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Iam
05/04/2006, 12:23 PM
Hi everyone..
I just got a protein skimmer.. (bakpak)

It's been only 12 hours now..and I have some really dark green stuff in the container..
My question is.. sometimes when I watch the container, it seems like no bubbles getting into the container.. is that normal or I have to do something about the collection cup??

thank you all..

rivank
05/04/2006, 02:04 PM
I have a CPR Bak-Pak 2 as well and it seems to be a little tough to get set up right. I suggest slowing down the rate of the bubbles and the water flow because the surface aggitation will sometimes not allow the bubles to make their way up into the chamber. If you have nothing to skim the skimmer won't collect anything. Wait a couple of days to see if it breaks in a little before messin with it. If has collected skimmate the it's seems to be working when it needs to. IMHO.
Rod

Agu
05/04/2006, 02:08 PM
It can take a skimmer a couple of days to break in so don't worry.

Skimmate, wet or dry, is adjusted by lowering or raising the collection cup. Wait a couple of days before making any major adjustments.

Iam
05/04/2006, 02:18 PM
Hi rivank
how do you slowdown the bubbles???

yeah agu you're right iam going to wait atleast 2-3 days..

Stonepost
05/04/2006, 03:48 PM
I had a bakpak and had problems getting it set up. I haven't known to many people using them to have great secess with em'. I got a seacloan skimmer and it works wonderful, so little to adjust and just have to keep it cleaned out.

AngeloM3
05/04/2006, 03:54 PM
ANY skimmer will take 3days - 2 weeks to break in. Do not worry.
You dont want to slow down bubbles! Adjust the collection cup to the highest level for about a week or two. After that re-adjust the collection cup so you get a good skimmate (not to dry but not to wet). Do not adjust until you let it sit there for an hour or slow. With a bakpak any time you change something it takes about an hour to see the new results.
If your using any water additives, reef additives or water conditioner, these will hinder the performace of the skimmer temporarily (a day or so).

Just let the skimmer break in and you'll see a difference.

AngeloM3
05/04/2006, 03:55 PM
also with a BakPak i'm pretty sure you need to use the venturi option on the powerhead.

davocean
05/04/2006, 07:49 PM
I'm going to give you the advice I wish someone gave me.
Clean that bakpak, put it back in the box and return it or exchange it for a coralife or remora.
I hate to sound harsh or knock someones product, but I also hate to see a newbie stuck with a headache.
Sorry to affend the few that like them, but I've seen way too much neg. on them and I hated mine.
A coralife would be way better, quieter, and maybe even cheaper.

rivank
05/04/2006, 09:20 PM
Iam, all I did was put a silencer on the end of my air hose and took just a little off the bubbles and that seemed to work well enough. I get a good quality skimmate not too wet and not to dry.

Iam
05/05/2006, 12:42 PM
thank you guys... seems like it's working well for now..
it's been about 1 day now..
we'll see what happenes in couple of days... I am watching he nitrate levels ..

55kfog
05/06/2006, 12:36 PM
Glad to hear it's getting better.

When I had a BakPak running I did a similar thing to what rivank did but used a little valve I had laying around to help control the air.

My BakPak served me very well for several years on one of my first tanks. I've owned two (on two separate tanks) in the past, so I've had a good run with them. If you are having any issues, you can email them too and ime they'll help you figure things out.

Nu2SW
05/06/2006, 01:06 PM
First Off.. Dont take it back. They are great skimmers.

I have a BP2 and I fill my collection cup every week.

You want as much bubbles as possible in the chamber.

Hey maybe ill post a video for you.

One thing is make sure the skimmer is in an upright and most vertical position against the tank.
I have seen that this could affect it.

Lower the collection cup just bellow the water line.

For the most bubbles in the skimmer, what you wanna do is open it all the way, then close it slowly till you see the bubbles just hit the bottom, once they reach the bottom that is the best operation for it.

Iam
05/06/2006, 01:48 PM
Hey Edwin... actually a video file would be great...
thank you so much

davocean
05/06/2006, 03:54 PM
I hope I didn't sound rude or like some elitest or something.
Alot of people had the same gripes w/ these that I did.
I do have one friend who has one and it works for him and it's surprisingly quiet and pulled alot more skim than mine.
I switched pumps, did mods, and adjusted every way possible and it just didn't work for me.
Hope you have better luck w/ yours.

