Damn it Bak Pak

[Anonymous]

3rd time since ive had (bak pak) it has over flowed for some bizzare reason...no blockage...this time the flooding took out my surge protectors since i was sleeping and it nearly caught fire....in the event, i shocked myself and lost my firefish due to the cold climate within the tank...Im a little pissed to say the least....needless to say i am not currently running the bak pak til i figure out the cause of this problem...I have posted a similar thread like this in the past with this issue..anyone else with a problem like this...

 

[Anonymous]

First you need to insure the surge protectors are higher than the back pack and you have drip lines.

I know that because the same thing has happened with my external sump/refug. I am not familiar with your bak pak but some of my problems were eliminated when I more throughly tested my set up.

I also had a flood when the overflow failed.

Because of my problems I am now thinking about eliminating the external sump/refug in favor of a DIY filter that does not rely on overflows.

I also use an in tank refug which has no possibility of flooding.

Hope you can solve the problem. Perhaps stepping back and considering alternatives to the system that floods could provde an answer.

 

[paats]

Try adjusting the rubber ring on the bottom of the collection cup so that the cup rides higher.Mine can fill up pretty quick if they`re set too low.Good luck.

Pat

 

[Anonymous]

The collection cup didnt overflow, it was the other side that overflowed which makes it even more bizarre... :? thanx for the advice beaslbob...my laziness in moving the surge protectors to higher ground has resulted in my consequential loss of life in my tank....

 

[Anonymous]

You don't have the bio-bail in there, do you?

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

nope..its the 2R or Reef ready version

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmm,
The only reason then that it would overflow would be that it's below the water level of the tank or the flow from the "J" tube is restricted.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[Anonymous]

The only reason then that it would overflow would be that it's below the water level of the tank or the flow from the "J" tube is restricted.

One would think Mr. David however this seems to defy the laws of physics...I already took the bak pak apart and looked..no obstructions..The only thing i think of is that (hardly unlikely) the Rio pump is putting out too much head vs the amount of water put back in the tank...again this seems impossible since the Rio is the one rated for this skimmer and i could even go larger with an upgrade...So Im at a loss once again, I have completely overhauled the Bak Pak and started it back up ( i dont feel comfortable not skimming)...

 

[ricky1414]

My BakPak 2R almost overflowed once (I caught it before it had a chance to) when the venturi adaptor became clogged with what I think was a calcium buildup. I took out the pump and fittings, and ran them in a bucket with RO water and vinegar for about 30 minutes. No problems since.

Do you still have the sponge at the bottom of the return section of the skimmer? I removed mine because of the pain to remove and clean it; it appeared to be inhibiting water flow as well.

 

[Fatal Morgana]

It is a rare problem, but it happens. After 5 years, I finally got rid of my BakPak on ebay. Nice skimmers for small tank, but you gotta watch out.

 

[Anonymous]

Mine flooded a few times. I removed the foam insert insdie the drain side (I think it supposed to help stop the bubbles). Get the surface skimmer and bubble trap. One time when mine flooded a large turbo climbed into the return hole and blocked the return.

The surface skimmer only allow a little amout of water to be overflowed. When mine first flooded it took out 3 inches of tank water.

If you don't want to bubble trap you could probably make some sort of screen to stop animals from climbing in there.
_________________
Burn Injuries Forum

 

[ricky1414]

I think the skimmer/bubble trap attachment affords us to not see a powerhead smack dab in the middle of the tank. It's a visual detractor to some of us, in my opinion.

 

[reefdood]

I just placed my HOB backpack IN my sump. Works great and the only plce to overflow is in the sump.

 

[Anonymous]

It is a rare problem,

Rare my ass three times in less than a year :wink: The first thing i removed when i got it was the sponge, useless IMO for me at least...I had cleaned the PH a few days before the flood again, cant see the correlation between that and the actual bak pak flooding ? Unsolved mystery