Bubble King Skimmer Club

[slief]

I thought about that. I didn't measure the hole diameter. But in order to tap a hole you need a hole size a specific diameter. I'm sure they just drilled the hole a standard size 6mm,8mm. And to go the next size up, I don't think there is the space to do that.

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It's a 10mm hole. There should be enough material around the hole to tap some threads into it. Worst case, you can find some 10mm pipe online and glue it in and then slip some tubing over it and add a little valve or connect it to a jug or container.

 

[jerseypete]

It's a 10mm hole. There should be enough material around the hole to tap some threads into it. Worst case, you can find some 10mm pipe online and glue it in and then slip some tubing over it and add a little valve or connect it to a jug or container.

Yea I'm going to try some tubing or something. If it's 10mm. I could use a 11mm tap for a 12 mm fitting. But I'm not sure if there is enough material around the hole for that

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[jerseypete]

It's a 10mm hole. There should be enough material around the hole to tap some threads into it. Worst case, you can find some 10mm pipe online and glue it in and then slip some tubing over it and add a little valve or connect it to a jug or container.

I think most fittings in metric, at least the ones we can get here are 6,8,10, and 12,. To tap a 10mm fitting I need 9.5 hole size. The next would be a 11.5 hole for 12mm fitting. I have to do a little more research. But I have access to a machine shop at work.

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[slief]

I think most fittings in metric, at least the ones we can get here are 6,8,10, and 12,. To tap a 10mm fitting I need 9.5 hole size. The next would be a 11.5 hole for 12mm fitting. I have to do a little more research. But I have access to a machine shop at work.

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I would tap it with an imperial fitting. I am assuming you are in the US.. You should be able tap it to a 3/8" if not 1/2" FPT size.

 

[jerseypete]

I would tap it with an imperial fitting. I am assuming you are in the US.. You should be able tap it to a 3/8" if not 1/2" FPT size.

Thanks your right. Wasn't thinking about. 10mm works out exactly for 7/16 tap.

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[brob22]

hello

for a 200-240 gallon tank would u suggest a supermarine 200 or 250
thx

 

[slief]

hello

for a 200-240 gallon tank would u suggest a supermarine 200 or 250
thx

Definitely the 200. The SM250 would be way too large for your size display/tank and would end up not being very consistent. I run the SM250 on my 480 gallon display with a heavy load and a total volume of 650 gallons. You could also do the Double Cone 250.. Either would be good options on your size display. The main difference between the SM and the DC is the body material, weight of the skimmer and the extruded/cast body vs the hand welded body the SM. The SM is much heavier and made of higher quality/thicker material. At 200 gallons though, you are really at the very minimum for the SM200 and would need a pretty heavy load to keep it consistent. The Double Cone 250 would be a bit more flexible in terms of a lighter load due to it's design. In all honesty, even the Double Cone 200 would work well for a 200 gallon display. That said, you can't go wrong with any of those 3 choices.

 

[brob22]

thx slief

im sorry to bug ya again. i just want to make sure i spend my money wisely.
my tank will probly be closer to 240 and i want it heavily stocked but i want to do it slowly over time. i just want to have the best bk skimmer possible for my system.
im leaning toward the double cone 250 but i wanted to get your expertise opinion one last time befor i pull the trigger.

i really do appreciate your time and help

 

[biecacka]

I have a 240 with 30 fish in it and I use the dc200 and it keeps up super easy. In fact I'm adding more fish to the tank soon and have no concerns if the skimmer will keep up

Corey

 

[slief]

thx slief

im sorry to bug ya again. i just want to make sure i spend my money wisely.
my tank will probly be closer to 240 and i want it heavily stocked but i want to do it slowly over time. i just want to have the best bk skimmer possible for my system.
im leaning toward the double cone 250 but i wanted to get your expertise opinion one last time befor i pull the trigger.

i really do appreciate your time and help

First, I see I made a mistake and had some things backwards. I was watching a movie last night when I type that and must have been overly distracted. Sorry about that. Not sure what I was thinking. Let me try this again.

