Ok It's BUBBLE KING REVIEW
 

I'm looking at the Bubble king MINI's series 180 or the 200

what are you views on them...... lets here them
I have a 150 gal SPS tank, with a 30 gal sump, I run Phos ban, No signs of Algae.
5" kole
5" Sailfin
4 " rabbit fish
2 PJ cardinals
2 Clowns
1 yellow head goby
1 prawn goby goby
green mandrin
lamrrick angel
leopard wrasse
royal gramma
3 blue linkia's
red, orange, leopard, brittlestar's
blood shrimp
tiger tail cuke
assort snails
2 crabs
5 emeralds
5 conchs

i do 5 gal per week water change
Im running a ATI Bubble master 250 love the skimmer ,but want to try another type of skimmer you know me
all about change...

I have no links to support this but I hear the Supermarin line skims a whole lot better. I'd recommend the SM200.

I know either Sean or Dennis at Golds commented how the mini they have is actually pretty inconsistent whereas the much cheaper skimmer next to it outskims it.

I just picked up a BK Mini 180 but I won't have comment on it for a at least a month, as my new tank is being built.

I did however do a lot of research and 99% of people are happy with their mini's. The ones who aren't all seem to have it sitting in water that flucuates in level. You need to have it sitting in water that the level does not change at all. (a change in level changes the back pressure on the skimmer)

If you can fit the 200 in your sump I would buy it. (the only reason I went with the 180 is because the 200 wouldn't fit)

Most of what I've read seems to suggest that while the build quality of the BK's is second to none, the performance is not. It's seems there is a little "bling bling" aspect to the BK line.

I have a BK Mini 180 and was very unimpressed. It took me a long time to dial it in as they come with no instructions what so ever. It seems to work the best when you keep the BK in water level of 8" I found the only way I could keep the skimmer running consistently was to add a automatic water top up. Now I am so happy with it. I would reccomend it. Only complaint is that there is no instructions or support. I spent hours on the net trying to find some.

easy skimmer
 

Great skimmer, too bad it did not fit in my system...I can honestly say it is prob the best I have used...that being said, I am breaking in a hydor performer right now and it actually looks like it is going to be competing...

Nate

feel free to pm me if you have further questions

I have a Mini BK 180 on my 120 gallon mixed reef. I got the BK something like 1-1/2 months ago give or take.

Before that I had run a mesh-modded EuroReef CS-6-2+.

Overall I am happy with my BK. It skims about as much as the mesh-modded Euroreef but the difference is consistency. The BK skims the same, day in, day out. When I empty and clean the collection cup, by the next day I have one day's worth of skimmate, the same amount of skimmate as before emptying the cup.

My mesh-modded (and gate-modded) EuroReef was finnicky, it wouldn't draw air unless you blew into the air tube, and the skimmate production was inconsistent.

My nitrates went down from the 0.5 to 1.0 range (Salifert test) to 0.2 ppm since I have been using this skimmer. Phosphates are steady at barely detectable on the Merck phosphate test.

Overall I recommend this skimmer if you have lots of money to blow, if not I would seriously look into the Bubble Magus. And I would get the 200 over the 180 if it will fit in your sump.

ok it may end up being a huge beckett now... thanks to Chin.

Bubble kings are like burger kings ...all bun no meat...

ok I don't think that im tracking you on that one

Looks good on the commercial, you get it home, ready to have it fill your craving and bang...all flash no substance :) you would have been better off buying the 1.00 burger that would have done the job, and cheaper to :)

so you have one and your not happy with it

Nope, Never had a gourmet burger either :) It is what I am starting to hear on all of the reef forums, they were the king but they are being bested by cheaper now. The build has according to almost everyone, aside from cusomt skimmer people, never been surpassed though.

Is there any skimmers that do not fall victim to this and will work well with a fluctuating water level.

HAHA well put.

Sure there are: powerhead fed recirculating skimmers!

But you do have a good point. ALL in sump skimmers (like the BK Minis) will suffer with fluctuating sump levels. It seems that BK Minis are more sensitive to this than most other skimmers perhaps because of the big air they can pull. I strongly suspect that Minis which do poorly are in such fluctuating sumps. Everything from the design of their bubble plates to the big air they pull suggest that they should be awesome performers. The only design criticism of the Minis that one could suggest is that there may be limited contact time for the bubbles before they hit the collection cup because of the pump's location within the skimmer body.

These need to run in-sump. I don't understand why anyone would build a sump compartment for a skimmer in such a way that the level would fluctuate. We're talking about a single baffle here...

:)

OK ITS GOING TO BE A REEF FLO 200 OR a BK MINI 200

Hey Mike not sure it this is helpful but with your size tank I would spring for a SM 200 or 250 if you're going with a BK, I really don't think the mini will match the performance of your BM250. If you don't spring for it this time I can see you selling the mini a few months down the road and buying a SM anyway, might as well do it now :mrgreen:

you could also look at the vertex skimmer, getting good reviews and real afordable.

I can't see the logic on spending $1229 on something when you can get the same results for $355, or if you have the room to put a 30" tall skimmer ytou can get the biggest vertex at 400. which is rated to 250 gal tank

Steve

The vertex is Proline's answer to their issue with euro reef, it's the exact same skimmer except they added a diffuser chamber which was a good addition. However the collection cup attaches by a gland seal o-ring which makes removing the collection cup a real PITA and a recipe for skimmate spill. If you're looking for a good skimmer in a $400 budget it's a good choice but I wouldn't go any further.

