponge to rinse it out. Then let it air dry before putting the silencer back together.

 

[sensei]

Slief,

I got the SM 300, can you tell me the sweet spot for the RD DC pump?

Thanks

 

[slief]

Slief,

I got the SM 300, can you tell me the sweet spot for the RD DC pump?

Thanks

Typically between 45 and 50w. Sometimes less is more so keep that in mind. Use the pump speed to get the most dense foam. Too much flow/wattage and the bubbles burst at the surface instead of rising slowly. Some have even had the 300's do great at 40w. So you could start there. Use the wedge pipe to raise the level up. If you have a light load relative to the skimmer size, you might need to run the sump level higher. Normally I'd suggest 9" deep but in a light load situation, 9.5" can be better.

 

[sensei]

Thanks Slief,

the recommendation of running sump level higher is to have more water to air mixture if needed?

is the RD3 pump in the SM 300 exactly the same one used for the SM 250?
I run my SM 250 at 38W, not sure if increasing flow would help skim more in that one?

Thanks again