Is my BK skimmer to big

[DePinchGonze]

i originally posted this question in lighting and filtration, and was told to ask in the RE section. I have a SM 200 RD3 that I want to use on a 120 sps with hi bio load. Is this skimmer going to work in this system? All Input is welcome, thanks

[slief]

The SM200 is a great skimmer but the minimum recommended display size is a heavily stocked 210 gallon display. A better choice for your tank would have been the Double Cone 180. While the SM200 will work, it's way too big and you will need to run it really wet in order to keep it remotely consistent. The issue is the neck diameter is sized relative to the expected load and you will never have enough load in that display to generate enough dissolved organics (DOC's) to maintain enough consistent foam to fill the neck. If you had the skimmer dialed in properly, the skimmer will produce for a couple days and reduce the DOC's and then idle along while the DOC's build back up. The end result is your dissolved organics will be going up and down instead of staying consistently low.

My suggestion (if you intend to keep this skimmer) would be to run the pump at about 28 watts and raise the water level in your sump (with the wedge pipe wide open) until you get the line where the bubbles turn to foam up about 1/2" above the collar where the neck threads to the body. Your probably going to end up between 9-9.5" of sump depth. From there you can use the wedge pipe to raise the foam level even higher until you find a point where it's producing reasonably consistently. The only downside is that your skimmer will overflow easier due to changes in the water and or slight plugging of the Venturi due to salt creep.

With these skimmers being so conservately rated, they are best being properly sized. The idea is that you're better off having a properly sized skimmer that works consistently hard than an oversized skimmer that hardly has to work and is inconsistent as a result.

[DePinchGonze]

Isn't there a forum for selling used equipment and such here? Id be willing to trade for a skimmer that would be a more appropriate size

[slief]

Originally Posted by DePinchGonze

Isn't there a forum for selling used equipment and such here? Id be willing to trade for a skimmer that would be a more appropriate size

There is a classified section on Reef Central but you need to have 50+ meaningful posts to access it. This is done to protect forum members from scammers who join up just to post in the classified section.

I would suggest posting a thread in the regional/club section that is closest to where you live.

You can find your local club/regional section here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=80

[ReefClownMIA]

If you're on Facebook you could also post it in the Bubble King Owners group - being that we currently do not have any SM200's in stock, you may find that someone looking for one would be willing to trade you.

[DePinchGonze]

Yep, you guys were right, this thing is way too much for my tank and sump. It fits into the sump just fine however the about of bubbles coming out are no match for my bubble trap.

[DePinchGonze]

How do I turn the wattage of the pump down?

[ReefClownMIA]

On the controller, you'll see an UP/DOWN button. hit the DOWN button, about a second or two after letting go, the number will change and settle to the actual wattage.

[DePinchGonze]

My skimmer does not have a controller, the pump is "red dragon 1500"

[slief]

Originally Posted by DePinchGonze

My skimmer does not have a controller, the pump is "red dragon 1500"

If that is the case, then your skimmer is not the SM200 RD3 version. It's a standard SM200. As mentioned, it way too large. Due to the lack of sufficient dissolved organics in your system the bubbles will not stick together and generate good foam. Instead your bubbles will burst at the surface and some will pass right through the skimmer as you are finding. If you can't change your bubble trap which obviously that is impossible to do in most cases, the best you can do is play with the nozzle some. I would suggest closing the nozzle a tiny bit at a time until you reduce the air into the skimmer enough that you aren't getting as much microbubbles exiting the skimmer. The only issue is that it's a bit of a double edge sword. As you close the nozzle, that will allow more water into the skimmer which means the water will be passing through it faster. That may tend to carry more bubbles out of the skimmer. You might have to raise the skimmer or open the wedge pipe more to compensate for the increased water flow through the skimmer as well. If you did in fact have the RD3, you could raise the level in the skimmer and decrease the flow of the pump to reduce the water flow and air intake into the skimmer but in the absence of the RD3, that is impossible.

That said, if you just set this tank up, you won't have much in the way or dissolved organics to begin with. If you just set the skimmer up, it will need a good week to break in before it settles down. Once it's broken in, the amount of microbubbles should subside. Until it's fully broken in, you will have a hard time turning it which requires adjusting that nozzle on the volute (pump head) to fine tune the amount of air going into the skimmer. FWIW, I would suggest starting at about 1.5 full turns out from fully closed and working your way out from there.

[ReefClownMIA]

wow - based on the sump pictures you posted here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2582852



This skimmer is definitively blowing out and seems quite oversized.
Try closing the output wedge pipe some, understanding that it may overflow. It's very early on in your tank, especially for such large skimmer. Personally I'd turn it off for a few weeks, but leave it in.
Also check the volute/nozzle and make sure there is no salt creep.
Do you have the orange plug for the cup drain?

[DePinchGonze]

wI'll do, thank you and Slief so much for all your help!

[DePinchGonze]

Unfortunately I don't have Facebook, or I would definitely look into that