I used a Euro Reef 180 in my tank for a few weeks while I waited for my BK, it was like I didn't even have a skimmer and barely pulled anything, when I hooked up the BK it was like I never even had a skimmer before, cleaned the tank up real fast. I know Mike's tried a few skimmers on his tank and it seems he's ready for something a little more reliable, constant and effective.

You guy's can trash talk BKs all you want but you get what you pay for. I would bet with all the money Mike's invested in skimmers he could have bought two BKs by now :razz:

OH yes if you only knew how much that I have spent time for a change... Steve are you home now i dont have your Work number.

hey Steve I'm just looking at the vertex skimmer, its the same skimmer like the Euro reef but with the sedra pumps I dont like the Sedra pumps had them on my Euro reef. I can't see how a vertex skimmer is better then a euro reef its the pump at the end of the day to make the skimmer Unless that Im wrong here... alot of skimmer sare going to the Bubble plate too.

Like Sphelps stated I have tried alot of skimmer's and spend alot of mpney on them just to say that i have tried them. And I really think when you spend your money you get what you pay for. Look at the PFO reflector's they are ok, until you put them next to the Lumenarc's

:rofl:



I dont think he,s alone there. :wink:

Trash Talk? When i read of so many people saying that their skimmer is built really well but performs comparable to cheaper skimmers, i'm sorry but image means nothing to me, i think everyone said they perform well, just not as well as the price would seem to dictate. If he has the money to burn, and doesn't want cheaper alternatives, then by all means go for it. We've all bought equipment that should have lived up to the hype and didn't and equipment that was supposed crap and performed excellently, I for one have seen the same euro-reef skimmers pull completely diff. amounts of gunk...why i don't know...i think all this equipment is somewhat like that :) I think the ATI Bubblemaster was a good skimmer as well, the company behind it however :)

No I'm at work and not really around the phone as I'm constantly running into the back shop to deal with heat treating issues. You can try calling me later at home but I think I'll probably be out x-mas shopping. Best to just shoot me a PM or email if you have something to ask me directly.

I wasn't referring to anyone in particular, I've just noticed the BKs get a lot of trash talk on this forum and it hasn't started yet on this thread but I'm kind of expecting it to.

Don't read too much into things I'm just trying to help and would prefer to avoid any skimmer debates this time around.

Agreed, to thine own skimmer be true :)
I would like to try a Bubble king just to see if it works, but I am happy with my three euro-reefs....they do what i need them to :)
I just think the price is a lot, considering custom skimmers are close, sometime even cheaper...

yes I agree that the Bubble kings get huge Trash talk ,but why because of the $$$$$$$$$, then why are so many people in Germany screaming about them.

Oh, I dont think it will. :wink:




:lol:

... *sigh

I think German's like fish more than Canadians :lol:
Or maybe because the hobby is more advanced over there and experience pays.

WOW I can't believe that its this hardto make a decision about a skimmer.... man Im starting to get a head ache. about it:redface:

I have a vertex and I think the "o" ring is the best thing sence sliced bread. real easy to remove and reinstall, less chance of spillage that twist off tops.

there is a lot more to the Vertex than just a bubble chamber and the "O" ring cup system, take a good look at one, better pump, different entrance high for the pump discharge and a few other little tweaks. I know the bubble king is a good skimmer, but I don't think it is enough of a differance to justify 850.00 more. needle wheel pumps are great, after having becket and venturi, both of which would make just as good of bubble as any needlewheel skimmer out there, I will never go back. the best thing about needle wheel in my opinion is the lack of maintance of the bubble producer.

I have got as far as to rething the custom skimmer I am building for my big tank I am setting up when I retire next year, to change it from dual venturi to duel or (maybe 3) good needle wheel pumps as I figure this skimmer will handle 600 gal easy.

If you want to see a knock off of the euroreef look at Pacific coast skimmers, the Vertex only uses the body in common, everything else is different.

Steve

not a sedra pump from everything I have been reading, it is one that was real good but concidered noisey, they did somethign with the shaft and such to quiet it down and made there own special intake for the air to be drawn in. I have seen a few of them in action now and I am totaly impressed. But, find out if anyone has one around you and take a look, the body is the same as the euro reef, but thats where it stops from what I have seen in mine and others.

Steve

because they will be a lot cheeper there. probably 1/2 the price. Can you imagin what the shipping and such is here, plus the markup, ect..

you have the mark up from the manufacture to make ther emoney,(they probably sell direct in Germany for that price)
then you have the guy who has the distrubution rights in north america, who ships them in and adds a markup, then you probably have a canadian distrubuter who adds his cut and boarder crossing fees and shipping, then the stores.

It is just like some stuff I bought in Dubai and India, cost me 8 bucks for a carved eliphant from the guy who carved it, I saw something not as good sitting on a shelf in the brick for over 900.00

Steve

With a bubbleking you get low power consumption and quiet operation.I have a supermarine 250 and like it lots.They are expensive,but are built to last.

BK's are more expensive in Germany.

IMO the Bubblekings are very nice but not essential, lots of different skimmers will do the job, a skimmer that costs twice as much does not skim twice as well, but somewhat better. I'm happy with my BK, there are other less expensive choices that do a good job. In the end it comes down to what you want to spend your money on, I will blow money on a few things that are important to me, one of them is stuff for my aquariums.