Does the Mini BK180 come with a skimmer drain?

Maximus · 01/07/2017, 11:27 PM

Hey Scott, I totally forgot to ask this but does it come with a drain? I suppose I could have waited until Tue (when the skimmer arrives) but what fun would that be?

I plan on ordering a Davy Jones Locker from Avast for the skimmate, and was wondering if it comes with a drain. If so, what size is the tubing? Thanks!

slief · 01/08/2017, 11:31 AM

The don't. They have a hole in the drain cup with a removable rubber plug in it. You could fine some rigid tubing and glue it in or carefully tap the hole in the side of the cup and add a fitting. It's a metric sized hole too. You could likely take the cup to Lowes and find some PEX tubing in the plumbing section that would fit in the hole with some persuasion.

That said, unlike most skimmers, the BK Mini cups are very heavy and just sit on the skimmer. You need need to thread them off to get them off the skimmer. Just life which makes draining the cup pretty simple. That's what I do with the Mini 160 I have on my 100 gallon at this point.

I think you will love the skimmer. I have been constantly impressed with mine. It's the best performing little skimmer I've ever had my hands on. I had a brand new Aquamaxx Co1 that I bought for this tank and it was OK. I bought a used Mini 180 which turned out to be too large for the skimmer compartment on the 100. I then found a near new Mini 160 which I jumped on. It works amazingly well and has really impressed me.

Maximus · 01/08/2017, 12:51 PM

Thanks Scott. I'll figure something out with the drain. Perhaps some Weld On and a piece of an acrylic tube?

slief · 01/08/2017, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Thanks Scott. I'll figure something out with the drain. Perhaps some Weld On and a piece of an acrylic tube?

That would. I'd look for PVC though because the white material used on the skimmers is PVC and the drain hole is drilled into the base of the cup which is also PVC. You could then use standard clear PVC glue.

Maximus · 01/08/2017, 03:12 PM

Ahh didn't know the hole was in the base. How large is the hole?

slief · 01/08/2017, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Ahh didn't know the hole was in the base. How large is the hole?

It's metric. I am not 100% certain. If I had a caliper here, I could measure mine for you but I don't have one here to check with. It's just under 1/2" though. I have a caliper at my office and if I remember to grab it tomorrow, I will bring it home and measure it for you. It's digital so I will need to grab some batteries for it on the way home.

Maximus · 01/08/2017, 07:09 PM

No worries at all. Please don't go out of your way as I should be receiving the skimmer on Tue. Thank you, Scott.

slief · 01/08/2017, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

No worries at all. Please don't go out of your way as I should be receiving the skimmer on Tue. Thank you, Scott.

Glad to help. You will love the skimmer! I just cleaned my cup tonight. That is one thing I do love about the skimmer is that the cup just lifts off. It makes it way too easy to dump the cup unlike my Supermarin 250 that is connected to a 1.5 gallon jug since that cup needs to be unscrewed to remove it.

Maximus · 01/08/2017, 09:22 PM

Thanks Scott. So the cup doesn't screw off like the Vertex Omega skimmers? Ahh, interesting!

slief · 01/09/2017, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Thanks Scott. So the cup doesn't screw off like the Vertex Omega skimmers? Ahh, interesting!

Nope. It's really heavy and just lifts straight off which makes it really convenient.

Maximus · 01/09/2017, 05:53 PM

Ok, sounds nice! Wonder if it's some sort of compression fitting?

slief · 01/09/2017, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Ok, sounds nice! Wonder if it's some sort of compression fitting?

No. There is a special o-ring seal in the bottom of the lid. The water line in the skimmer is best at about an inch below the top of the body (there is a line on the body for where to set the water level) and it's just foam rising up from there. The weight of the collection cup combined with the way the cups PVC bottom is milled to fit into the body egnerates enough compression on the o-ring to form a good seal to prevent skimmate and foam from leaking through. I use a bit of silcone grease on all my o-rings including the one on my Mini 160's neck. You will see tomorrow. The collection cup on this skimmer probably weighs as much as the complete Omega skimmer minus the pump. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. It's built like a tank and weighs far more than you might expect.

Maximus · 01/09/2017, 06:41 PM

Sounds great. I have some silicone grease left over from my last skimmer that I will use on the O ring. Thanks Scott!

slief · 01/09/2017, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Sounds great. I have some silicone grease left over from my last skimmer that I will use on the O ring. Thanks Scott!

You're very welcome... I will be looking forward to your reaction once it arrives. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised and pleased!

Maximus · 01/09/2017, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slief

You're very welcome... I will be looking forward to your reaction once it arrives. I think you will be very pleasantly surprised and pleased!

You got it!

scuzy · 01/10/2017, 12:07 AM

Here is what I did with mine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maximus · 01/10/2017, 12:10 AM

Nice! Can you tell me how you did that? Which parts would I need to get? Thanks!

scuzy · 01/10/2017, 01:03 AM

Here is what I did with mine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maximus · 01/10/2017, 01:05 AM

Is that a hose barb you glued in?

scuzy · 01/10/2017, 01:19 AM

Didn't glue it it was one of those barb that pushes into a John guest I think it's a 3/8 I just wrapped it with Teflon so no glueing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maximus · 01/10/2017, 01:30 AM

Gotcha! Thx!

