Red Sea Berlin skimmer
- Thread starter NCSTANG
- Start date
Smo
Active member
I have the Berlin Airlift 60 running in my 30gal BareBottom and just love it. You have to adjust the bubbles to get the right flow for proper skimmate production. Read that little pamphlet that came with it.
BTW, the airstones to replace it with are smaller than most you will find. So, if you can find replacement airstones for the Berlin Airlift, get 6 of them. The airstones will last 5 - 6 weeks.
Enjoy!
BTW, the airstones to replace it with are smaller than most you will find. So, if you can find replacement airstones for the Berlin Airlift, get 6 of them. The airstones will last 5 - 6 weeks.
Enjoy!
I yanked the supplied venturi from my Berlin Classis a long time ago and replaced it with a Kent venturi. There is a great increase in bubble production with this upgrade. I am using a Mag 7 and find that it puts out too much flow for the skimmer to handle. The two output tubes seem to be straining at keeping up. Just turn down your water flow but keep your airflow wide open. You want to have the maximum bubble production as you can.
The biggest drawback about this skimmer really lies with the venturi valve itself. I run my Ca levels high 410-450, which tends to clog the air inlet to the venturi valve over time. You really need to keep an eye on this in order to maintain maximum skimmate production.
The biggest drawback about this skimmer really lies with the venturi valve itself. I run my Ca levels high 410-450, which tends to clog the air inlet to the venturi valve over time. You really need to keep an eye on this in order to maintain maximum skimmate production.
bboersma79
New member
mine went crazy the first week I had it and now it doesn't pull that much, I am a newbie so can't tell if that was just because of the huge water change/move, but the lid of the cup was litterally getting blown off before, now I only get 0.5" of skimmate a day?
FishnChips04
New member
I have the same Skimmer and its not a newbie problem it a berlin problem. The skimmer works great for a couple of days after a fresh rebuild then it starts to die off. I thought it was the rio 32HF I was running but I run a Mag7 now and its the same thing. The trick is to clean the venturi almost every day with RO/DI water or really hot water. I have my auto top off split so half goes to a float valve in the sump and the other half goes into the venturi air tube, It keep the bubbles going crazy everyday. Its actually a good skimmer if its clean. Just drip some water down the tube so it maks a slurping sound on the way down.
Good luck
~Jason~
Good luck
~Jason~
bboersma79
New member
No way I will cleaning the venturi everyday, but thanks for the tip...looks like I will be ordering a Euroreef shortly...
goldmaniac
New member
yeah, i just spent all morning (at work) looking for mods for a used Red Sea Berlin Classic. I think I've come to the conclusion that it needs constant maintance and perfect conditions. I'm in the process of getting the tank ship-shape before our 2nd kid arrives in about 2 weeks, and there's no way i'm willing or able to give a protein skimmer daily attention. It's been frustrating ever since i got it.
I was expecting an adequate skimmer, not a great skimmer, but I didn't count on having to manually adjust it all the time.
I was expecting an adequate skimmer, not a great skimmer, but I didn't count on having to manually adjust it all the time.
Frick-n-Frags
New member
IME, salt creep clogs the venturi. so maybe once a week or 2 weeks, I get a styro cup of hot tapwater and stick the air intake tube in there and let it suck the whole cup of water down. that usually changes everything 
My fear is a chip of LR dust would get in the venturi. that probably would require a teardown and some creativity with common household acids
also, the berlin classic is all about pump power. with a mag9 or RIO 2600, you actually have to turn the venturi down to get that thick column of bubbles, unless you want to wet skim, then you can empty half your tank through your skimmer if you want.
that mag7 should work, ehhh, probably. but I know a RIO1700 didn't work worth a crap on my skimmer. No good water volume, no good venturi effect, no good skimming.
also you have to wipe the top of the foam outlet tube every day or so. that film that accumulates messes up the skimming after about 2 days. I'm lazy, I take the top off and hit it with a wet finger a couple times around, done.
those 2 things eliminate periodic teardowns for the most part.
at some point I will have to soak it in vinegar. you would not believe how many of those little spiral featherworms have lived and died inside the skimmer over all these years.
My fear is a chip of LR dust would get in the venturi. that probably would require a teardown and some creativity with common household acids
also, the berlin classic is all about pump power. with a mag9 or RIO 2600, you actually have to turn the venturi down to get that thick column of bubbles, unless you want to wet skim, then you can empty half your tank through your skimmer if you want.
that mag7 should work, ehhh, probably. but I know a RIO1700 didn't work worth a crap on my skimmer. No good water volume, no good venturi effect, no good skimming.
also you have to wipe the top of the foam outlet tube every day or so. that film that accumulates messes up the skimming after about 2 days. I'm lazy, I take the top off and hit it with a wet finger a couple times around, done.
those 2 things eliminate periodic teardowns for the most part.
at some point I will have to soak it in vinegar. you would not believe how many of those little spiral featherworms have lived and died inside the skimmer over all these years.
cmomo0128
New member
My first tank had the berlin classic on it. Thanks to constant maintenance and terrible results, I will never make that mistake again. My next skimmer was a turbofloter 1000 and it was descent ( 50 times better than the berlin ). Now I stick with diy skimmers. through trial and error i have found a pretty good setup.
timi hendrix
New member
i was excited at first when i bought mine then it seemed to fall .i then got a euro reef and never looked back its like night and day
reefshadow
New member
Mine works great with a mag 7, but I also drilled out the cone by the venturi. This allows the pump to move water through faster, increasing the venturi effect.
Works great, I had to drill out the collection cup and install a drain. I get about a half gallon of green skimmate a week, and gross thick black skimmate in the riser tube right before the collection cup. This has to be cleaned out weekly.
I have had to tear it down completely once and soak in vinegar since installing the reactor, because my effluent drips into the pump intake and has caused a buildup of calcium in the skimmer that decreased efficiency.
Personally with a few mods I think it's a decent skimmer, and has been pretty low maintainence for me. I would recommend it to a lower budget reefer in a flash, but only with the pump upgrade.
I can second Frick, if I run the venturi wide open I can drain my tank through my skimmer.
Works great, I had to drill out the collection cup and install a drain. I get about a half gallon of green skimmate a week, and gross thick black skimmate in the riser tube right before the collection cup. This has to be cleaned out weekly.
I have had to tear it down completely once and soak in vinegar since installing the reactor, because my effluent drips into the pump intake and has caused a buildup of calcium in the skimmer that decreased efficiency.
Personally with a few mods I think it's a decent skimmer, and has been pretty low maintainence for me. I would recommend it to a lower budget reefer in a flash, but only with the pump upgrade.
I can second Frick, if I run the venturi wide open I can drain my tank through my skimmer.
NHLaCrosse
New member
I've had one for several years. It didn't work well out of the box, very unpredictable. I have fitted it with a Kent Venturi and run a Mag 7 pump on it. The venturi intake dose need to be clean about once a week to keep it running good. Not a bad skimmer if modified.
I have a 60 gal pred tank w. a volitan, dogface puffer, clown and 2 damsels. I have a Prizm delux but am not overly pleased-bubbles and noisy. I have had it for a while and it does do the job but am considering an upgrade. I do need a hang on....That Pet Place is having a sale and I can get a Berlin hang on -23"-w. pump for $ 160.00. Any opinions?? When I was in sales in this industry, I used to be of the opinion that Berlin's were overpriced for their performance. If not the Berlin, any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Craig
Thanks,
Craig
