Scott, you are a great RE resource. I was wondering if there is a post in this thread or someplace where a explanation is available that explains the difference between a Supermarin model, double cone model, internal model etc and in what situations each model is most appropriate?
Thanks in advance!
No place in general but let me explain as best as I can.
Supermarin is one of the most popular Bubble King high end skimmers here in the US. It's designed to be a very efficient skimmer and is well suited for wet skimming but will dry skim as well. It's made of heavy acrylic and the skimmer body where it transitions from the large diameter of the body to the cone are below the neck is bonded. As I said, it's a very heavy skimmer made out of very thick material that is hand assembled.
The Double Cones are a bit lighter weight with thinner material and the entire body is extruded as opposed to glued like the Supermarin. Since the material is thinner and the build process is relatively less labor intensive, the cost of this skimmer is less. It's designed to meet the needs of more budget concious buyers who want a great skimmer at a lower cost point and don't need or can't afford the beefier SM or Deluxe model. Think Toyota vs Lexus or Chevy vs Cadillac. Both great cars from the same manufacturer but when you shut the door of a Lexus or Cadi, you know it's constructed different just from the thud and weight of the door. Both however will get you from point A to point B efficiently and comfortably.
The Deluxe line wasn't really imported in the US in any kind of volume so it's kind of unknown the the US consumers. I think it's under marketed and happens to be a terrific skimmer. Like the Supermarin, it shares a very heavy thick material and is constructed similarly with glued seams in the body as opposed to a fully extruded body like the Double Cone. Like the SM, the Deluxe is a no expense spared skimmer. In Europe, the Deluxe;s are the BK skimmer of choice but because of the fact that they aren't marketed or readily available out here, they aren't as popular. We now have the new Deluxe 300's in stock in Ft. Myers so I hope they gain some exposure because it's arguably one of the best skimmers ever made in it's size. They are better suited for dry skimming than the Supermarins but will wet skim great too. As such, if having to choose between the two, I'd say it's a tough choice. I think the Supermarins are a bit easier to fine tune for wet skimming and most of us like to see lots of skimmate in the collection cup so for many the SM will be the skimmer of choice. Both are great designs though and really tough to beat.
The External models are for people who don't have space in their sumps or don't want their skimmers perfomance to be predicated on their sump levels. Beyond that, the external models share nearly identical body designs and build quality as their internal Supermarin and Deluxe counterparts and perfom equally as well.
While you didn't mention it, I figured I would mention the Mini's. Those are designed for people with very limited sump space and thus the pump is built into the body. Not ideal in my opinion if you have the space in the sump for the Double Cones, Supermarin or Deluxe in my opinion for no other reason than having a pump inside the skimmer is an inconvenience when it comes time to service the pump. Unfortunately, for some sumps, the need for a very compact footprint skimmer is a prerequisite and the Mini line satisfies that need while providing a no compromise design given the space constraints.
Remember, at the heart of every great skimmer is a great pump and beyond just the skimmer body design, the Bubble Kings are coveted for their pumps and the new Red Dragon 3's really improve the performance of the entire line and raise the bar to a new level. As such, whether you choose a Double Cone, Supermarin, Deluxe or Mini, they are all terrific skimmers. You just need to decide if you prefer wet or dry skimming or if you want a skimmer body that is built like a tank (Supermarin or Deluxe) and have the budget for it or if you want a great skimmer at a lower cost (double cone) that makes minor compromises to bring BK performance at a lower price point. Or if you don't have space in your sump but still demand the BK performance, then there is the Mini line.
I hope that answers your questions.
