Bubble Master Skimmers more info wanted???

[UCanDoIt]

IMO, the Bubblemaster is almost there, only a very few shortcomings. All the fixes are easy for them to adjust and fine tune. Most of the expense is developing the design and marketing it, and they've got that out of the way already. ATi also already has several forum websites where members already endorse their new skimmer line. They just need to take it up a knotch... like I mentioned earlier, it really doesn't cost much for slightly thicker acrylic to make the unit feel sturdier, solid. And Creetin, we need agree to disagree as I feel that there is room for improvement on their welding technique. It is barely passable as an in sump unit and if it doesn't improve, we'll have a line of ATi recirculating skimmers that can leak in a very short amount of time.

Since this is a Bubblemaster thread, I wouldn't want to hijack this with BK matters.

 

[Maximus]

I just wanted to thank Michael aka Mavgi for all his help. I had asked Michael if I could purchase some of the threadwheel material from him earlier last week. Without hesitation, he sent me a piece for my pumps and I received it today. I asked him to let me at least pay for postage but he would have none of it. What a great guy. Michael, if you are ever near Monterey, CA, dinner is on me my friend. I would also like to thank Greg at Reefgeek for sending me the o-ring. Yay, no more leaks! Due to the combination of the new threadwheel and o-ring, my skimmer is set at a level that I think is optimal for me. Thanks Michael and Greg!


***Btw, this skimmer has officially received the Maximus seal of approval as of 11-24-06!!!

 

[Paulairduck]

ATI 200 "GOOD!!!"

ATI 200 "GOOD!!!"

I have to agree with Maximus, with all the frustration I originally had with my Ati 200, all things are good now. It took a little work and a little help from everyone, but this skimmer is doing it's thing now. When I empty the skimmate in the cup, and I have to say the size of the cup is very deceiving, it doesn't look like much skimmate, but when you empty it into a cup, you are like, "WOW!" ,that is a lot of skimmate. All my fish and corals are opening up and showing good growth. I will also have to give my seal of approval on this skimmer!!!

:smokin: :smokin: :smokin:

 

[Paulairduck]

SICCI PUMPS "GOOD!!!"

SICCI PUMPS "GOOD!!!"

I also have to say that the SICCI pumps, are something serious of a performer, I would like to see a Sicci up against a RD pump, I Know the RD has all the bells an whistles, but do you really need that. The Sicci pumps are silent, they pull a bunch of air, and the wattage use is below 20 Watts, I like it. The only thing left to determine is the longevity of these pumps???

 

[Creetin]

I sent greg a email, I havnt gottem my oring yet.
Did yours come snail mail sang?

 

[Creetin]

Also i promised pics, But i had to do some work, I'll get pics tomarrow. The foam is drier and smellier! Ack not good to smell.

 

[Maximus]

Yes, the o-ring arrived via snail mail. I also agree that the Sicci pumps are marvelous. Let's just hope they last a long time.

 

[UCanDoIt]

BM200 - 3 day update after 1st collection cup cleaning

BM200 - 3 day update after 1st collection cup cleaning

Well, here's another photo. This time, I didn't have to ask to stop by, but Ed asked me to stop by and grab a shot before he did a water change on the tank. He warned me that the skimmer was quite full and didn't want a new water change to overflow the skimmer. This is what I saw and there hasn't been any dosing of Kent Marine Essential Elements since setup. Again, it does look like the KMEE is what causes the darker green coloring like jello as someone noted earlier. Working great! :thumbsup:
<IMG SRC="http://usera.imagecave.com/winner/BM200Clean3Days.jpg">


<hr>Skimming looks just like the BM150, except the collection cup on the BM200 is probably twice the size of the BM150 and the BM200 cup is filling at the same rate as the BM150. So, the BM200 is taking out more waste and water than the BM150. :thumbsup:

What's surprising is when I compared a earlier photo to the one I took today... same skimmer on the same tank, filling 50% faster and I don't believe the skimmer is fully broken in yet.
<IMG SRC="http://usera.imagecave.com/winner/BM200Comparison.jpg">

My opinion of the skimmate is it is wetter than I prefer. Most likely the cup will be emptied and cleaned tonight, so unfortunately, anyone who wanted to stop by on the weekend will probably only see a day or two of skimmate collected from a cleaned tank. A 50% water change was done today... which was an accident. As the tank was being redecorated, forgot the syphon was still going. :lol:

 

[Creetin]

Thanks for the pics, Looks good!

