CPR problem

[greenchrom]

I have a CPR bak pak skimmer that I've used for 4 years now. I had the original pump for years and it worked great. Well a few years back like an idiot i swapped the pumps with this other guy who gave me a rio in its place. Now the thing doesn't work. It barely skims if at all. I clean it it just gets dirty, the collection cup is dry always. it never bubbles no matter how i tweak it. I've tried upping to a larger pump too.Nada. ideas? should i just sell the thing and get an Aqua C remora or something? this guy is hanging on a 30 gallon bow. *reef*

 

[nordy]

I'm not familiar with that model skimmer, but is it designed to have an air bleed into the skimmer itself? Did your original pump have a air venturi input?
My Remora doesn't have air intake but my Seaclone does.

 

[waterlogged]

Just a thought but, do you know there are 2 types of rio's. Only one is for a skimmer.

 

[cpg]

I have a maxijet 1200 on mine, and I have to remove the junk from the cup about every 3-4 days.

 

[greenchrom]

maxijet hmm? what kind of RIO is set up for skimmers? crud did i use the wrong model?! I have a rio 600 on it. Should I have gotten the UL model!?

 

[sh00tist]

You have to pump air as well as water into the chamber. This is accomplished by using a venturi that is basically a little air hose with a valve on it that attaches to your powerhead,it sounds like you dont have one going. A maxi 1200 with a venturi will do the job on your CPR,you can also use a rubberband around the outside of the gasket on your collection cup to increase efficiency,Ive also seen people thread an ailine through the second chamber into the first with an airstone attached,connected to an airpump it will increase the bubbles in your chamber. They arent bad skimmers for smaller tanks if you keep them clean and setup for optimum performance. Also you may want to remove the bioballs in the second chamber and replace with reef rubble.

 

[alohami]

There is also a new pump available for the Bak-Pak that you may want to check into. I don't have any personal experience with it, but I was considering trying it out to see if it was an improvement. I have found it for around $32 shipped.
Here is a copy and paste of the information:
ANNOUNCING NEW PUMP FOR BAK-PAK MODELS
CPR is pleased to announce an exciting new enhancement to our popular Bak-Pak protein skimmer line.
The new Accela pump is similar to the Maxi-jet 1200, however, it includes some important added benefits. The pump has been modified to include a venturi intake which efficiently draws in more air with less restriction on the pump. This results in more effective protein skimming with a significantly increased "sweet spot" for skimmer operation.
* Increased air to water ratio
* Less restriction on the pump results inlonger pump life
* Modest power consumption- 20% less than the Maxi-jet 1200
* UL listed with a 6 ft. grounded plug . It's called the Accela Venturi Modified Pump