Berlin HOB XL

How long does it normally take for this skimmer to break in? Anyone have any experience with these. I switched from a SeaClone and it didnt take as long jus didnt produce enough skimmate. I'm running the berlin with a CA1800 rated at 635 gph w/ the air valve open all the way, have gotten some skimmate but it produces then slows down again to the bottom of the neck!?

 

Anybody? i don't know what I'm doing wrong. It's a massive hang on skimmer running on 635gph CA1800, I added an air pump to the air valve to produce more bubbles but still dont seem to get enough skimmate. There is stuff that bubbles into the collection cup but its not nearly as much as i expected, not even a 1/8 cup, but the cup is huge and its on a 55 but i dont see how that would make a difference. Any Input anyone???

 

how long has the tank been set up and what is in it

 

Over a year, was running other skimmers previously, this does seem to produce a much darker skimmate, jus at a slow rate.

Temperature: 82
PH: 7.9
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Salinity: 1.024
dKH/KH/Alkalinity: 3.5/12.25
Magnesium: 1300
Calcium: 480
Phosphate: 0.5
Test kits you own: Calcium, Phosphate, Hydrometer, Magnesium, PH, Alk
Liquid or Strips: Liquid
Brand Name: API mostly
Are they Expired?: Nope


Tank size? 55
Estimated total system? 55

Reef, fish only or, freshwater? Reef

Current inhabitants? What and how many? 1 Yellow Tang, 3 Small Damsel, 1 Bigger Damsel, 1 Six Line Wrasse, 1 Oscellaris, 1 Booyahs Reef Oscellaris, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp, 1 Purple Reef Lobster, 5 Hermit Crabs, 2 Emerald Crabs, 10 Astrea Snails, 2 Black Turbo Snails, 1 Sand Sifting Star, 1 Brittle Star

How long has your tank been set-up? 1 year

Substrate. Live Sand
Type? Don't Remember
Depth? 2"

Live rock? Yes
How much? 100lbs
Did you recently add some? Couple pieces with corals attached

Filtration.
Type? Fluval 305
Protein skimmer? Berlin XL w/ CA 1800
Do you wet or dry skim? Still breaking in the skimmer
Maintenance schedule for filtration? Cleaned ever 2 months in tank water.
Drilled tank/hang on back overflow? No
Sump/refugium. What's in it and how much? Hang in refugium w/ Chaeto, and 1 Mangrove, small piece of rock
Macro? What kind?

Lighting.
Lighting type? 175 watt hamilton tech Metal Halide w/ 14k bulbs
Age of bulbs?8 months

Feeding
What? Rods Food and Spectrum Pellets
How much? Square inch of the Rods and couple pinches of the pellets
How often? 1 time each per day

Water change schedule.
How much? 6 Gal
How often? once a month
What salt brand? I buy my water premixed from the lfs
Water source?

Additives/supplements used? C-Balance and AquaVitro fuel and couple of their other products for maintenance

Do you have a ground probe? No
What kind of flow does your tank have? 2 Hydor Koralia 2 on each end facing each other, the return from the HOB skimmer on one end and the return from the fluval on the other end.

 

Anybody?

 

Ahh, the sweet smell of skimmer success. Got it working, producing plenty of light gravy. mmm mmm