Maximus · 01/10/2017, 05:34 PM

Wow, just opened the box and this thing looks like a work of art! Cleaning the cup will be really easy as you just lift it off the base. Scott, is the skimmer supposed to come with an ozone port cover? There's a hole next to the Venturi and I assume that's for ozone? It's uncovered and I cannot find the little nipple that's supposed to plug it. Thanks!

slief · 01/10/2017, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

Wow, just opened the box and this thing looks like a work of art! Cleaning the cup will be really easy as you just lift it off the base. Scott, is the skimmer supposed to come with an ozone port cover? There's a hole next to the Venturi and I assume that's for ozone? It's uncovered and I cannot find the little nipple that's supposed to plug it. Thanks!

No cover and none needed. If you don't have the ozone tube connected (which you won't), it will draw water in through there as well as through the nozzle instead of just through the nozzle which doesn't change the pumps perfomrance at all. The pump can only draw so much water anyways because the flow is dependant on the RPM of the pump. As such, the pump doesn't care if it comes through the ozone port or the nozzle. Heck, it might even help in reducing salt creep in the venturi port having a bit of water come in through the ozone port.

Maximus · 01/10/2017, 06:05 PM

Ahh, makes sense. Thanks again!

Maximus · 01/10/2017, 06:09 PM

Obligatory tease shot:

My dream finally came true!!

01/07/2017, 11:27 PM	#1
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Does the Mini BK180 come with a skimmer drain? Hey Scott, I totally forgot to ask this but does it come with a drain? I suppose I could have waited until Tue (when the skimmer arrives) but what fun would that be? I plan on ordering a Davy Jones Locker from Avast for the skimmate, and was wondering if it comes with a drain. If so, what size is the tubing? Thanks! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/08/2017, 11:31 AM	#2
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	The don't. They have a hole in the drain cup with a removable rubber plug in it. You could fine some rigid tubing and glue it in or carefully tap the hole in the side of the cup and add a fitting. It's a metric sized hole too. You could likely take the cup to Lowes and find some PEX tubing in the plumbing section that would fit in the hole with some persuasion. That said, unlike most skimmers, the BK Mini cups are very heavy and just sit on the skimmer. You need need to thread them off to get them off the skimmer. Just life which makes draining the cup pretty simple. That's what I do with the Mini 160 I have on my 100 gallon at this point. I think you will love the skimmer. I have been constantly impressed with mine. It's the best performing little skimmer I've ever had my hands on. I had a brand new Aquamaxx Co1 that I bought for this tank and it was OK. I bought a used Mini 180 which turned out to be too large for the skimmer compartment on the 100. I then found a near new Mini 160 which I jumped on. It works amazingly well and has really impressed me. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

01/08/2017, 12:51 PM	#3
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Thanks Scott. I'll figure something out with the drain. Perhaps some Weld On and a piece of an acrylic tube? __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/08/2017, 03:12 PM	#5
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Ahh didn't know the hole was in the base. How large is the hole? __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/08/2017, 07:09 PM	#7
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	No worries at all. Please don't go out of your way as I should be receiving the skimmer on Tue. Thank you, Scott. __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/08/2017, 09:22 PM	#9
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Thanks Scott. So the cup doesn't screw off like the Vertex Omega skimmers? Ahh, interesting! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/09/2017, 05:53 PM	#11
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Ok, sounds nice! Wonder if it's some sort of compression fitting? __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/09/2017, 06:41 PM	#13
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Sounds great. I have some silicone grease left over from my last skimmer that I will use on the O ring. Thanks Scott! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/10/2017, 12:07 AM	#16
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	Here is what I did with mine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/10/2017, 12:10 AM	#17
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Nice! Can you tell me how you did that? Which parts would I need to get? Thanks! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/10/2017, 01:03 AM	#18
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	Here is what I did with mine. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/10/2017, 01:05 AM	#19
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Is that a hose barb you glued in? __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/10/2017, 01:19 AM	#20
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	Didn't glue it it was one of those barb that pushes into a John guest I think it's a 3/8 I just wrapped it with Teflon so no glueing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/10/2017, 01:30 AM	#21
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Gotcha! Thx! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/10/2017, 05:34 PM	#22
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Wow, just opened the box and this thing looks like a work of art! Cleaning the cup will be really easy as you just lift it off the base. Scott, is the skimmer supposed to come with an ozone port cover? There's a hole next to the Venturi and I assume that's for ozone? It's uncovered and I cannot find the little nipple that's supposed to plug it. Thanks! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/10/2017, 06:05 PM	#24
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Ahh, makes sense. Thanks again! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.

01/10/2017, 06:09 PM	#25
Maximus Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Monterey County Posts: 6,442	Obligatory tease shot: My dream finally came true!! __________________ This space for rent... Current Tank Info: 36x36x16 A.G.E. tank. Lighting: ATI Straton. Circulation: 2x Vortech MP40wQd's. Skimmer: Red Sea 300. Controller: Neptune Apex. Doser: Neptune Dos.