Bubble King Skimmer Club

[Rouselb]

I have a BK SM200. Heres how i set it up.
First, the sump level must remain constant (set the initial water level at 9").
Second, leave the air inlet fully open.
Third, Adjust the intake nozzle on the red dragon pump all the way closed then opened it until the dots line up for the first time.
Forth, begin opening the nozzle more until foam head is almost overflowing into collection cup (For me thats roughly half a turn past the dots).
Fifth, do the final adjustment with the air inlet (this is the fine adjustment).

There are many ways to adjust the skimmate, but this is the easiest way, if its too wet and the air valve is wide open, decreases the water inlet and then you can fine adjust with the air inlet. Hope this helps a few, it took me many weeks to figure out who to dial it in.

 

[TheReefKeeper]

I don't think the mini has those adjustments?

 

[Rouselb]

The air adjustment is the tall red tube, and the water adjustment is the grey nozzle on the red dragon pump inlet.

 

[jnb]

i ignore the water level to be honest - I notice it but don't use it as a measure - the manual recomends but also says it is up to the user depending on what is happening and what he wants. So, I say ignore the water level and turn the water flow pipe slowly in small increments until the fine to larger bubble level is where I said - having said that, to get more precise I raise it a bit more . But taking into consideration that this skimmer may still be breaking in and you do not want it to overflow - take baby steps. After a full day of skimming I have a layer of skum about 1.5 inches from the top of the cup inner tube (up to its top). This is where I head for - if you are getting that thicker layer starting at say 3 inches from the top, open the pipe a little and raise the fine/large bubble level a bit more - baby steps we are fine tuning a skimmer that is probably breaking in.

Couple of observations - one I am only helping to fine tune - when you get it right this skimmer hardly needs adjustment - even after cleaning it - I clean mine once every 2 days because I need to - it gets dirty that quickly. On my 160 I did not take it out of the sump for 1.5 years - never took it apart, just cleaned the cup (again - not that crucial white inside bottom area of the cup). At 1.5 years I noticed that I finally had my water level even below (close but below) the mark - and it was skimming smelly 2 inches a day product - I was realy happy. But then I noticed a couple of months later that it seemed to hiccup/backfire/ for lack of a better way to explain - I took it apart, the impellor and inside of the pump was in good shape - nothing just nice slime (maybe a bit too much) But what I did notice to make me say - ok, here - was that there was a bit of salt build up in the air to volute area - I cleaned it out and it starting skimming more regularly and I had to move my water level back up a bit. - In my opinion don't grease the top of the lips/cup like some people mention - when you clean it the residue gets on the inside wall of the cup and impedes skimming. Be patient, if in a week or so you are still p....d then take the motor apart like the manual says and make sure everything there is clean of obstruction. Keep us posted. These are the best skimmers I have ever had. - mostly because of ease of cleaning, low noise, low wattage, very consistent - and I can not think of a way to measure the quality of skimate compared to others; just a thought that it in the race.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14152049#post14152049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheReefKeeper
Yes I did check the volute. Their are no obstructions.
I have the water just above where the neck meets the body. It seems better but that's almost a half inch above where the mfg suggests. It appears the bubbles are reaching the overflow point into the cup. The problem is when the water is at the point the MFG suggests the neck gets so dirty it doesn't make it into the cup. The point where the water level sits now in the body the bubbles larger are as you said 1.5 -2 inches visible in the neck that seems right. The bubbles are fine and constant the air is too I seems to be a workhorse. I can tell that If the bubbles make it into the cup this would be a great skimmer until then I'm not convinced.
I was told it was give a vinegar bath before I bought it. I also cleaned it when the neck got dirty about 3 day's into it because it seemed it was too dirty to make it into the cup. That's just normal skimmer routine for me and I'm in that habit. After 10 year's in this hobby and about 8 skimmers it's just common sense that's what you do when bubbles aren't making it into the cup. Odiously this is a different breed of skimmer. I'll let it run it's course and post some pics later .
I can't imagine it's oversized I am reading 5 on No3. I have a ton of sps and fish.
Jonny Reefer-I hear the SM blow the mini's away. If I had the space I would have bought one of those. i think the skimmer's function was comprimised with the footprint.

jnb-I appreciate all the help!!

 

[TheReefKeeper]

Thanks Nick I'll keep you Posted!!!

