Bubble Master Skimmers more info wanted???

[Maximus]

Are you talking about this?

[Maximus]

I just got off the phone with Greg at Reefgeek and he mentioned something I didn't think of. My sumps water level is exactly 9". I wonder if lowering the water level would have any effect on the water level in the skimmer? This is easier said than done as I cannot lower the level due to the Kent float valve. I also cannot put the skimmer higher as it would not leave me any room to take out the collection cup.

Creetin, can you tell me what your water level is inside the sump?

[LA-Lawman]

no. inside the inlet of the pump there should be a little black piece of plastic to restrict the nlet to start the venturi. i saya hazy pic on zeovit and now i cant find it.

BTW - the pump on the 200 sits horizontally. that rubber piece acts as a isolator from the bottom of the skimmer. i will post pics in an hour or so.

[LA-Lawman]

the venturi is missing... no big deal. i am gonna drive down and get one.

but here are the photos anyway. i macgyvered a restricter to get the skimmer bubblibg... here they are...







cool rubber isolators






this is the jobber i need. gonna drive down and get one!




in action

[Maximus]

Nice pics! Sooo that is the 200? I have a little update on my project. I went to the hardware store and bought a pvc fitting. All the fittings wouldn't fit in the output of the skimmer so I grabbed a fitting that would fit inside the output tube. I used a few rubberbands in order to make it wider and I now can control the water level in the skimmer! Wahoo!! Now, it's just a matter of pushing the small pvc pipe up or down in order to raise or decrease the water level. The T-pipe with the air line hoses is not even used now and is stationary next to the skimmer. Here are a few pics:



New water level:


Old water level:

[Aqua Keepers]

I think I said this before in this thread, but let me remind you that I don't know jack about skimmers. With that being said I'd like to know if this skimmer can be (ohh, whats the word?) tunned to skim wet or dry?

[Roland Jacques]

LA-Lawman,
Keep us posted on that BM 200. Whats the ID of your neck and the total height of the BM 200?

Oliver, thanks for good skimmer design, and info, Please keep us informed.

[Roland Jacques]

Oliver,
Some folks here will desire to lower the skimmer water level.

your new mod looks good but, i dont see how adding the sliding tee is going to acheive a DRYER foam. It seems to me that it would only allow you to raise the water level.

Originally posted by Maximus
I wish ATI would have made a sliding pipe. It would have been a simple add on.

Maximus,

You seem to be really good at wishing. Do you take wish requests?

[Creetin]

Originally posted by UCanDoIt
Everyone in the first 2 shipments saved $120 on the BM250, so it won't hurt as bad.

That a poke at my cheapness?

Ii had the opportuniy to talk with oliver on another board, and what he said to me made alot of sense. This is a tweeked version, Not a tottaly new idea. I trust tunze very much, and as soon as i heard thet they were using it i knew this skimmer was for me. Oh well so i didnt get a sliding pipe. I am confident i can figure out a way to lower waterlevel if i need to, So far i am happy with it!!!
I dont want anyone to think i get heated, I dont, But i voice my opinions.
I dont mind being a so called beta tester because its the best test i have ever done.
Few tweeks and this skimmer is going to rock.
BTW I put a air flow meter on it, I'll get pics soon.

[otterpop510]

nice pics everyone, too bad the prices went up, but this looks like a winner.. i'm still hoping people show some action pics for the BM200 as well as 'real' (actually measured) specs for the footprint, height, and min/max height for the cup to come off..

[mavgi]

any new color (darkness) of the skimming result.

on monday i will check and compare to my ER . from the picture that i saw i don't like so much the color of the skim.

that is what i got in 20 hour in my ER treadwheel and every day i need to clean the collection cup because it will split out if i don't do it. as i see the mesh on those pump are one layer and i believe if i add one more the bubble will be stronger and better skimming result but i think the watt will increase to and the noise with one layer it's quite but again i don't like the result i hope i am wrong.

here how my collection cup look every 20 hour .


[IMG][/IMG]

[Maximus]

Originally posted by Roland Jacques
Oliver,
Some folks here will desire to lower the skimmer water level.

your new mod looks good but, i dont see how adding the sliding tee is going to acheive a DRYER foam. It seems to me that it would only allow you to raise the water level.




Maximus,

You seem to be really good at wishing. Do you take wish requests?

Hehe, let me look into my crystal ball for the next modification!
I agree with Roland. I don't think the pipe is going to let us lower the water level.


Roland, the small pvc pipe lets me increase the water level. I need to increase it because the pipe that it came with is off now. When I took it off, the water level in the skimmer was a bit too low and produced really dry foam.

Creetin, what is your sumps water level at?

I also have great news. I fed heavily on purpose before I left the house. I came back 4-5 hrs later and the cup did not overfill! I think I will keep the water at this level for now.

[mavgi]

if the pipe will be longer then the water level in the skimmer body will reduce , if you modify that more longer and add a gate valve you will have the option for better adjustment but it's depend to what those pump pull out.

