Maintenance for a Red Sea Berlin (Classic?) Protein Skimmer

[Be11yDancer]

I bought a hand-me-down tank with this type of protein skimmer,

{ http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem. ... uct=RS1111 }

It has so many tiny tubes coming out of it, I can't figure out what does what from looking at a basic skimmer diagram. I think I need help from someone who has this exact one.

If you have one, could you tell me exactly what maintenance needs to be done. It is emptying into a jar now, but

Do I need to empty a cup too?
Do I need to replace an airstone at some point?
Do I need to flush salt creep from something buy turning it off?

This is all stuff I'm reading here and there, but can't figure out how to apply it to what I've got.

Very important question, I don't want to ignore it until something goes wrong, thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

I'll help! (I have the same one - has been doing OK for 2+ years)

Do I need to empty a cup too?

Yes - I clean mine once a week. Works better clean. Clean the cup and the part the cup fits onto (black part that twists into main body of skimmer)

Do I need to replace an airstone at some point?

No, but if you have the skimmer EXACTLY like the one in your link, you will need to clean the fitting where the airtube connects to the skimmer. It clogs often. If you have the TURBO modle, where the air tube connects to the pump, it does not have to be cleaned as often.

Side note: I have the base version. It was powered by a RIO pump which I have since upgraded by purchasing the "Turbo upgrade kit" from red sea. A bit pricey, but the skimmer does work better. $60 better? I am not sure.

Do I need to flush salt creep from something buy turning it off?

No

 

[Anonymous]

Since you asked about an airstone...

You do not need to add an airpump to this skimmer. The airline tubing draws air into the skimmer via the water flow from the water pump.

Venturi is the name of this action (i think )

 

[tazdevil]

I delt with that skimmer for almost a year before I got tired of it. Went to aqua-c ev120 on a 75gallon, and never looked back. I couldn't keep the berlin turbo (mine was the upgraded version) consistently producing foam, dry or wet. It had to be adjusted almost daily, which the company told me was "normal". The Aqua-c's are expensive, but well worth it and much easier to operate IMHO. If you go that route, be sure to get the waste container, it made it much easier to deal with getting rid of the skimmate.

 

[Be11yDancer]

Since you asked about an airstone...

You do not need to add an airpump to this skimmer. The airline tubing draws air into the skimmer via the water flow from the water pump.

Venturi is the name of this action (i think )

Ah-HA that explains a lot. I kept staring at this thing thinking what the hell is going on here!

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THESE RESPONSES, they are right on the nail.
I was worried it would be some old model no one uses anymore!