Iam
05/06/2006, 04:53 PM
Hi davocean,
no no no not at all..
I understand where you were coming from...
there are some items that I would say he exact same thing u said..
thank you so much..

Nu2SW
05/06/2006, 04:57 PM
AHHH see the internet can be a happy place.... lol :-P

onto a serious note
Ill try to make a video when I get home from work. and post it to show you how mine works.

Iam
05/06/2006, 05:01 PM
great ... Iam can't even wait..

davocean
05/06/2006, 05:10 PM
Very cool!
Group computer hug! :)

XtrmCHoPZ
05/06/2006, 08:14 PM
On mine I took off the rio600rvts and put on rio800rvts....MUCH better performance. You can pick them up for under $20 at premium aquatics. I empty my collection cups every other day.

Newreeflady
05/22/2006, 03:47 PM
Any update on the video clip? I'd also like to see it.

I got one of these with a 36g tank I bought and i'm not sure if I should keep it or invest in something else. I have no manual for it and it came with a Rio 600 and I am not going to trust a Rio on my tank so i'll need to know what I can replace that with.

thx!
Angela

Nu2SW
05/22/2006, 04:02 PM
I am sorry, i totaly forgot, ive been busy with work and kids. I still have it on my camera, I am getting off right now, since u responded and get it uploaded.

sorry folks

But mine came with the maxi jet 1200... I would recommend that.

Nu2SW
05/22/2006, 05:12 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsAflhPWovY


When I first turn the valve control, you will see how the water level drops and not many bubbles. The main thing is to fill up the skimmer with as much bubbles as you can. so fine tuning it will be needed.

What I do is open it all the way and then close it slowly until the bubles just reach the bottom, that gives me most bubbles. Also the second time I close it all the way and you will see that there is no bubbles at all almost. at the start notice where my collection box meets the water, just under the water level. if you watch you can see the bubles rising up the top to the box.

I am using a maxi jet 1200 and that may be the difference. Hope this helps

trigger05
05/22/2006, 05:57 PM
Hey Nu2SW,

I noticed that you had the blue floss in your skimmer.
I took it off from mine in fear that it would cause high nitrates once it got dirty. Was i just being paranoid?

Also, what are other options for media in the skimmer?

skimmy
05/22/2006, 07:16 PM
i used to put my heater and a skinny bag of carbon in that media chamber waaaay back when i actually bought one of those things..
it probably works a heck of alot better now with a maxijet 1200 than it did with a rio 800.
but i too like the remora alot better for hang on, and if you can afford it, a deltec mc600 is the best by far, but it all depends on the type of corals and fish you want to keep more than anything.
good luck!!

whatever you put in there, make sure you dont clog the outlet because you will have a flood:mixed:

Nu2SW
05/22/2006, 09:06 PM
It can when you have a reef tank you dont really need the bio-bale.

My nitrates are at about 10 ppm, I got about 40 pounds of live rock in there. So I dont think it will cause too much of a nitrate problem.

Some people put carbon and phosphate removers in the outleft of the skimmer, as long as you dont clog it like koraltek said ,then you should be good. For a $140 its a pretty good skimmer, if you got a rio 600, I would spend about 30 bucks and get a MJ1200 and use the 600 for water changes to circulate the water or add more flow in the tank.

one thing to note is that ive had the skimmer for 2 months and the valve tube got plugged with saltcreep. So every couple weeks take the tube out and run hot water thru it.

55kfog
05/22/2006, 10:23 PM
Thanks for posting the video, Nu2SW.

Newreeflady, my first bakpak was on a 40G...worked great. I had a maxijet 1200 on it as well. I've also used the remora, and remora pro, and imo, most hob skimmers have their fair share of pros and cons...

I would stick with the bakpak and find a mj1200...alot of local reefers may have these for you to try out as well if you don't want to buy one at first...depending on how heavily you stock, you could always make other considerations down the road...swapping a hob is no sweat and an extra maxijet can always be used for something. ..