Bubble King Skimmer Club

[ksed]

What is the water level that it is sitting in?

Ok, 3 days now with the bubbles breaking just on the white PVC area as Jeremy suggested. It is in 8" of water.

As you can see from the video, there is on a very slight coating of skimmate in the riser tube.

What else can I try? I was thinking of putting it in a bucket with a few dead big prawns and see if it will pull anything out? Sound good? What else could I try?

Thanks to all in advance.


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[rsaha]

Do you know how much air it is pulling? There was somebody way back in this thread that had a pump that just wasn't pulling the air it was supposed to. Got a replacement pump and all was good if I recall correctly.

 

[shaggss]

What is the water level that it is sitting in?

It is in 8" of water.

Do you know how much air it is pulling? There was somebody way back in this thread that had a pump that just wasn't pulling the air it was supposed to. Got a replacement pump and all was good if I recall correctly.

I have tried it without the silencer, but made no difference. How could I tell how much air it is pulling?

 

[rsaha]

Can someone explain to me what pump body I can get for a mini 180 and what needs to be modded if anything. I am thinking about getting a backup.

 

[PurpleMonster]

Shaggss in order to measure the air you have to get a meter that is plug into the air hose. This will show how much air is pulled.

 

[PurpleMonster]

Not sure what is being used in the hobby and i should get one myself to diagnose my skimmer but here is what it looks like
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/KEY-INSTRUMENTS-Air-Meter-5P363

 

[PurpleMonster]

Hey Shaggss just found one, im going to order one today just to see what im pulling... here is the one you want.

http://www.transcat.com/Catalog/productdetail.aspx?itemnum=RMB-53-SSV

measures up to 100 SCFH

 

[shaggss]

Thanks PM, just ordered the exact same one but through Dwyer.

Lets see???

 

[shaggss]

Jeremy

What if I add an extra airline to the ozone nipple? To try and get more air? Then I would know, if it starts skimming, that it is air supply issue?

 

[rsaha]

Can someone explain to me what pump body I can get for a mini 180 and what needs to be modded if anything. I am thinking about getting a backup.

Anyone?

 

[Jeremy B.]

Jeremy

What if I add an extra airline to the ozone nipple? To try and get more air? Then I would know, if it starts skimming, that it is air supply issue?

You could do that, but an easier test is to just disconnect the airline from the silencer, pull it out of the wedge pipe and let it hang free.
However, from the video you posted your air draw is just fine, close the wedge pipe just slightly and bring the water level up to the bottom of the clear neck, or just into the neck, but no more than 1" up the bottom of the neck for now. See what that does.

 

[Jeremy B.]

Anyone?

The Mini's use an Askoll 1500 motorblock. However, the block is then glued to the white plate at the bottom of the skimmer, so unless you can make that work it might be kind of hard to pick up a Laguna pump to use as a replacement.

 

[watsonj]

I want to clean my mini 160 skimmer, the intake tube goes into the adjustment tube and I guess up to the silencer.
The silencer can not be taken apart does the air intake tube just pull out? or ?
How do I get to check/clean the silencer, is there floss in there or foam or nothing. If there is nothing I could just pour some fresh water in the silencer intake?

 

[Jeremy B.]

The air silencer pulls off the top of the wedge pipe and comes apart. You can take this all part and clean it out. Do not run water down it, as there is foam in there that will crust up / harden and diminish air draw.

 

[watsonj]

Ok I will try, I thought I saw a post on this thread somewhere and it said the 160 was the only one that didn't come apart.

 

[shaggss]

However, from the video you posted your air draw is just fine, close the wedge pipe just slightly and bring the water level up to the bottom of the clear neck, or just into the neck, but no more than 1" up the bottom of the neck for now. See what that does.

OK have done that, lets see. I have also ordered a flow meter.

You could do that, but an easier test is to just disconnect the airline from the silencer, pull it out of the wedge pipe and let it hang free.

Yes, already tried that, no difference. There is a poster that had a faulty motor, so that's why I ordered the flow meter. Hopefully it is ok?

Ok I will try, I thought I saw a post on this thread somewhere and it said the 160 was the only one that didn't come apart.

I have tried but mine seems glued and will not come apart?

 

[watsonj]

yea I can see how mine comes apart.... help

 

[PurpleMonster]

Shaggss, so I took my pump apart just for hoohoos and hahas, even though i knew that i had just cleaned it. I ended up finding a small asterian star fish between the pinwheel!!! took it out and couple other little things in there with a thin screw driver. cleaned out the left over particles, and put her back together.... turned it back on and let the water line stay below "wedge" word on the skimmer sticker, few hrs later low and behold DRY FOAM!!!!

 

[spslove]

I'm trying to join the club maybe you can help me pick. Trying to decide between the BK 250 deluxe and BK SM 250.

Also if i was to get an external deluxe, can i use it inside sump if i wanted? or can i have it gravity fed from sump which sits at the same height so i dont need extra pump?

 

[jbanks]

Both are excellent skimmers. If you want the flexibility of running it externally, than the 250 deluxe is your only choice between the two.. However, if you want to place it in your sump, I would not look any further than the SM250... It is a true beast.