Bullet 1 Protein Skimmer Help

chemmjm

Member
Just set up my 75 gallon and just purchases a used a PM Bullet 1 Protein skimmer and the larger PM collection cup. I started it up last night about 7 and have had to empty the reservior three times. I put the dial at 4 oclock. Is that normal for the breakin. My water was cloudy when I first started it because I stirred the live sand up in the process. I did rinse the live sand from my old tank before I put it in the 75. I had to turn the skimmer off this morning because I am running low on water. Any jelp would ne appreciated. Should I wait a few days before I start it back up?

Thanks
 
I have a bullet 2 and I think they are close enough for me to help you.
If you have the skimmer running and turn the air off, where does the water level in the skimmer drop to? It can't be up in the second tube, has to be in the lower larger chamber about 3/4 up, then add the air and adjust it with the air. Too much air and it overflows, too little and the bubbles don't rise.
 
Even when I have to valve pointing up (should be air off) bubbles are coming up to the higher tube.

Thanks
 
So the valve doesn't close, how much air gets in with it closed? It should be a blue handle and closed should be at 90 degrees maybe yours is out of adjustment, if it won't close(no air), either the valve is bad or something else is leaking.
Do you have a gate valve on the return? Once you get the air stopped, use the gate valve on the return to get a water level halfway up the first larger chamber then open the air valve up and use that valve to adjust the skimmer, more air wetter skimmate and alot, less air darker foam less skimmate, less air darkest foam little to no skimmate and brown sludge build up inside skimmer, dry skimming(the sludge is the skimmate), less air
and you won't be skimming.
It usually takes a day or so after cleaning to get back to normal. It looks like there is no way bubbles will reach up the skimmer but after a few hours of perculating it does.
Ihth
 
if your getting air in the skimmer w/the blue air valve OFF then u have a plumbing leak somewhere at the injector....make sure ALL fittings are tight....when running u can use a damp rag over the fittings to find the air leak...once located double check the fittings for a proper seal....if not make sure drain valve is open and slowly crack the venturi air valve alittle at a time till u get the skimate u want
 
Thanks. I think I did not have that upper chamber tight enough. Also it is much quieter.

Yes, if the vave is closed completely, you shouldn't have any bubbles at all.

get the water level to start showing just above the gray plastic in the clear tube, then turn the air on 3/4 or so, the water level will drop. Readjust so that anywhere from 1 cm to 1 inch of clear water shows between the bottom of the tube and the bubbles. check it a few minutes later, make some minor adjustments to keep the water level where is nees to be.
 
My reservoir was full after about 6 hours. When the valve is pointing down is that the air off position or is it when it is at about 2 oclock? I upsized from a 37 to a 75 and the sump I have now is about 20 gallons larger than my original. I had to add about 50-55 gallons of new saltwater. I had the saltwater in bins circulating with a heater for about 10 days. May that be the reason my foam is so wet. Do I have to run it 24 hours a day or could shorten the running time until the water is a little more aged?

Thanks
 
I did take the gateway valve off the drain because it was too tight in my drain. I have some PVC elbow is the drain so it flows down.
 
What do you have in the tank? It will be hard to adjust if your water is really clean and the tank is new. Once you actually have some waste to collect it will be easier to set. At least that is what happened with my bullet 2 when I set it up in july...
 
Maybe I will give it a week or so. I have about 150 lbs of live rock and a fair amount of soft and LPS corals. I put a sponge in front of the drain of the Bullet and that seems to have eliminated alot of bubbles. Perhaps I was just intaking the bubbles in the skimmer pump that had just been released by the skimmer drain. I will wait and see. The bubbles are pretty low for now.
 
Put a sponge in front of the drain. That seems to be working. The bubbles are about 3/4 up the lower chamber and they look dryer. It is perculating now but not going into the upper chamber. I do have the air valve about 1/2 open. I do now see the bubbles rise and lower when I adjust the air valve but it not instantly. I will keep the air valve 1/2 open for now unless I hear I should adjust it more.

Thanks
 
Back
Top