[jhale]

I got the BM250 delivered tonight, thanks Mark, it looks well made.
I'll have the pics up tomorrow after I take them in the morning.

It's going to be breaking in, in a rubermaid with 20 gallons of old tank water. I have to do it like this because I'm leaving for a week and don't want to loose the time to break it in when I get back. It can overflow all it wants to in the rubermaid. I wonder how it will do with just 20G of water to play with maybe I can use the water when I get back for another change

[Tonyscoots84]

J all you had to do is run it in freshwater with vinegar for a day and ur BM should be skimming within the 1st day of it being introduced to your tank...

[jhale]

yes I know, but I want to see what it will do to 20 gallons of tank water

[fritz]

John,
My BM 200 was the greasiest piece of tank equipment I've ever purchased. The pump had quite a bit of oil on and in it. If you run your hands along the acrylic on the inside you'll also find it to have a slight film on it. The threads that I've read regarding this skimmer is that it will take 3-4 weeks to break in if run in tank water.

I broke mine in by doing the following:

12 hours in warm water.
12 hours in salt water.
12 hours in warm water with 1 gallon of vinegar.
(At this step is where I noticed the grease on the inside of the skimmer. While running my hand along the seams of the acrylic I sliced open an old cut. I bled into the body of the skimmer and only noticed how bad I was bleeding when it was dripping on my floor. I then noticed that the skimmer body was brownish while the rubbermaid water was clear. In 30 minutes the collection cup was full of brown, bloody water and all the rest of the water was clear.)
24 hours in water with 2 gallons of vinegar.


I have it in my sump right now but due to a box full of new filter socks I cant' run it yet. The foam rises right up and over into the collection cup. I tossed the rest of my filter socks into the wash so I should be able to start running it in a day or two.

I would run it in the rubbermaid tub with the collection cup off, just let it overflow onto itself. Add in a gallon or two of the strongest vinegar you can find. Once you add vinegar to the water it will be able to produce foam.

[jhale]

thanks for the info Fred, I think I'll skip the step with the blood

I'll start with hot water, then vinegar, then salt and see how that works.

[jhale]

First I have to say the packing was impressive, thick cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and organic peanuts.

The instructions are simple and too the point.

now for the photos...

the virgin skimmer



mocha's a good sized cat



I don't think he really cares about the new skimmer

[jhale]

looking down into the skimmer body


good sized cup


air filter


gate valve handle

[jhale]

rubber foot pump sit's on


rubber hose that attaches the pump


gate valve from the side


that's all for now

[fritz]

I'm a bit jealous of the "fancy" gate valve that is used on the 250. The 200 is the obvious step child. The 200 ships with a "ghetto" retro fit gate valve assembly. It's a Street elbow, a gate valve, a T and some pvc pipe. What a reefer would craft with a trip to Home Depot, not the fancy assembly as was shown here.

Quote: Originally Posted by fritz I'm a bit jealous of the "fancy" gate valve that is used on the 250. The 200 is the obvious step child. The 200 ships with a "ghetto" retro fit gate valve assembly. It's a Street elbow, a gate valve, a T and some pvc pipe. What a reefer would craft with a trip to Home Depot, not the fancy assembly as was shown here.

stop complaining If our gate valve need to be changed ,its easy as 123 ,,,but if something happens to the gate valve ont the 250 ,they are SOL ,so i think this gheto mod is great


I did a 24hr fresh water with 16 oz of vinegar ,then fresh water for 5 hrs ,let the skimmer dry over night and installed ,got foam within 5 hrs and skimmate withing 24hrs