Help needed! BC29 mods to fit skimmer

[jack1978]

Well,

I bought the Hydor Slim Skim for my BC29. Thanks to msujeff for helping on the alterations to chamber 1. I had to use a dremel to cut away the rim in the back corner of chamber 1 to get the skimmer to slide in, however the BC29 lid with the light cord runs right on top of the skimmer's collection cup! Not good for adjustments. I will also have to remove the entire BC29 lid to dump the collection cup, also not good.

So,

I was looking at chamber 2. With only the back hatch open I would be able to make adjustments and remove the collection cup w/out removing the entire BC29 top. Question is, before I cut away more of the plastic rim from the tank in chamber 2....will this chamber completely fill with water for the skimmer? It seems now that water just trickles in through a top grate. If I can get chamber 2 to fill with completely water and there is nothing below that grate to block the skimmer from sliding in, I'll keep it.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[Meengineer0128]

Well,

I bought the Hydor Slim Skim for my BC29. Thanks to msujeff for helping on the alterations to chamber 1. I had to use a dremel to cut away the rim in the back corner of chamber 1 to get the skimmer to slide in, however the BC29 lid with the light cord runs right on top of the skimmer's collection cup! Not good for adjustments. I will also have to remove the entire BC29 lid to dump the collection cup, also not good.

So,

I was looking at chamber 2. With only the back hatch open I would be able to make adjustments and remove the collection cup w/out removing the entire BC29 top. Question is, before I cut away more of the plastic rim from the tank in chamber 2....will this chamber completely fill with water for the skimmer? It seems now that water just trickles in through a top grate. If I can get chamber 2 to fill with completely water and there is nothing below that grate to block the skimmer from sliding in, I'll keep it.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

 

 

You can fill the second chamber as high as you want. I would remove both grates from the BC29. They serve very little purpose depending on your layout. Also, I never pay any attention to the min/max lines.

[jack1978]

You can fill the second chamber as high as you want. I would remove both grates from the BC29. They serve very little purpose depending on your layout. Also, I never pay any attention to the min/max lines.

 

meengineer0128,

Thanks. The grate in chamber 2, how do you get it out?

[Natural71]

The grate is just wedged down there without adhesive. You can just push on the backside of it where it meet the glass and pop it up to pull it out. Chamber 1 works better for stable water level though.

[jack1978]

The grate is just wedged down there without adhesive. You can just push on the backside of it where it meet the glass and pop it up to pull it out. Chamber 1 works better for stable water level though.

 

Natural71,

Thanks. I feel like an idiot! I put a knife into the grate and it just popped right out. Same for the second one down below. I cut out just about an 1/8" of the tanks rim and the skimmer slid right into place with it's back up against the wall of chamber 3. I do like it in chamber 1 better for the constant water level.....but having to remove the entire top just to dump the cup would burn me out. Not to mention the lamp wires run directly on top of the cup if I run it in chamber 1.

 

So,

The way it sits for now is in chamber 2 with its back up against chamber 3. I only had to trim about an 1/8" off of the tanks rear lip the width of the skimmer. Now all I have to do is flip up the rear hatch to adjust the cup level and air flow, or remove the cup to dump. The Hydor Slim Skim seems to be made well. We'll see how it breaks in over the next few days.

[Natural71]

No problem. Make sure you read through the AIO Biocube thread. There's a lot of useful tips and ideas in there. It's a sticky at the top of the section. GL and feel free to PM me if you need help.

[jack1978]

No problem. Make sure you read through the AIO Biocube thread. There's a lot of useful tips and ideas in there. It's a sticky at the top of the section. GL and feel free to PM me if you need help.

natural71, Thanks.

I got the skimmer in chamber two after a quick bit of trimming to the lip of the tank. Fits great, seems to be working good after just a couple of days. No micro bubbles to speak of.

 

-Just added my first corals today.

 

(1) Frogspawn -2 heads

(1) Toad stool -Bright green 2"

(1) GSP -approx 2" x 3"

(2) Rics (1 orange, 1 yellow)

(2) Candy Cane (1 green w/ 2 heads, 1 purple w/ 7 heads)

(3) Assorted rocks w/ zoas (approx 20 heads per rock -reds, orange, green, blues)

(1) Bright green shroom (1")

-couple other misc. pieces and frags

 

Will take some pics in the next couple of days.

[msujeff]

Start a tank thread in the member aquarium section (or the AIO section like some of us do.... ) and post your pics there. Then you can document the progress of the tank for all to see!

[jack1978]

Start a tank thread in the member aquarium section (or the AIO section like some of us do.... ) and post your pics there. Then you can document the progress of the tank for all to see!

 

 

Will do on the thread! If only I knew what and where the AIO was......

Thanks msujeff

[msujeff]

Here

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showforum=3

or here

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showforum=35

[jack1978]

Here

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showforum=3

or here

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showforum=35

 

 

Ahhh, I see! Thanks for the help again. My eyes are burning, so I'll try to get to posting some pics in the next couple of days. I checked out your tank, that rock is starting to get some nice color on it! I added an Opposum Wrasse a few weeks back, super cool fish. He hid for a good week or two only showing himself for a minute or two a day. He's now out quite a bit.....one of my favorites for sure!

[msujeff]

Thanks and my dry rock is starting to color up nicely. Definitely want to see some pics of the possum wrasse. It's one of the few i have picked out for my last fish down the road.

[jack1978]

Thanks and my dry rock is starting to color up nicely. Definitely want to see some pics of the possum wrasse. It's one of the few i have picked out for my last fish down the road.

http://i1215.photobucket.com/albums/cc517/...ossumWrasse.jpg

Every time I tried to take a shot I just missed him. Here's the best I could get. As soon as the camera was put away, he spent a half hour playing in front of the glass!

[msujeff]

Nice shot! How big is he? Active swimmer? What are you feeding him and is he a pig like other wrasses?

[jack1978]

Nice shot! How big is he? Active swimmer? What are you feeding him and is he a pig like other wrasses?

 

Hey msujeff,

Ya, he's always moving in and out of the rock work. He's been coming out more and more this past week or so. It took a good couple of weeks for him to really start cruising the entire tank. Size... about 1 1/2". Can't say that I've ever seen him eat, but his belly is fat and he's always busy examining the rock! One of the coolest fish I've had. With the addition of the first corals a few days ago, all the fish have become more active, him included.