NEED HELP!!! - Berlin Turbo setup

[@knight]

OK, I followed you all's advice, and got the turbo upgrade kit to go with the used berlin classic skimmer I got off of ----. Now the fun (and wet) part.
I plumbed up the intake from the pump to the bottom inlet. I also plumbed the two ports on the top as returns. Is this right???
The reason I ask is I get bubbles all over everywhere, not just the center cyclone tube. Its not like the picture looks. I have tried to ajust the air intake from the pump and it helps a little, but then it overflows out the small hoses above the top outlets. Been mucking with this thing for about 7 hours now and my floor is getting really wet, and I'm out of towels, so while they are in the dryer, I hope to get a little advice from you all. The red sea website is of little help.
[ October 04, 2001: Message edited by: @knight ]

 

[@knight]

anyone???

 

[tangman99]

I'm not sure what the original berlin skimmer looks like, but from what I understand, it is just like the turbo with the only difference being the air mixed in the pump. I have the actual berlin turbo skimmer and it sounds like you hooked it up fine.
You would run the pump to the intake at the bottom and have two return pipes at the top. When it runs, there are actually three chambers. The inner most tube is very turbulent and goes up the skimmer. The middle tube flows down and will be filled with millions of bubbles. The bottom of the middle tube is flared out so the water velocity is slowed allowing the water to flow up the third and outer tube to return the water out the two overflows back to the sump or tank. If adjusted right, the bubbles should reach the bottom of the second tube and float back up to the top without bypassing the lip thus remaining in the middle tube to float back up to the collection cup.
You really can't see the inner tube for all the bubbles in the second tube.
As for the water flowing out the overflow pipes over the exit spouts, make sure that the exit spouts are free flowing with absolutely no back pressure. It may be also that you the pipe you are using is too small and causing backpressure. I'm not sure what size PVC pipe they used, but it has a 90 degree elbow that points down on the end of each return pipe and the inside diameter of the elbow is 1".
Mine works best if I leave the airtube completely open and adjust the pump valve just short of being wide open.
Hope that helps.
I will email a couple of picture to the email address you have in your profile.
Tangman
[ October 03, 2001: Message edited by: TangMan99 ]

 

[@knight]

ok, because the pictures from the instructions i have show NO bubbles in the second tube, i thought that was my problem. but I guess not.
another thing I think I may have done wrong is using the pvc tubing instead of the hard plastic pvc pipe. maybe i should get a couple of elbows and just put up with the dripping noise. thanks for the pictures claudio, they were helpful. looks like i get to have some more wet fun tomorrow.
9if anyone knows any tips or tricks, i would appreciate it if you would chime in.

 

[tangman99]

Glad I could help. I'm not sure what you meant about using elbows and putting up with the dripping noise as compared to how you have it now. From what I understand, the return had to be free flowing and will have to let the water fall. If you run it under water, it will definitely blow water out of the overflow pipes because of backpressure.
If you don't want the dripping noise (I could not stand it), look closely at the picture I sent you and you will see where I extended the elbows about 3 inches with some clear tubing and directed it over a small floss filled basket stuck to the inside of my sump so I don't get any noise. If you plumb it yourself, you can custom build the flow tubes to be the way you want them.
Tangman

 

[jimi]

Knight if you used pvc tubing like I did you have to cut the tubing flush with the outlet ports then get the next size or two up tubing to go over the ports and cut tubing to elliminate any backpressure and allow free flow without sucking. Also you skimmer should appear white because of the amount of bubbles, you should not be able to see the inner tube.

 

[@knight]

jimi, i dont really understand what you mean. basically a tube inside a tube???

 

[jimi]

Yes, kind of. If you just put the size tube over the outlets that fits it does not allow free flow. So you need to cut that tubing flush with the front of the outlets then put the next size or bigger tubing over the cut tubing to increase the diameter, allowing free flow. The cut piece is only an inch or two it is just to increase the diameter of the outlets so you can put a larger size tubing on the outlets without it falling off.