Ok It's BUBBLE KING REVIEW

[Skimmerking]

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...

[lastlight]

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.

[Psyire]

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)

[Pan]

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.

[Madreefer]

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.

[Nate]

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

[Oxymoron]

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)

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

[fkshiu]

Originally Posted by Oxymoron

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

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.

[lastlight]

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...