 

[UCanDoIt]

BM200 Update - Collection Cup filled overnight, did not overflow

BM200 Update - Collection Cup filled overnight, did not overflow

<IMG SRC="http://usera.imagecave.com/winner/BM200LightSkim.jpg">

Also, Ed mentioned that he could easily see how the owner on Zeovit cracked his exhaust without any effort or abuse. Ed mentioned that the T-fitting fits on his tester BM200 sits very snug on the acrylic pipe. Just to play it safe, before testing, he applied a thin layer of silicone grease on the inside of the T-fitting to allow the T-fitting to easily adjust to any direction. Even just after a few days of testing, when he tried to readjust, the T-fitting had become tight. Ed has changed the position of the exhaust several times now and the tension keeps building up everytime and becomes harder to get started... almost feels like the exhaust will crack. Of course, he just reapplied another thin layer of silicone grease today, so should be good to go for another week. Without any silicone grease, he's sure that thin acrylic wall pipe that ATi uses (instead of PVC) will easily crack like this photo, there's too much tension on where the fitting meets the acrylic pipe. So, owners beware and be careful.
<IMG SRC="http://usera.imagecave.com/winner/BM200CrackExhaust.JPG">

 

[Creetin]

Mine never had gotten snug, It comes off very easily.
The owner of that BM admitted it was his fault it broke.
Its not that thin, Its a little thicker than 1/8th inch. Looks like the guy dropped it. JMO

EDIT Also thats alot of force to break it. If you pushed it that hard you would know you were going to break it.

 

[UCanDoIt]

Ed's BM200 is very snug to begin with, so that's why the silicone grease. So, his is not loose like yours. IMHO, acrylic tubing would be fine if the exhaust was fixed and you cannot turn it. But when you get into allowing the exhaust to be able to be adjusted, loose is definitely better that tight as owner can always put some teflon tape to tighten up. Wonder how this will be addressed in the recirculating model???

 

[Creetin]

Ed can always use a fine sand paper to the inside of the tee fitting too.
I would like to see the external model. I will get on that boat too, I am already put down for one from greg.

BTW Oliver is going to put a link up on ATI's site with the 250 on a 7000 litre tank for us to see.

 

[Paulairduck]

Dremel Time

Dremel Time

I had to take a dremel to mine, and clean it out a little, because I thought it was a little to tight, plus I needed to lower the water level in the skimmer. I hope they offer us up something on an adjustable standpipe, because I would love to have one.

 

[UCanDoIt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8616711#post8616711 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Creetin
Ed can always use a fine sand paper to the inside of the tee fitting too......

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8616717#post8616717 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paulairduck
I had to take a dremel to mine, and clean it out a little, because I thought it was a little to tight.....

That is exactly my point when I mentioned that ATi is almost there, but still need to improve on their quality control and the few shortcomings. I am really trying to be objective and have been that way from day 1.

If I were a local fish store, would I want to check every unit to be sure that something as small as an adjustable T-fitting be sanded out before selling to a customer? This is the responsibility of the manfacturer within their quality control department. And even between the 3 of you, Creetin's exhaust/T-fitting is loose, Ed's is very snug and Paul's is too tight. If this was PVC, NO PROBLEMO! I know that Ed would disagree with you that you have to force it to break the exhaust as his was pretty tight after running just 5 days. All it takes is just the right amount of pressure... and crack. In his experience, he's told me stories where acrylic equipment is shipped to him and obviously the shipping company abused the handling and the the box is practically destroyed... and the equipment doesn't even have a scratch. On the other hand, he's seem a shipping box in almost perfect condition, with maybe just a slight crease on one side that didn't even look like anything... and the equipment is damaged.

With that said, I believe the adjustable exhaust should take care of the problem as I've been going over the photos and the connection looks looser, but I also can tell that this won't work for an external recirculating unit as there's potential leaking at this stand pipe. While OK for in sump, not OK for external use. I am also sure that Oliver appreciates the different findings that they may have overlooked as we're just helping them fine tuned their product before releasing another shipment.

 

[Creetin]

I would imagine a gate valve for the external, I dont see any way around that.
No one said he would have to sand every one. Is it that the mold excess is a little heavy? (Joints where the injection molds meet.)
Could be a quality issue with the plumbing supplier?

 

[Oliver P.]

Hallo,

it is a pleasure to read all your thoughts here. But please let me give you a short info:

We made some modifications. Just look on the picture:

To break an exhaust pipe should be impossible now. Especially we use thicker 5mm acrylic tubes instead of 3mm. By the way, the picture with the broken pipe shows how good you can glue acrylic. (The pipe is broken but not the glue) We use the same kind of glue that is nomally used to make complete acrylic tanks.

Thanks,
Oliver

 

[UCanDoIt]

Awesome improvement, IMO! Thanks Oliver for the detailed photo explaining the change!

 

[skimmy]

i find it very interesting that fauna marin's new skimmer looks so damn familiar...lol obviously imitation is the highest form of flattery...
this is a pic of the new fm skimmer and a pic of the first ati skimmer from about 6 years ago, i owned one of the old ati's and it was one of the best i ever had, kicked my er's butt, and it wasnt even a needle wheel. just a regular post pump venturi hooked up to an aquabee pump. it rocked!!!!!

but i do like the grey pvc plumbing outlet a little better i think
but i still havent received my new ati skimmer to compare it yet, im still patiently waiting.......

[/IMG]

 

[skimmy]

oh and oliver, the new mod looks perfect!!!
thanks again for creating such an awesome skimmer!!!!
we plan on stocking these in the reef store i work at and have several on order, but we decided to push back the arrival so we could get the new units, it's driving me nuts!!!lol