At 240 gallons, you are really at the low side for the Double Cone 250. While it could work if you have a really heavy load, I would lean towards the Supermarin 200 or the Double Cone 200. I only mentioned the Double Cone 250 as it was a better option than the Supermarin 250 which is WAY to large for your system. That said, in my experience, even the Double Cone 250 will be too large.

The key is to go based on display size with these skimmers. Our sumps don't add to the waste. They are part of waste export. Skimmers sizes are based on theoretical loads which are typically concentrated in the display. That said, if you are going to have a truly heavy load, you could get away with the Double Cone 250 but it is on the large size for that display and it will likely be a bit inconsistent. You will have to run it really wet to keep it consistent or live with it skimming well for a couple days and then slowing down and not producing for upwards of a week while the organics build back up. Also keep in mind that 1/2" of fish per gallon is considered a "heavy" load. In a 240 gallon display, a heavy load would be equivalent to 120" of fish or 120 one inch damsels. Larger fish like tangs need girth factored in. Most people don't realize that when they claim to have a heavy load. And even with a heavy load, the minimum recommendation for the Double Cone 250 is 250 gallon heavily stocked display. 240 is close but again, that's the minimum and these skimmers are very conservatively rated.

If it were me, I would go with the Supermarin 200. It's really perfect for your size display and could handle more if you add to your system. It's smaller neck diameter will result in much more consistent performance on your display compared to the 250 sized skimmers. It would be a work horse that could grow with your needs. It is a terrific skimmer and because it's appropriately sized for your display, it would be easy to tune and very consistent. You would set the pump between 28 and 32 watts, get the sump depth dialed in or adjust the wedge pipe so the bubble to foam transition is up into the neck and it will do a great job for you. That would be my first suggestion. It's the best choice in our lineup and it's built like a tank.

That said, the Double Cone 200 would be very consistent on your size tank too. Either would be good options though I would lean towards the SM200 due to it's much heavier construction and ability to scale more if you decide to grow your system or end up with a really heavy load. Performance wise on your tank, 6 of this a half a dozen of the other. Both models are terrific skimmers and would perform great. If money is concern, you can't go wrong with the Double Cone 200. If the material and weight of the skimmer body are a concern, then the SM200 wins hands down. It's a very heavy skimmer and build like a tank. Both the DC200 and SM200 share the same pump and should be set to about the same speed between 28 and 32 watts depending on load. Both are silent skimmers.

 

[brob22]

slief man im grateful to you and will be buying the supermarine 200 soon

thx for the very informative info

 

[brob22]

I have a 240 with 30 fish in it and I use the dc200 and it keeps up super easy. In fact I'm adding more fish to the tank soon and have no concerns if the skimmer will keep up

Corey

hi biecacka

is the dc 200 the supermarine with the dc pump? also is your 240 system the same system that won rothm. just askin cuz im impressed with those tanks and it a real nice honor

 

[slief]

slief man im grateful to you and will be buying the supermarine 200 soon

thx for the very informative info

Very glad to help! :beer:

hi biecacka

is the dc 200 the supermarine with the dc pump? also is your 240 system the same system that won rothm. just askin cuz im impressed with those tanks and it a real nice honor

I think your confusing ROTM (Reefer Of The Month) with TOTM (Tank Of The Month). Two different things. ROTM is something Reef Central does to honor members who constantly go out of their way to help others. Tank of the month is done to recognize amazing tanks that are owned by forum members.

For the record, his Double Cone 200 has the same RD3 pump as the Supermarin 200. Different skimmer body designs but they share the same pump as I mentioned above. :thumbsup:

 

[brob22]

gotya, i was thinking rotm as reef of the month instead of reefer of the month

anyway rotm, very well deserved honor to both of you

 

[dg3147]

Seems like my bubble king may be malfunctioning. It seems like not much water is being pumped out of the skimmer outlet wedge pipe (though could be just that the outlet pipe is more than half way closed). It also seems to be making less skimmate then it used too. (perhaps even less air being sucked into top of red muffler (is it called that?)

