CPR Bakpak surface skimmer-- any good?
- Thread starter Cliff
- Start date
As with anything in this hobby it is what ever works for you. I own 4 CPR BakPaks. Two with surface skimmers two without, the skimmer works well on tanks with a small surface area. The prefilter is pretty much useless (does kind of keep critters out though).
P.S. I've run across pages on the net dedicated to BakPak based projects.
P.S. I've run across pages on the net dedicated to BakPak based projects.
I've got one, and added the prefilter box a couple of months ago. The prefilter does help keep the snails out of the intake.
Mine came with a piece of Rio 600, which I ran with for about a year and change. A while back I replaced it with a Rio 800, and the skimmer has worked *much* better. I'm thinking about replacing the 800 with a maxijet 1200, and building a new prefilter. The local plastic place sells scrap acrylic for $1.50 lbs.
So in conclusion, it works ok stock, much better if you bump up the pump and add a pre-filter. But look at your options. The CPR isn't rocket science. I was an idiot and bought mine on the advice of the LFS. My next skimmer is going to be DIY. I helped a friend build a CPR clone based off mine, and the whole thing including pump was like $25.
Mine came with a piece of Rio 600, which I ran with for about a year and change. A while back I replaced it with a Rio 800, and the skimmer has worked *much* better. I'm thinking about replacing the 800 with a maxijet 1200, and building a new prefilter. The local plastic place sells scrap acrylic for $1.50 lbs.
So in conclusion, it works ok stock, much better if you bump up the pump and add a pre-filter. But look at your options. The CPR isn't rocket science. I was an idiot and bought mine on the advice of the LFS. My next skimmer is going to be DIY. I helped a friend build a CPR clone based off mine, and the whole thing including pump was like $25.
In my opinion: no.
Heres why. The thing could EASILY have been desinged with the "tooth" pattern around the whole circumference like just about every overflow is (and lets face it, this is basically an overflow). But no, CPR had to make this silly thing with ONE side cut at an angle. This means if you want your CPR on the right side of your tank its not going to do much surface skimming. For me, with the PC wires on the left (and its a small tank, but if you dont hav a small tank you shouldnt have this skimmer anyway) mine MUST be on the right.
If you modify it to put teeth on it, then its OK. But then you might as well just go to the hardware store, buy some acrylic, and make your own.
One warning: unaltered this thing does very little to remove whats on the surface unless the surface is right at the level of the BOTTOM of the cut out part. BUT just let the water evaporate another centimeter and its below the spill-over level, the rio dumps all the water into the skimmer, runs dry, and croaks after a few times doing this.
And dont get me started on the "Bubble Trap". I swear, CPR's Bakpak is the best small skimmer available, and this is a very unfortunate thing indeed.
Heres why. The thing could EASILY have been desinged with the "tooth" pattern around the whole circumference like just about every overflow is (and lets face it, this is basically an overflow). But no, CPR had to make this silly thing with ONE side cut at an angle. This means if you want your CPR on the right side of your tank its not going to do much surface skimming. For me, with the PC wires on the left (and its a small tank, but if you dont hav a small tank you shouldnt have this skimmer anyway) mine MUST be on the right.
If you modify it to put teeth on it, then its OK. But then you might as well just go to the hardware store, buy some acrylic, and make your own.
One warning: unaltered this thing does very little to remove whats on the surface unless the surface is right at the level of the BOTTOM of the cut out part. BUT just let the water evaporate another centimeter and its below the spill-over level, the rio dumps all the water into the skimmer, runs dry, and croaks after a few times doing this.
And dont get me started on the "Bubble Trap". I swear, CPR's Bakpak is the best small skimmer available, and this is a very unfortunate thing indeed.
- Location
- Mexico City
JRM:
Can you share with me by email the specifications to build the skimmer ?
Joe_B:
Please can you share the links you were looking on Bak Pak information?
I really appreciate your help !!
Thanks !!
Can you share with me by email the specifications to build the skimmer ?
Joe_B:
Please can you share the links you were looking on Bak Pak information?
I really appreciate your help !!
Thanks !!
I bought the prefilter -- two of them for each of my bakpak's. As described in previous posts, unaltered the prefilter is ineffective. I put a sloted cover on the intake to bring the surface water in.
Jay to answer your question:
the pump fits inside the prefilter box, and only the rio 600/800 would fit. There is a screw outside to push the pump against the box and to keep it in place -- not very sturdy IMO.
If you have the tool, it is better to cut the tooth on the prefilter box.
I also bought a remora, the prefilter box is so much better than CPR-- tooth built-in and bubble trap.
Jay to answer your question:
the pump fits inside the prefilter box, and only the rio 600/800 would fit. There is a screw outside to push the pump against the box and to keep it in place -- not very sturdy IMO.
If you have the tool, it is better to cut the tooth on the prefilter box.
I also bought a remora, the prefilter box is so much better than CPR-- tooth built-in and bubble trap.
I have a BakPack on my 45 gal tank and was thinking about purchasing the overflow. But one thing I can't seem to picture (since I have never seen the overflow in person) is how does it attach to the pump? Does the pum sit inside the box? How is it held in place?
Jay
Jay
What a friend of mine did was cut the teeth from a rio pump guard and then glued them onto the overflow to make it surface skim. I agree why didn't CPR put teeth on the overflow I don't know. I like the bac pak though. Would upgrade it with at least an 800 to be really effective.
Jason
Jason
Here is a response from CPR backpack tech support to a question about replacing the rio600 with a higher capacity powerhead:
posted May 11, 2001 08:50 AM
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is it possible or recommendable to go up a size for the pump on the bakpak skimmers? would it help>>
IP: Logged
Ted
Support Moderator posted May 11, 2001 03:08 PM
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A larger powerhead is not easily adaptable to the inlet of the Bak-Paks, and it would not be advantageous. The higher flow rate would decrease the bubble dwell time, and contact time, within the skimmer chamber, and micro bubbles would be whisked out in the aquarium. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Ted
posted May 11, 2001 08:50 AM
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is it possible or recommendable to go up a size for the pump on the bakpak skimmers? would it help>>
IP: Logged
Ted
Support Moderator posted May 11, 2001 03:08 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A larger powerhead is not easily adaptable to the inlet of the Bak-Paks, and it would not be advantageous. The higher flow rate would decrease the bubble dwell time, and contact time, within the skimmer chamber, and micro bubbles would be whisked out in the aquarium. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Ted
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