The Bubble-Magus Club

[Steve Campbell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14875882#post14875882 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmsf7
Steve, the following link shows the recipe:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

I'm interested in finding out how much they sell the BM-160 and confirm if they have the pumps in 110v(though I doubt it). No problem if you don't have the chance because I'll be there in 2 weeks. Thanks

Theres a good chance I will be coming home as your going across but I'll have a look. Everything on Gold fish street (Tung Choi Street, Mongkok) is 220V 50Hz, I've never seen any 110V stuff there. You need to know your prices and the exchange rate, I have found that there are not a lot of bargains to be had but it's worth a look. I normally get my Ca, Mg and Alk supplements and sometimes a few other small things I don't really need.

I couldn't remember how much I paid for my BM150 but I wrote in a RTAW forum back when I got it that I paid AUS$200. I suspect I probably paid a little more. The new BM150 on Nuocean's site has a wider neck which would be handy as the neck is not removable.

 

[fishkeeper00]

whats the best water level for the bm100?

 

[fishkeeper00]

bump

 

[sal9012]

BM100

BM100

I have mine running since 8/18/08 so far :thumbsup:
-Got the pinwheel impeller upgrade
-Experimented with mesh mode (run the skimmer like that for a while)
-Got the V2 impeller from Chris
-New magnet broke shaft
-Got 2 new shafts from Chris
-Have been running like a champ since the upgrade

My take on this skimmer
-You can't go wrong for the money
-Could use a better pump
-Keep the neck and cup clean
-Keep an eye on the air silencer
-10" deep works the best for me
-Silent
-No restart issues after upgrade
-CS from vendor (Chris) is top notch
-I only hope they make a cone in the near future

my $0.02

 

[Steve Campbell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14847310#post14847310 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmsf7
I'll be going to goldfish street in Hong Kong next month to look for the BM skimmers. Does anyone now if it's any cheaper than the websites? I wonder if they have the pumps in 110v.

BM160 HK$2050
BM160E HK$3200
BM150 HK$1750

All from Great Barrier Reef, Tung Choi Street, Mongkok. I think I would be buying them online in the 110V 60Hz version. Nothing in 110V apart from the odd low voltage pump or controller. :thumbsup:

 

[96p993]

Have realized the size of the remote collection cup valve is worthless...clogs up way to easily...Gonna increase to 3/8"

Just modded the venturi line to run inside the cup (also 3/8")...Silent silent silent

and no overflows ever!!!

 

[jmsf7]

Thanks much Steve for checking out the prices! Much appreciated!
Yea....it's probably not worth buying it there. It's only about $44 US difference with the BM160 plus I will have to spend more for the power converter. Hope you had fun and found some bargains if any. Just a few days before I go there.

 

[Nanomaniac]

when will nuocean.com have some BM100 in stock?

 

[Blazer88]

How quiet is the BM150? I need something that is extremely quiet since I generally keep my doors off in the summertime and don't want to hear a skimmer running. Also, does the 150 come apart from the bottom for cleaning? I would guess so in case the pump needs to be serviced but I figure it's worth asking.

 

[r-balljunkie]

The BM150 is retarded quiet. you have to look and see if it is running, before you realize it is on. it is quieter than my return pump - Tunze Silence 1073.020.

when i turn it on and off, i cant register the sound in my ears, non-detectable.

it does come apart from bottom. easy to clean. i pull mines every two months or so. overall good experience. i am thinking of getting the BM250S, for overkill. the 150 has no problem keeping up with my 125.

it blows any PM, ETTS, turboflotor, coralife etc skimmer i have owned in the past, out of the water (no pun intended)

 

[tangtang clown]

Anybody have any skimmate pics?

 

[shnapper20]

just purchased a 150 very happy so far

 

[danreefs]

Ok i picked up my BM 100v2 back in januray 09. It started to get loud with in 4 weeks so sent a e-mail to Chris and he sent me 2 new impellers but that did not work. So Chris tells me to give it some time to break in. So i did and its getting louder. Its all i hear at ngiht when i try to sleep. Im at the other side of the house to. The skimmer sits in about 7-71/2 in of water. Anyone know waht i can try to do to fix this? Other then that i love the skimmer it pulls out alot of crap has good bubbles.

 

[rado316]

im seriously looking at pulling the trigger on a bm 150 when nuocean gets them back in. Any suggestions. I ve been round and round between the bm 150, Octo ext 160, MSX 160. I have very limited room in my wet/dry sump, so the reviews of the bm 150 with a small footprint and relatively quiet aquabee has me chomping at the bit. I just got into the salwater side of things so ive been very hesitant and trying to do my research top to bottom.

 

[pIankton]

Joined the club - I ordered a NAC6 and it should be here tomorrow! I'm totally excited about this skimmer! A buddy of mine picked up one of the 100's for a frag tank right before they were discontinued and replaced with this. After seeing his run and after reading this thread, I can only imagine what the NAC6 is capable of producing.

 

[saltydragon]

remember to give us some pics and how it looks running...

 

[pIankton]

I will, but I'll give you a quick and dirty.

Picked it up this evening and had it together in about 10 mins or so. It went together really smoothly with no real effort. It comes stock with a mesh wheel and it also comes with an additional wheel for a replacement later on so that was a nice surprise. It came with an acrylic ring that I don't know what it's for (maybe a platform for raising it up if needed??). The translated instructions kind of suck - it's hard to make sense of them, but the diagram on the other side was very easy to follow, so I even that out.

Build quality is nice - I've seen better, I've seen worse - I'd rate it up the middle somewhere - probably Octopus-ish build - maybe a little better and a little more attention to detail.

Extremely quiet. Can't hear it run at all. No slurping noises.

It appears to pull a lot of air, but I don't have a meter or anything, but you can feel the air escaping from the holes in the lid easily.

Very fine bubbles - reaction chamber is totally milked out and I can't see the bubbles move around at all - except at the bubble break line and of course in the diffuser area. It's sitting in 10" of water at the moment and is set just shy of the "3".

Way too early to tell overall, but if it's any indication as to how this will work after the break-in period - it would be one of the better purchases I've made - $150 shipped.

 

[saltydragon]

sounds awesome....im local so might go pick one up...
but still up for some pics of the skimmer and your setup...

 

[pIankton]

No pics yet - I'm at work ATM, but I was topping off this morning (10 hrs later) and it's forming a dense head already - looks like a Guiness head within the neck.

My system is a 125 RR with a 30 gallon sump / fuge. It's a softie / LPS dominated tank with only a couple SPS corals that I don't plan on keeping. There's around 110 lbs of Marshall Island and a SSB. Light to medium bio-load (1 small sailfin, 2 maroons, lawnmower blenny, 1 chromis and 1 blue damsel). I bought this skimmer to not overskim the tank, but for it to pull just enough.

I'll get some pics and post them up as soon as I can.

 

[pIankton]

OK, here's some pics - not much to look at, but you get the idea. Almost 24 hrs after initial start-up:

First 2 are the replacement meshweel that came with the pump. The pump comes with a meshwheel already installed, so that was nice:

Next 2 are the skimmer working in the sump and the bubble diffuser:

It was kind of tough to get a bubble shot due to how my sump is layed out, but here's one anyway: