Bubble King Skimmer Club

[mlb75]

While I don't have any experience with your existing skimmer I can say you won't regret getting a BK. I thought I had a nice skimmer with my previous ER but my new SM 250 is in a whole different league.

My only complaint is the BK seems to be much more sensitive and requires a lot more attention. It does pull a great deal more and I have to remember it's still breaking in.

 

[chatyak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14457482#post14457482 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mlb75
While I don't have any experience with your existing skimmer I can say you won't regret getting a BK. I thought I had a nice skimmer with my previous ER but my new SM 250 is in a whole different league.

My only complaint is the BK seems to be much more sensitive and requires a lot more attention. It does pull a great deal more and I have to remember it's still breaking in.

Attention as is daily attention or just "dialing" it to get it right... then cleaning only?

 

[mlb75]

Well it's hard to say with mine being relatively new but I was messing with mine every evening until the last few days (not sure I needed to but did, now I'm thinking I should have left it alone more). Now that it appears to be ending the break in period I'm becoming even more impressed with it. It appears I've arrived at the clean only stage which now seems to be as frequent as I want it to be depending on how I set it to skim.

A few observations though;

First and foremost it seems VERY sensitive to water levels so an auto top off or dedicated sump chamber is pretty much mandatory.

It is sensitive to additives, each time I feed it looses it's foam head, not a big deal just a note, my old ER wouldn't work to it's fullest right after feeding but wasn't quite as sensitive. Now I just put it in standby with my reefKeeper for an hour when I feed otherwise I get a few micro bubbles in the tank from the skimmer still producing foam but not being able to keep it all in the body. As long as I turn it off when feeding I haven't had it produce the first micro bubble outside the skimmer which is very nice and something I can't say about the ER (the skimmer output is right next to my return pump intake). Top off water doesn't seem to effect it at all.

Now that I seem to have found it's sweet spot it's pulling skimmate like nothing I've seem before, I've been skimming a little wet but have been emptying ~32 oz twice a day and will clean the sludge every 3 days or so

I really couldn't be any happier with this purchase, it took me about 3 weeks to figure everything out and get it running the way I wanted it to but now that initial frustration is a far away memory replaced with the daily amazement of how well it's working now.

 

[jnb]

first I believe your 180 is overrated for that tank which is ok, you just might experience lulls rather than consistent skimming. Don't know how long you have had this skimmer but if new and installed for less than 2 or 3 weeks it could still be breaking in. It does need perfect consistent water level. Why don't you try overfeeding your tank for a few days and see if the skimate product becomes more what you expect. Do you have corals, what lighting - the more life, the more light, the more skimming. Picture of tank, picture of how your skmmer is set up - would all prove useful. How much pee water are your getting?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14426773#post14426773 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishyheaven
Hello again,

I was wondering if it is possible to over skim a tank? i have a gen 1 bk 180 on my 90g and i just cant seem to get a nice dark dry skim. The best i got is something that looks like pee water. i think i have a medium bioload with about 8 fish ( 2 4 inch tangs, pair sm maroon clowns, 2 sm anthias, 3 blue eye cardinals and one firefish). I am starting to test my water now and the only test i finished so far is my po4. which is at 0.

I have never had a good luck with skimmers. I had a asm g1x before and was having about the same result as my BK. I switched to BK when my pump broke.

I have read just about every post and i just can not figure it out. any suggestions would be great. could it be that i have something wrong with the equipment?

thanks,

 

[Terps]

BK Mini vs BK Supermarine

BK Mini vs BK Supermarine

Ok BK experts... help me out here. I was thinking of getting a BK Mini-200 but now I saw the Supermarin200. What is the main difference in these two? The conical shape?

If space is not an issue (I have 28" clearance under my tank), is the Supermarine the better skimmer?

thanks!

 

[Terps]

Nevermind. I just saw a whole thread on this. The Supermarin is superior it seems. I will have to go with that then. Some suggest the new cone one produced under the name Vertex, but if Klaus says the supermarin design is superior, shouldn't we believe him? He would produce the cone skimmer under the BK name and charge at least $500 more for it if he believed it was better, wouldn't he?

