Dc 180

greef84

New member
Hi,

question about the double cone 180. BRS rates it for 75 heavy bio-load and 132 low bio-load, while other suppliers state it is good for up to 132g (which i take to assume 132 heavy bio-load).

However reading some other posts I see the DC 180 being recommended for 150g tanks etc.

Could someone please confirm which is accurate?

Thank you
 
Hello

I was also wondering about this. I am planing on setting up a red Sea reefer 625xxl which is approximately 135gallons of display tank volume. Would a BK dual cone 180 suffice. I plan on having a heavy stock, but of course I will have to ramp up slowly.
 
The Bubble Kings are very conservatively rated. I wouldn’t recommend the 180 for anything under a 100-120 gallon heavily loaded tank. A heavy load is 1/2” of fish per display gallon. In the absence of enough load, the skimmer will perform inconsistently or you’d have to run it really wet to maintain any semblance of consistency. You would also be limited on the ability to fine tune it and be more prone to overflows in the skimmer.
 
Thanks Slief. My up coming tank will be 124 gallons display only, so this will be perfect.

On your website i see a new DC pump coming out. Any idea when the 180 will be fitted with those pumps?
 
Thanks Slief. My up coming tank will be 124 gallons display only, so this will be perfect.

On your website i see a new DC pump coming out. Any idea when the 180 will be fitted with those pumps?

Don’t know as far as the DC version as a DC version Double Cone 180 has not been announced. Not even sure if it will be announced as the demand for that version may not be high enough since most would likely prefer the RD3. And that’s not a knock on the DC pump at all but simply many peoples thinking simply due to the price point differences. The RD3 pump is a variable speed and variable wattage AC pump. So it operates on the same principle as a DC pump but doesn’t do it with DC power. Instead it’s variable voltage AC which means no AC/DC converters. The RD3 though is too large for some of our smaller skimmers which is where the DC motor is a good fit. There is a larger DC motor but that has been slated for the Double Cone 300 which is kind of a stop gap between the Super Marin and Deluxe 300.
 
thanks slief. Sorry would not let me pm you, but i just saw there is a super marin 160. would that be a better option for my tank size or should i just stick to the dbl cone 180?

thanks again for your help.
 
thanks slief. Sorry would not let me pm you, but i just saw there is a super marin 160. would that be a better option for my tank size or should i just stick to the dbl cone 180?

thanks again for your help.

If it were me, I'd go double cone 180 but in all honesty, the SM160 would be a decent choice two. They kind of overlap a bit.
 
Hello Slief

Thanks for responding. I'm actually now looking at a custom tank. This would be approximately 165-175 gallon tank with a 33 gallon sump. Would a BK DC 200 be more approyfor this tank, or the 180.

I am assuming a heavy fish load in the future.
 
Hello Slief

Thanks for responding. I'm actually now looking at a custom tank. This would be approximately 165-175 gallon tank with a 33 gallon sump. Would a BK DC 200 be more approyfor this tank, or the 180.

I am assuming a heavy fish load in the future.

The only way I would condone a 200 on that sized tank is with a truly heavy fish load which is 1/2" of fish per display gallon and even then, 165 gallon display is on the load side for that skimmer but with a very heavy fish load, it should be OK. If you don't have a truly heavy fish load, the 200 sized skimmer will not be consistent. These skimmers are conservatively rated and very efficient at removing dissolved organics.
 
The only way I would condone a 200 on that sized tank is with a truly heavy fish load which is 1/2" of fish per display gallon and even then, 165 gallon display is on the load side for that skimmer but with a very heavy fish load, it should be OK. If you don't have a truly heavy fish load, the 200 sized skimmer will not be consistent. These skimmers are conservatively rated and very efficient at removing dissolved organics.

Got it. So you would still recommend going with a BK DC180 on this tank. And by the sounds of it, the 180 should be able to handle everything I throw at it.

I assume if I were to go with a medium-heavy fish load in 165 Display, the BK DC 180 is the choice skimmer for this application.
 
Additionally, how much space is needed infront of the pump intake for the skimmer to operate effectively.

I would suggest at least an inch. And yes, I would still likely suggest the Double Cone 180 for a medium load. If you have a truly heavy load meaning 80+ inches of fish, then and only then do I feel the Double Cone 200 work work OK. And the downside of the 180 at that point wouldn't be it's ability to keep up. It would just mean emptying the cup more frequently.
 
Thanks for the help.

What is the Optimal water level. The website mentions between 5.12-
9.84 inches.

It really depends on your load but I would suggest around 8.5" unless you have a really light load in which case, you may need to go deeper. If your load is REALLY heavy, a bit shallower. A heavy load is 1/2" of fish per display gallon. One indicator of needing to have it deeper is if you need to close the wedge pipe more then 50%. An indicator that you need it in shallower water is if you can't lower the break line (line where bubbles turn to foam) about 1/2"-1" below the point where the cup attaches to the body with the pump at the best setting (which should be 20-22w) and the wedge wide open.
 
It really depends on your load but I would suggest around 8.5" unless you have a really light load in which case, you may need to go deeper. If your load is REALLY heavy, a bit shallower. A heavy load is 1/2" of fish per display gallon. One indicator of needing to have it deeper is if you need to close the wedge pipe more then 50%. An indicator that you need it in shallower water is if you can't lower the break line (line where bubbles turn to foam) about 1/2"-1" below the point where the cup attaches to the body with the pump at the best setting (which should be 20-22w) and the wedge wide open.

Thank you for the advice. I will let you know how it goes.
 
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