Bubble King Skimmer Club
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
grcforce327
New member
You may want to post where your water level is. My cylinder is in 8 1/2in of water,and the inside water level is 3/4in below the line.I have a small amount of micro bubbles,but they disappear in the refugium.
Hello everyone!
So my Bubble King 160 works fine, but has always been noisier than I hoped and what other people claim to experience. I thought I was just extra sensative and didn't think more of it.
So I'm on this energy efficiency kick and am measuring the energy output of every single electrical device in my house. Today I attacked my tanks. While the spec sheet says the BK160 draws 18 watts, my skimmer clocked in at 43 watts!
Clearly my skimmer pump is working harder than it needs to be, and that could be causing the extra noise.
Any idea what might make that skimmer pump draw more than twice its rated energy consumption?
So my Bubble King 160 works fine, but has always been noisier than I hoped and what other people claim to experience. I thought I was just extra sensative and didn't think more of it.
So I'm on this energy efficiency kick and am measuring the energy output of every single electrical device in my house. Today I attacked my tanks. While the spec sheet says the BK160 draws 18 watts, my skimmer clocked in at 43 watts!
Clearly my skimmer pump is working harder than it needs to be, and that could be causing the extra noise.
Any idea what might make that skimmer pump draw more than twice its rated energy consumption?
You should expect in the 35w to low 40w range with the Mini 160. The specs Klaus put on these I believe were in 220v at 50hz. Going to a 60hz pump that will automatically raise that wattage just a little since that spins the RPM's up just a little (Our pumps over here perform better than theirs overseas). Then when you put that power consumption over one leg (110v) instead of two legs (220v) that decreases efficiency just slightly as well, and you double the power consumption rating on 110v versus 220v. HTH!
RDBK1500<ATI250i Powercone!?!?!
RDBK1500<ATI250i Powercone!?!?!
Hi there America! I am one of those "over there" who use 220V and I too have measured a higher consumption then expected. The measurements were undertaken as I am in the process of purchasing a used BK Deluxe 250 Internal and found it odd that it did not produce more bubbles then it did. Just to have something to compare it with I connected my skimmerpump from an ATI 250i Powercone, and sure enough, the ATI produces more bubbles!.. its about 1/3 the size of the Red Dragon BK1500 skimmerpump, something is not right, and I am hoping the guys and gals of RC could help me figuring out just what.
Stated powerconsumption 48W
Nozzle all the way in:57W
Nozzle in optimal postion: 60-62W
Air intake quickly blocked: 90W
Stated min luft (minimum air I guess..?): 1500l/h
Measured air.
Nozzle all the way in aprox 1000l/h
Nozzle all the way out aprox 1350l/h
ATI skimmer pump pulls 1500l/h of air.. again, this thing is about 1/3 the size of the Red Dragon BK1500 skimmer pump.
Stated min. water 2500l/h
Measured capacity: 1l.pr 5 seconds = 12l.pr/m=720l/h from the outlet tube of the skimmer.
I have two rotors/pinwheels, one hardly used, one unused, same results with both.
The seller reckons it is because it only has 15 cm. of water in the sump, so I raised it to 23cm. same results.. Testing it in a bucket, same thing.
This might sound like an ATI ad, I assure you it is not, my ATI is cursed:furious:. Each and every time I go for a holiday it overskimms on me causing me to call in favours from the elderly couple next door, my parents in law, and lasty during the x-mas holidays I had to call my security company so they could send a rent-a-cop to shut down my rabies stricken, furiously spluttering skimmer.. Of course, as soon as I am back home, it performes perfectly.. sorry for the rant.. back to business:
Foam with RDBK15000:
Foam with ATI250i skimmer pump:
Crappy photo I know, but it is actually fractionaly better with the ATI, atleast no worse.
Same water height in sump, same outlet level, same everything.
Does anyone know what could be wrong with the Red Dragon Bubble King 1500 skimmer pump? Have i misunderstood something, isn't it supposed to produce more water and air then this? Is it a known issue? Or should I go with my initial thought, lube the bearing with vaseline and try again?