 

[jthao]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14564218#post14564218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Terps
Nevermind. I just saw a whole thread on this. The Supermarin is superior it seems. I will have to go with that then. Some suggest the new cone one produced under the name Vertex, but if Klaus says the supermarin design is superior, shouldn't we believe him? He would produce the cone skimmer under the BK name and charge at least $500 more for it if he believed it was better, wouldn't he?

vertex still uses a rd pump, which leads me to believe that it will perform just as good as the bk skimmers.

 

[mlb75]

Where did Klaus say the SM was superior? Not that it matters I'm VERY happy with my SM 250 I'm just curious if the cones will be the way everything goes in the future and if they're really that much better than the body design of the existing BK line. Anyone have a like to a rational not emotional debate on the pros cons?

 

[Creetin]

I dunno i have not really seen how a full cone is better. What i do see is that they lose reaction area from the tapering cone.
Just me i guess.

 

[buck50bmg]

I think Klaus was fooling around with cones about 4 years ago, and he never made one for production under the bubble king name. So that is my answer.

 

[Terps]

I've done so much research, I will try to find the link again. But I saw somewhere where it was said that he did not believe the cone to be superior which is why he never made one after having them several years ago. Could be BS *shrug* but like I asked... why would he fabricate them for another company? Why not put the BK name on it? Everyone knows it is his construction... would he give Vertex credit otherwise? Why didn't he build them instead of the Supermarin style? I'll look around for the discussion ... may not have been Klaus talking.

 

[Klaus Jansen]

@Buck...

I am 100 % agree with your Comment.....

@Terps....

Nr.1 are the Bubble King Deluxe Modells
Nr.2 are the Bubble King Supermarines

The Minis are Skimmers, when the space in your sump, is very small

The RE/Vertex-Cones are cheaper and now the Startup-Modells from Royal-Exclusiv. Not comporable with the BK- DL/SM Line.
Its a complet different Technology.... the Cones are good, by lower bioload........

Royal-Exclusive make Custommade Orders, so Proline/Vertex ordert the Cones, our old Development in 2004.
Today, the BK-Cones comming under the Name Vertex.

Hope, my comment helps..

regards......

 

[khoivo1]

do you think vertex cone skimmer will be enough for my 300g with 20fishes ,,sps ?? anyone know? thanks

 

[mlb75]

Danke schön Klaus

 

[PowermanKW]

I joined the club. I picked up a BK Mini 160 for my 90g tank. A local had one after he upgraded to a 180. Got a great price. I wasn't in the market for this, but felt I couldn't pass it up. Can't wait to get it running.

 

[bennyinca]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14589090#post14589090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PowermanKW
I joined the club. I picked up a BK Mini 160 for my 90g tank. A local had one after he upgraded to a 180. Got a great price. I wasn't in the market for this, but felt I couldn't pass it up. Can't wait to get it running.

Congrats!

I just joined the club too, got a mini 180 this weekend!
More skimmer than I need for my 40g, but I will be connecting a frag tank soon ...

 

[Nerdy Nudi]

benny, wow, I though I was going over board considering it for a 75g~90g.

If you wouldnt mind giving me your thoughts and experience with how it reacts on a smaller tank. This is one of the skimmers on my short list.

 

[diverdan814]

I have had a BK180 mini on a fully stocked 120 gallon mixed reef for two weeks now. I cannot believe the crap it pulls out of there. Worked right out of the box, built like a tank, the easiest skimmer to clean, well worth the big bucks. I have also splurged and have ordered the Self cleaning head (not the BK) for about $750- It should be here soon.

I have owned 7 tanks and numerous skimmers. The best of the bunch was a Euroreef which is on my 210, but this one is just incredible. Money well spent, IMO...

 

[bennyinca]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14621841#post14621841 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nerdy Nudi
benny, wow, I though I was going over board considering it for a 75g~90g.

If you wouldnt mind giving me your thoughts and experience with how it reacts on a smaller tank. This is one of the skimmers on my short list.

Will do My current total volume is about 60g, after the frag tank it will be about 110g ... about 50/50 sps/lps.

I plan on getting it connected and running by the end of the week, will need to re-arrange the sump a little bit.

 

[customdusty]

Just got my BK mini delivered today. All I can say is that I laughed out loud when I saw and felt the build quality - it is amazing.

Already churning up a nice head of foam and about 200ml of skimmate in the first few hours.