Bak Pak 2 Skimmer...

[teddibear703]

I don't think my Bak-Pak is doin a very good job. I have about 5 lbs of Live rock, and like 130 lbs of live sand. The tank is a 60 gallion and i also have a canister filter. I'm just cycling the tank right now, but i noticed that my skimmer is not skimming enough. I get about a tablespoon of gunk every 2-3 days. The capture holder is already touching the water and a little below it.

also, my airtube makes a lot of noise. it always sounds like it is crackling.

Where do you guys put the collection cup? how far down is it compared to the water level insed the skimmer? Also, how much skimming do you get. When i look inside the skimmer, I notice the bubbles are coming up more from the right side than the left. help

[ August 14, 2001: Message edited by: teddibear703 ]

 

[olgakurt]

I have the BackPak 2R on a 20g, the flange on the skimmer cup is 1/4 inch below the water.

I get a collection cup full every 2 days or so.

The bubbles from the pump almost touch the bottom of the first chamber before they start to rise. When the output decreases, I know I have to clean salt creep out of the pump side of the air tubes.

I find the collection is more efficient when the flange is a little dirty and the bubles/foam can not escape around the edge. When the cup is clean, I have to situate it slightly off level (with the o-ring) to keep bubbles from escaping around the flange at the back (aquarium) side of the skimmer.
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[Anonymous]

Have you tried adjusting the valve on the air-intake tube?
You want to tighten it until you get the max amount of bubbles in the chamber. If you go too far, you will cut off the air supply, and the bubbles will stop. But just before that point you will get the most bubbles.
Max bubbles will give you the most skimmate.

My collection cup's bottom lip was about 1/8 to 1/4 inch below the water's surface.
If there isn't enough waste in your tank, the skimmer will not pull much out of the water. Perhaps the cannister is doing part of the skimmer's work.

Is that a typo, or do you really just have five pounds of LR?

 

[teddibear703]

Ha yah 5 lbs. This is a new tank, I haven't had time to buy live rock for the tank, but i did get a lot of live sand. I plan on adding about 40-50 more lbs and make it a FOWLR tank

I don't have a air control valve. Its just a straight tubing. Does that restrict airflow?

[ August 14, 2001: Message edited by: teddibear703 ]

 

[olgakurt]

Mine didn't have an air control valve either. I'd bet that 1) your collection cup is a little high and 2) your tank is relatively clean.

What are you cycling with/what's your ammonia source? or, How much are you feeding?
5lbs is like one rock and I doubt it will create/feed much bacteria load (cycle).
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[Mike02]

yeah, i would say your water is pretty clean. Mine doesnt collect much, but it can. I just added a figi polyp rock in my tank a few days ago and its been collecting alot more during that time. about 1/2 cup for 3 days. way more than normal.

 

[Anonymous]

Mine came with a little plastic valve on the end of the air tube. I'm guessing your's didn't?
That's too bad because also in the valve was a muffler device to quiet the thing down. Basically this was just a little wad of cotton.
Now I'm curious, is this the CPR Bak-Pak 2 with the Rio 600? I thought everyone got the same thing.

 

[Mike02]

oh yeah, mine came with the valve. the valve is located half-way down the tubing. The purpose of this valve to limit air flow. i have mine full throttle. I bought a replacement rio600R (havent used it yet), but it didnt include the valve, so it'll run full throttle all the time. Or i could simply add a valve but i wont.

 

[olgakurt]

moe_k,
Mine has a muffler but it doesn't have anything to do with air flow (plastic ball with some slots in it), and yes it came with the Rio600. How does the valve work? Maybe mine was broken, but the skimmer works great.
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[Anonymous]

Hey olgakurt,

The airline comes out of the Rio about 8 inches, then a T valve (green plastic) was inserted. The top of the T valve had a green plastic screw that when tightened cut off the air. The other end of the T went on to another 2 inch airline - which terminated with the muffler (black plastic ball with cotton inside).
Looked something like this:

RIO ------T---muffler
********|
********plastic screw

Not too great, but I hope you get the idea. The plastic screw acts as a gate, controlling how much air is sucked in the muffler.
You have to ignore the * in the diagram. They are just space holders.

[ August 14, 2001: Message edited by: moe_k ]

 

[Mabu]

It doesn't sound like your tank has much "scum" to skim in the first place. If there is no protein, then you won't get much skimmate - that's the beauty of a good protein skimmer.

Every few months I break down my BakPak2 and hose it down and it runs a lot better.

 

[PasoReefer]

a much better air valve is a 1/4 inch micro ball valve for drip irrigation. You can get one anywhere drip irrigation is sold and it fits perfect. It is much more precise in the air flow control. They are like .60 cents here in California. Anyone with the BakPac should get one. They are MUCH better than that crappy green plastic thing it comes with. Also I have upgraded to the Rio 800 rejuvinator pump. It fits perfect in the preskimmer box if u are using that. It is a much better pump in my opinion.

 

[teddibear703]

Thanks guys... yah, maybe no bio-load. there's only one fish and thats about it. hehe...