BK Skimmate Production?

[tanglovers]

Hi All,

Have some questions. We are running a BK 300 Internal on our 220 gallon setup. Love the skimmer but I think I may want to adjust/tune it some more. We currently only have a couple of SPS frags in the tank and a few LPS corals. Primarily running it as a "fish tank" at the moment and want to get all our feeding/zeo dosing down before adding tons and tons of SPS colonies.

Here is a current fish list:
3.5" Chevron Tang
7" Naso Tang
4.5" Regel Angel
11 - 1" Threadfin Cardinals
1 - 2" Mandarin
2 - 3" Pink Skunk Clowns and Sebea Anemone

We feed frozen mysis every night with flakes (formula 2) and pellets (spectrum) with garlic and Zoe and Zoecon added. Also do Nori for the tangs. All food is consumed within 5 minutes with only traces being left the last couple minutes.

Our BK produces about 1/4- 1/3 of the collection cup in a week. My concern is we have still detectable NO3, NO2 and Ammonia. I want to wet skim more but guess I still have not grasped the full concept of the adjusting. We have the older design BK with 2 outlet pipes. Moving the telescoping pipes up seems to slow the water output, does this increase the air input at all? What does turning the wedge pipes do?

Our BK has been running for a good 4 months or so, I currently have it adjusted with the nozzle on the RD all the way out (almost so it does not fall off) and the telescoping pipes raised up about 2.5" and wedge pipes are still set with the black dots lined up.

Also is there a recommended cleaning schedule for the BK's? I have cleaned the body once a couple months ago and empty the cup once weekly. What is recommended for the RD? How much can you take apart and what should we clean it with....vinegar/water solution like the Tunze streams?

We want to get our levels and feeding in check before stocking with corals and would prefer to wet skim as we like a decent fish load.

Any recommendations? I do not feel this a very high fish load for this tank just think I need to get the BK adjusted/tuned in to pull out alot more. Would you agree?

Thanks!

[OUinLA]

Let's try this.

Screw the nozzle in the pump all the way in, then back it out until the black dots line up. this should be the optimal setting for that pump. Watch the BK for a moment and if you don't see any noticable changes, then close the wedge pipes some. The wedge pipes and raising the outputs do the same thing. Both creat back pressure wich raises the water level inside the skimmer body, making the foam rise easier to the cup. When you have the black dots lined up on the wedge pipes, they are fully open. You have a lot more potential to skim by closing those down some. Remember, whatever adjustment you do to one, do the same to the other. I would start by closing them each down 1/4 turn then after half a day, see if they need more adjusting or less.

[Orion76]

Tang lovers, I have my BK adjusted as follows:

The white rim of the wedge pipes is slightly above the lower rim of the collection cup.

If you view the wedge pipe from above imagine it's a clock and the dots being lined up being 6 o clock, I have the dot turned to 10 o clock.

The pump screw I have about 50% out.

I removed the carbon from the silencer, it's noisier but if that doesn't bother you it sure sucks in a lot more air.

With these settings I fill the entire cup every 24 hours with wet skimmate, and I haven't fed my fish in 3 months.

[Orion76]

Pictures work better

I think we both have the same model so this should help.

Here is a level side shot so you can see the exact height of my wedge pipe:



Here you can see the other pipe too, I always set the two pipes at exactly the same position:



With these settings I fill the whole cup in 24 hours with skimmate of the consistency you see in that picture (just cleaned it 10 hours ago) with a thick layer of black detritus in the bottom of the cup.

[mshur]

hi madison,
why do u think ,if u line up two black dots on the nozzle,that would be the optimum performance?
i remember from the begining,klause told me ,i have two keep them in-line only in brake in period.
right now in my skimmer nozzle a little open..about 3-4 mm

mike

[OUinLA]

Mike, "optimum" might have been my own word but I had heard long ago that it was a "factory" setting for a certain mixture of air/water that was good for the BK's.

It is just a starting point and can/should be adjusted to suit the individuals' system (feeding, plumbing, skimmer orientation etc)

[mshur]

madison,
i guess u right...i just need to stop playing with it)))


mike