[LA-Lawman]

Skimmer height 19 7/8" tall. ID of collection cup neck 3 5/8"

cup is same OD of skimmer 8"

[Maximus]

Do you have any shots of the foam on the 200?

[UCanDoIt]

Originally posted by Oliver P.
..... the second shipment is with an adjustable Wateroutlet. The T-fitting is a little lower and ended much higher. Please look at the picture.


Thanks,
Oliver Pritzel

I didn't notice this earlier, but the T-fitting looks much higher than the first shipment model BM250, this would only make things worst. The T-fitting needs to be lower, so the water level within the skimmer body will be lower and skim drier. The higher T-fitting will overflow the skimmer and flood the collection cup.

[UCanDoIt]

Originally posted by Newreeflady
..... Is this for all models? I ordered the BM150 and it will be here Monday.

Thanks,
Angela

The BM150 is already an adjustable exhaust pipe, doubt if there's any change on this model. The sample photo on ATi website is fully extended, I'm sure that one can lower the exhaust to get drier skimming.

[UCanDoIt]

Originally posted by Mchava
Oliver do you know the time frame of when the next shippments of skimmer will be sent out? Iam on the second list and cant wait to get my hands on one. If you can let me know that would be great.
Thanks
Mario

My local guy has a BM250 coming to him on the next shipment for test comparison and he says about a month for him to actually receive it in hand. So, most likely will be arriving in USA about 3-4 weeks. Maybe USA will be getting in a shipment per month???

[UCanDoIt]

Originally posted by Maximus
I just got off the phone with Greg at Reefgeek and he mentioned something I didn't think of. My sumps water level is exactly 9". I wonder if lowering the water level would have any effect on the water level in the skimmer? This is easier said than done as I cannot lower the level due to the Kent float valve. I also cannot put the skimmer higher as it would not leave me any room to take out the collection cup.

Creetin, can you tell me what your water level is inside the sump?

I don't think so. Since the exhaust pipe positioning is fixed, the water level within the skimmer is controlled by the position of the T-fitting... or in your case, since you took off the T-fitting, it is controlled by the height of the inner pipe, not by the sump waterlevel unless the exhaust is submerged underwater. If submerged, there is backpressure created on the exhaust, so if you lower the sump waterlevel, it will relieve the backpressure, which will lower the waterlevel within the skimmer.

[UCanDoIt]

1st Photo - Your exhaust is underwater, so there is some backpressure on the skimmer and probably raising the waterlevel within the skimmer a little bit.

2nd Photo - I would raise the bubble breaking level about 1/2 way up the collection cup. You'll probably have a better balance in skimmate. Just a suggestion.

Originally posted by Maximus
..... Here are a few pics:


New water level:

[UCanDoIt]

Originally posted by Creetin
That a poke at my cheapness?

Not at all. Guinea pigs get a $120 break on pricing, so it really doesn't hurt as bad, unless there's a problem with the skimmer design and needs to be reworked???

Right now, it looks like that the BM250 needs to have:
1. the stock exhaust pipe trimmed down so the T-fitting can be lowered, maybe there isn't enough length to lower any shorter or
2. the stock exhaust pipe be change to larger diameter and this might lower the waterlevel within the skimmer or
3. the skimmer body taller to compensate for the waterlevel height be too high. base on initial photos, I would think the new height would need to be at least 2-3 inches so that the skimming could be adjustable

[UCanDoIt]

Originally posted by jimdogg187
Oliver,

Thanks for the information.

Will there be any external models in the future?

Thanks,

Jim

Yes, looking at a possible recirculating skimmer as well???

[Creetin]

Sang, My waterlevel is 6-7 inches, I raised me waterlevel to see, and it had no direct impact that i could see.
I dumped my skimmer shortly after a took that last pic and it was a little bit over 1 litre. So it easlit holds over 3 litres of skimmate.
Sang take the floss out of your riser and place it back on and tell me where your water level goe's to.

[Creetin]

Also i forgot to mention, I am pulling a little over 60 (About 62scfh)scfh with a dwyer airflow meter. I dunno if the airflow meter is bad though because i get 40 scfh with one of the pumps off. Doesnt make a diff which one i turn off i still get 40scfh, and when i turn both on i get 60 so i think my airflow meter is bad. Too bad i just bought it off ebay and it is supposedly brand new.

[mavgi]

Originally posted by Creetin
Also i forgot to mention, I am pulling a little over 60 (About 62scfh)scfh with a dwyer airflow meter. I dunno if the airflow meter is bad though because i get 40 scfh with one of the pumps off. Doesnt make a diff which one i turn off i still get 40scfh, and when i turn both on i get 60 so i think my airflow meter is bad. Too bad i just bought it off ebay and it is supposedly brand new.

creetin

you read different because the back pressure on the pumps and not because the meter is not good i got the same problem when i try 2 pumps on my skimmer and when i turn the first pump the reading was high after i turn on the second one the reading lower on the same pump.