 

[TheReefKeeper]

What should the SCFM be on a airflow meter for the gen 1 BK?

 

[Klaus Jansen]

@ReefKeepr,

we want look for a Upset for the Minis Gen1. Please wait a little bit.

regards.. Klaus

 

[TheReefKeeper]

Thank's
Klaus!

 

[jnb]

what did he say?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14162559#post14162559 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheReefKeeper
Thank's
Klaus!

 

[jthao]

reefkeeper: keep the water level at 9", adjust the water level to 1"-1.5" or so into the neck, and adjust the intake nozzle two turns (from closed to where the dots meet, then one more round until they meet again, 2 total turns.)
try this and let it go for 24 hours. see if it works.
The BKs are tricky to tune honestly, the guy I bought my BK from never got it to work right. He had the same problem you're having with your skimmer, I just played with it over and over and now I found it's sweet spot. so don't worry too much, your skimmer should work, you just gotta tune it and let it break in.

 

[jnb]

he has a mini they do not have an intake adjustment unless 200s do I have never used one

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14162898#post14162898 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jthao
reefkeeper: keep the water level at 9", adjust the water level to 1"-1.5" or so into the neck, and adjust the intake nozzle two turns (from closed to where the dots meet, then one more round until they meet again, 2 total turns.)
try this and let it go for 24 hours. see if it works.
The BKs are tricky to tune honestly, the guy I bought my BK from never got it to work right. He had the same problem you're having with your skimmer, I just played with it over and over and now I found it's sweet spot. so don't worry too much, your skimmer should work, you just gotta tune it and let it break in.

 

[TheReefKeeper]

It's a bad pump!! I got an Airflow meter and it was pulling half what it should. I'll let everyone know what was done as soon as this is over. So far the customer service is far superior to any other company I have ever dealt with in 12 years. That includes every wholesale and retail company. This is the side of Bubble King not too many people have to deal with(Because of quality) but when you do they will not disappoint. A+++
Thanks
Klaus and Albert

 

[lifeform]

Hi, where did you get the air flow meter, what kind is it, what size, and where did you connect it to the pump? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[TheReefKeeper]

It's a dwyer airflow meter. I don't have a model # sorry. The airflow readings on Bubble King skimmer's are taken from the silencer. I got it from a local reefer.

 

[lifeform]

Did you take the airline off the silencer and plug the airline into the meter? What did the meter read when you tested and what should the meter read if the pump is good? Thanks

 

[TheReefKeeper]

I Put the airline on top of the silencer. That's how Bubble king gets all their readings. It read 20-25 scfh. I don't know what it should have been I just know it was not what it was supposed to be. The best I could figure it was around 600-700 lph can't remember exactly. I Also never realized the pump was really hot to the touch after a few minutes of running. I was told they run extermly cool.

 

[jnb]

give us the final outcome - i.e. when it starts skimming

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14166101#post14166101 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by TheReefKeeper
I Put the airline on top of the silencer. That's how Bubble king gets all their readings. It read 20-25 scfh. I don't know what it should have been I just know it was not what it was supposed to be. The best I could figure it was around 600-700 lph can't remember exactly. I Also never realized the pump was really hot to the touch after a few minutes of running. I was told they run extermly cool.

 

[jthao]

glad you found your problem..... not glad that it was the pump though (their expensive) but good luck fixing it and give us an update when everythings fixed.

 

[TheReefKeeper]

jnb give us the final outcome - i.e. when it starts skimming

Will do!!
Hey' Thanks for all the help Nick-Creetin and jthao!!
I should have listened to you a couple of days ago when you asked if i had put a meter on it. Could have solved this days ago. I guess I'm still oldschool! I'm used to buying a skimmer plugging it in lil' tune let it run. That's why I bought a BK plug and play I did not want to mesh mod, change pumps etc. I'm am now a firm believer in air flow meters. It's the first thing I'll check and will also be the first thing I will suggest to anyone else with issues.
Boy do I hate being wrong!!!LOL

 

[Creetin]

I am glad you have it figured out. The air injected is a big factor in how your skimmer performs. Esp bubblekings which are designed to push that much air.
I have no doubt proline and BK will take care of you. They are top notch in my book!!
When you get the new pump check the air and then you have a set piont you know to go off of. I use my airmeter to know when the pump needs a cleaning.