When I disconnect and then reconnect the clear (air inlet?) hose from the pump it seems to suddenly pump more water out of the skimmer outlet but this only last for 30 minutes and then it slows again. Today I noticed that there is a little bit of water being sprayed out from where the (air inlet?) clear hose exits the red (muffler?).

Maybe it's not malfunctioning and I have just forgotten how much water it should move in the sump? It is in a pretty small area of my sump and it seems to barely circulate the water in it.

Sorry for being an idiot about the name of the parts or how thet actually work! Heres a pic...

The water stream is coming out at the exact point the clear hose exits the red pipe.
<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/2F4245B9-7324-4C70-AD26-4A6F277F7E06.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/2F4245B9-7324-4C70-AD26-4A6F277F7E06.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2F4245B9-7324-4C70-AD26-4A6F277F7E06.jpg"/></a>

Do I need to disassemble something? Seems like the red muffles part is something I shouldn't/can't take apart.

*Additional info, water line u can see in the pic, prob about 8-9" and running the DC pump at full wattage. Tank is 200 gallons and feed 4-6 cubes/day. System is a year old. Skimmer cup takes a couple weeks to fill sometimes longer.

 

[slief]

Seems like my bubble king may be malfunctioning. It seems like not much water is being pumped out of the skimmer outlet wedge pipe (though could be just that the outlet pipe is more than half way closed). It also seems to be making less skimmate then it used too. (perhaps even less air being sucked into top of red muffler (is it called that?)

When I disconnect and then reconnect the clear (air inlet?) hose from the pump it seems to suddenly pump more water out of the skimmer outlet but this only last for 30 minutes and then it slows again. Today I noticed that there is a little bit of water being sprayed out from where the (air inlet?) clear hose exits the red (muffler?).

Maybe it's not malfunctioning and I have just forgotten how much water it should move in the sump? It is in a pretty small area of my sump and it seems to barely circulate the water in it.

Sorry for being an idiot about the name of the parts or how thet actually work! Heres a pic...

The water stream is coming out at the exact point the clear hose exits the red pipe.
<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/2F4245B9-7324-4C70-AD26-4A6F277F7E06.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/2F4245B9-7324-4C70-AD26-4A6F277F7E06.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 2F4245B9-7324-4C70-AD26-4A6F277F7E06.jpg"/></a>

Do I need to disassemble something? Seems like the red muffles part is something I shouldn't/can't take apart.

*Additional info, water line u can see in the pic, prob about 8-9" and running the DC pump at full wattage. Tank is 200 gallons and feed 4-6 cubes/day. System is a year old. Skimmer cup takes a couple weeks to fill sometimes longer.

The amount of water going through the skimmer can be misleading since a lot of the water is displaced by air. Full wattage on the pump is not ideal for skimmer performance. For a for a 180 double cone, 18-23 watts is the sweet spot, for a 200 sized skimmer 28-32 watts is the sweet spot and a 250 is 36 to 38 watts. You will likely need to increase the sump depth to 9" to avoid closing the wedge pipe more when you lower the pump speed. The muffler does come apart. Check the manual for your skimmer for instructions on how to do that.

I would suggesting taking the pump apart and cleaning it with some vinegar and scub it down. This should be done every 3-4 months to keep the skimmer performing at optimum levels. Inspect the Venturi port on the pump nozzle and make sure there isn't salt creep in there. When you clean the pump, remove the impeller, remove the nozzle from the volute/pump cover and soak all parts in vinegar for 20 minutes or so, then scub them all down with a soft brush and rinse well before reassembling.

FWIW, we have a dedicated Royal Exclusiv Bubble King forum here with lots of great info.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=745

This particular thread discusses the cleaning and maintenance on your pump.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2573406

This thread disusses proper setup and tuning of these skimmers and discusses the best pump speeds for the different size skimmers as well.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2546139

 

[biecacka]

As Slief stated, it's the same pump. The dc200 is a workhorse of a skimmer on my tank. I am beyond happy with my choice of getting one.