Your input is greatly aprechiated as I am totaly stumped at the moment.
Thank you in advance from André in the land of 220V, metrics and -23C (Aargh!), Norway.
P.S. It takes 1 minute from pressing "preview post" to the post actually previews. RC having problems, or local issue?
RDBK1500<ATI250i Powercone!?!?!
Hi there America! I am one of those "over there" who use 220V and I too have measured a higher consumption then expected. The measurements were undertaken as I am in the process of purchasing a used BK Deluxe 250 Internal and found it odd that it did not produce more bubbles then it did. Just to have something to compare it with I connected my skimmerpump from an ATI 250i Powercone, and sure enough, the ATI produces more bubbles!.. its about 1/3 the size of the Red Dragon BK1500 skimmerpump, something is not right, and I am hoping the guys and gals of RC could help me figuring out just what.
Stated powerconsumption 48W
Nozzle all the way in:57W
Nozzle in optimal postion: 60-62W
Air intake quickly blocked: 90W
Stated min luft (minimum air I guess..?): 1500l/h
Measured air.
Nozzle all the way in aprox 1000l/h
Nozzle all the way out aprox 1350l/h
ATI skimmer pump pulls 1500l/h of air.. again, this thing is about 1/3 the size of the Red Dragon BK1500 skimmer pump.
Stated min. water 2500l/h
Measured capacity: 1l.pr 5 seconds = 12l.pr/m=720l/h from the outlet tube of the skimmer.
I have two rotors/pinwheels, one hardly used, one unused, same results with both.
The seller reckons it is because it only has 15 cm. of water in the sump, so I raised it to 23cm. same results.. Testing it in a bucket, same thing.
This might sound like an ATI ad, I assure you it is not, my ATI is cursed:furious:. Each and every time I go for a holiday it overskimms on me causing me to call in favours from the elderly couple next door, my parents in law, and lasty during the x-mas holidays I had to call my security company so they could send a rent-a-cop to shut down my rabies stricken, furiously spluttering skimmer.. Of course, as soon as I am back home, it performes perfectly.. sorry for the rant.. back to business:
Foam with RDBK15000:
Foam with ATI250i skimmer pump:
Crappy photo I know, but it is actually fractionaly better with the ATI, atleast no worse.
Same water height in sump, same outlet level, same everything.
Does anyone know what could be wrong with the Red Dragon Bubble King 1500 skimmer pump? Have i misunderstood something, isn't it supposed to produce more water and air then this? Is it a known issue? Or should I go with my initial thought, lube the bearing with vaseline and try again?
Your input is greatly aprechiated as I am totaly stumped at the moment.
Thank you in advance from André in the land of 220V, metrics and -23C (Aargh!), Norway.
P.S. It takes 1 minute from pressing "preview post" to the post actually previews. RC having problems, or local issue?
nanoreefbro
New member
I bought a Vertex Alpha 170 a few months ago and I'm still having issues with it surging. I was wondering what did anyone do to fix it? I thought it just needed to break in but I've been running it since November. Here is a video of it.
I bought a Vertex Alpha 170 a few months ago and I'm still having issues with it surging. I was wondering what did anyone do to fix it? I thought it just needed to break in but I've been running it since November. Here is a video of it.
I responded to your email yesterday morning that you sent me. Send the skimmer back to me so I can figure out what's going on with it. I'll get it fixed and sent right back out to you immediately. This is the only 170 I've come across that has had a surge problem since the revision was made a month after the first 20 of them were shipped to the United States a few years ago. And this one has a new pump on it as well, so I think something else is going on.
