Fine tuning a PM Bullet 2 - Help

[rreddick]

Hi all,
I just recieved the colelction overflow for my Bullet 2 skimmer and am having a hard time get this set up correctly. I have tried the manual setup steps, i.e.. 1" of water in the lower tube with the air off, once stable turn the air valve to the 11 o'clock poisiton. What has resulted is low foam production for the 1st hour or so, then all of a sudden if fills the collection tube with water, shuts the captive ball overflow float and quites skimming. When I just ran the skimmer output to a open bucket I was getting around 2 cups of semi wet skimmate a day, now I do not seem to be able to get the unit dialed in. I clean the skimmer tubes and cup daily of the sludge and the manual does not help much on fine tunning the unit.

Unit is plumbed in as follows' Tank overflows frop into 50g sump. In chamber 1 is a 1" bulkhead feeding an Iwaki 50 pump, then flex PVC up to Skimmer intake. About 1 foot higher then the sump water level. Discharge from sump goes straight out, through a ball valve (should I use a gate valve for better fine control?), then takes a 90º turn to drop into chamber 2 of the sump. Pipe ends about 2" above the sump water level.

Any ideas or guidance from someone how has there unit set up and running well would be great. I can post a pick of the plumbing if that helps.

Thanks
Ron

[rreddick]

bump

Ron