Corey

 

[matty0206]

I'm super excited and just a little sick (the cost), lol. I just ordered the BK 160 vs12 for my 50 cube!
I have a question. Is an Avast swabbie the best option for this skimmer? Is there a more suitable wiper? Thanks.

 

[slief]

I'm super excited and just a little sick (the cost), lol. I just ordered the BK 160 vs12 for my 50 cube!
I have a question. Is an Avast swabbie the best option for this skimmer? Is there a more suitable wiper? Thanks.

This is the best cleaner you can get for that skimmer.
http://aquadriverusa.com/products/aquadriver-skimclean-helix-160
It's made in Germany and of the same quality as your new skimmer. These aren't cheap but nor was your skimmer. They use a very high quality gear driven motor that rotates much faster than any other SCH on the market. 15 seconds, one a day will keep not only the neck clean but also the lid. These self cleaning heads include a wiper not only for the neck but also the lid and the ring on the lid. Speaking of lid, the lid is made of PVC just like the white parts on your skimmer and not made of acrylic. They also have a built in wet wiper system that draws water via tube that hangs down into the skimmer body and sprays it onto the inside of the neck as well as the lid when the wiper motor spins. No other wiper setup cleans the neck and the lid. No other wiper setup features the sprayer/wet wiper setup either.

There is an optional washdown ring that sprays onto the collection cup walls but it requires a water source such as a dedicated pump or hose spigot. That connection is a standard 1/4" RODI style John Guest fitting that is mounted to the lid. That said, I don't think the wash down option is available on the 160 sized lids. All things aside, these are much much much higher quality in every respect compared to those from Avast or other vendors. I've used an AquaDriver on my skimmer for the last 5 years and wouldn't change a thing. The new Helix model is also only 1" tall from the top of the lid so it fits well under a tank unlike other SCH's that stick up 3 or 4" above the lid.

These are also the same ones that Royal Exlcusiv offers in Germany.
http://aquadriverusa.com/products/aquadriver-skimclean-helix-160

If you click on the description, there is a video in there showing the construction and features. These come in sizes ranging from 160mm all the way up to the 500mm sized skimmers.

 

[matty0206]

This is the best cleaner you can get for that skimmer.
http://aquadriverusa.com/products/aquadriver-skimclean-helix-160
It's made in Germany and of the same quality as your new skimmer. These aren't cheap but nor was your skimmer. They use a very high quality gear driven motor that rotates much faster than any other SCH on the market. 15 seconds, one a day will keep not only the neck clean but also the lid. These self cleaning heads include a wiper not only for the neck but also the lid and the ring on the lid. Speaking of lid, the lid is made of PVC just like the white parts on your skimmer and not made of acrylic. They also have a built in wet wiper system that draws water via tube that hangs down into the skimmer body and sprays it onto the inside of the neck as well as the lid when the wiper motor spins. No other wiper setup cleans the neck and the lid. No other wiper setup features the sprayer/wet wiper setup either.

There is an optional washdown ring that sprays onto the collection cup walls but it requires a water source such as a dedicated pump or hose spigot. That connection is a standard 1/4" RODI style John Guest fitting that is mounted to the lid. That said, I don't think the wash down option is available on the 160 sized lids. All things aside, these are much much much higher quality in every respect compared to those from Avast or other vendors. I've used an AquaDriver on my skimmer for the last 5 years and wouldn't change a thing. The new Helix model is also only 1" tall from the top of the lid so it fits well under a tank unlike other SCH's that stick up 3 or 4" above the lid.

These are also the same ones that Royal Exlcusiv offers in Germany.
http://aquadriverusa.com/products/aquadriver-skimclean-helix-160

If you click on the description, there is a video in there showing the construction and features. These come in sizes ranging from 160mm all the way up to the 500mm sized skimmers.

Thank you for the great info, I'm glad I asked. I will save for one of these rather than buy a swabbie. Im trying to buy the best as I change equipment, I'm tired of wasting money trying to go the cheap route. This is my first major purchase like this, looks like an aqua drive will be the second.