You can ship it to:
Premium Aquatics
Atnn: Jeremy Brower
6050 E. Hanna Ave. #4
Indianapolis, IN 46203
Please include your return address in there, as well as contact info. I'll pay the shipping to get it back to you after I've confirmed it's working properly.
glxtrix
New member
Jeremy,
I have a BKmini200...the pump seems to be stopping here and there...lately it seems to run for a few minutes, then stops. Sometimes will start up when plugged in, sometimes it wont. It is a used skimmer...i got it back in Dec and was running fine. Probably the last month it's been having this issue. I took it apart and there was nothing built up or clogged. When the impeller was removed, the bearing was in the motor block, not on the shaft. I can break it down again if you need pics. does this sound like I need a new block?
I have a BKmini200...the pump seems to be stopping here and there...lately it seems to run for a few minutes, then stops. Sometimes will start up when plugged in, sometimes it wont. It is a used skimmer...i got it back in Dec and was running fine. Probably the last month it's been having this issue. I took it apart and there was nothing built up or clogged. When the impeller was removed, the bearing was in the motor block, not on the shaft. I can break it down again if you need pics. does this sound like I need a new block?
@glxtrix, Just responded to your pm, but will post it here as well for anyone else that might need to know.
It's most likely a new block. I would pull it out again and remove the end bearing from the motorblock. Once it's out see if the shaft spins freely in the end bearing, as well as the shaft that goes through the bearing in the impeller assembly cover.
It's most likely a new block. I would pull it out again and remove the end bearing from the motorblock. Once it's out see if the shaft spins freely in the end bearing, as well as the shaft that goes through the bearing in the impeller assembly cover.
Missing screw Bubble King Mini 180, Gen 2
Missing screw Bubble King Mini 180, Gen 2
Hello,
I was doing maintenance on my Bubble King Mini 180, Gen 2 and seem to have lost one of the two screws that attach the pump base to the skimmer base. Anyone here happen to know where I can find a replacement? Any help is much appreciated!
Missing screw Bubble King Mini 180, Gen 2
Hello,
I was doing maintenance on my Bubble King Mini 180, Gen 2 and seem to have lost one of the two screws that attach the pump base to the skimmer base. Anyone here happen to know where I can find a replacement? Any help is much appreciated!
Not sure what happened, xenophobia, people not having the answers, my english not being as brilliant as I like to think it is or simply the fanboy syndrome aka.
Anyways, the owner claimed the issue was due to the water level, and I had to check if he was right. I could not raise the waterlevel in my sump to the recommended 25cm. since it would lead to flooding in the case of a powerfailure. I had to come up with a solution :hammer::
Custom built perspex waterlevel raising thingy for BKDELuxe250©
Works like a charm except I didnt get the opening around the tubing 100% watertight, and it resonates a bit. Started skimming 1l. of dirty green tea-like skimmate pr. day, adjusted now to aprox. 1 cup of dark matter pr.day. I believe the large shroud of the skimmerpump makes it incapable of producing enough pressure to compensatefor the increased backpressure resulting from lower waterlevels.
Hoping this might help others.:thumbsup:
André of Norway
*Bows*
Thank you! It´s a bit "ghetto" but atleast it´s proof of concept and fits my needs. Seems the inhabitants likes it it too, had a mass spawning of mysis last night, and the BK took it all in its stride whereas other skimmers would throw a hissy fit with ensuing foam spluttering madness.
I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on a variable speed Speedy RD3 new skimmer pump to hook on to my Supermarin 200.
Anybody gone down this track...using the new variable speed pumps on a Supermarin ??.....did you get any benefit by being able to adjust the air/water flow ??
Thanks
Anybody gone down this track...using the new variable speed pumps on a Supermarin ??.....did you get any benefit by being able to adjust the air/water flow ??
Thanks
Last edited:
sportzfish
New member
I have a BK Mini 180 Gen 2 and am looking to purchase a used Red Dragon 1500 pump. The label on the pump reads "Red Dragon BK Vertex 1500 Special Pump for Vertex Alpha 300". Is this basically the same Red Dragon 1500 pump that my BK Mini 180 Gen 2 uses or has it been modified to an extent unsuitable for my BK Mini 180? Thanks in advance for any reply.
Similar threads
