Bubble Magus NAC6A mini-review: first impressions

[nlreefguy]

I just replaced an Eshopps PSK100h HOB skimmer with a BM-NAC6A due to the fact that I added a sump. I'd have to say that the Eshopps was probably the best HOB skimmer I've ever owned but still undersized for my tank I think.

My system is a 54 gallon SPS dominated tank with lyretail anthias, clownfish, a small yellow tang and a fat and healthy mandarin. I've been feeding heavily and often due to the anthias but have been running NP-biopellets until recently. I started to notice cyano films over some of my corals and they weren't really responding that well to it (duh) so I decided to scrap the biopellets and go back to a chaeto refugium, which I have had good success with prior. I don't think the Eshopps was keeping up with the biopellets very well.

So anyway, I ordered the Bubble Magus in early July and, thanks to Canada Post, didn't receive it until a few days ago. Kudos to Oceanic Corals for responding to all my concerns during the protracted shipping process. I have to say thanks to them for putting up with me - I was bordering on rude, I think! I was just frustrated because I needed it immediately.

Initial impressions on shipping: you'll see in the attached pics that the box is very solid, stiff cardboard inserts throughout inside. Very well packed. It arrived in perfect condition. My impressions of build quality are also very positive. I've owned quite a few skimmers and I think that only the Deltec AP-701 I owned previously was built more solidly than this one. Some nice thoughtful touches include numbers on the wedge pipe to let you know reliably how open it is, a large diameter and well designed skimmer cup drain, and that it is able to be totally disassembled for cleaning. They also include a spare mesh wheel, which is also a nice touch, see the pic below.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PUyDln6uhlk/TF...2/IMG_2834.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PUyDln6uhlk/TF...2/IMG_2835.JPG

So I set it up immediately, no vinegar bath or anything - straight into the sump. To my surprise it developed a good stable foam head in the first 3 or 4 hours and over a 48 hour period had skimmed out more than my eshopps did in two weeks or more - without even being broken in! Needless to say I'm impressed so far, I hope it continues to improve as it ages. Noise levels at this point are a little high for my liking but I'm very picky about that. It's louder than my eshopps, but then again my eshopps was actually very noisy when I first set it up and became virtually silent over the period of a couple of weeks break-in.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PUyDln6uhlk/TF...2/IMG_2831.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PUyDln6uhlk/TF...0/IMG_2833.JPG

Positives: build quality, ease of assembly and disassembly, very compact with small footprint, skimmate production thus far has been remarkable.

Negatives: a bit loud for my taste (still breaking in), don't know if it's a negative per se but if you need to do any work or impeller replacement on the pump you have to completely disassemble the skimmer to do so (but this point also allows it to have a small footprint).

See the attached pics - the skimmate you see is about 48 hours or less after being set up! Oh, and if anyone knows what the extra circular piece of acrylic is for please let me know!!! Finally, another shout-out to Oceanic Corals for fine customer service!

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PUyDln6uhlk/TF...2/IMG_2836.JPG

[nlreefguy]

Just a quick update, it's been almost two weeks and I have noticed a few things:

First is that as it breaks in, the skimmer gets a LOT quieter, which is definitely a good thing.

It's been pretty consistent with the skimmate so far, but it certainly isn't much changed from the first couple of days (which seems a bit odd).

Also, it's exquisitely sensitive to water level in the sump. If the ato is not absolutely perfect (and mine does fluctuate a bit) then skimmate production is significantly thrown off.

[nlreefguy]

Keep the air intake venturi flushed with boiling RO every couple of weeks! It really affects performance. (well, it's what I do anyway!)

BTW, can anybody tell me what the extra acrylic ring is for? - It's function is not immediately obvious, I must say.

The pump is now almost dead silent, for all practical purposes it is completely silent. The only way you'd be able to hear this skimmer is if you had absolutely nothing else turned on in your tank. My powerheads make more noise than it does.

[nlreefguy]

So, just wanted to update everyone. I'm starting to be not so impressed. The skimmer is not really skimming all that much skimmate, or with any consistency. The production of skimmate has not changed since the beginning, when it was supposedly breaking in. The skimmate is also very watery. I took it apart two days ago and cleaned it out. Disassembled the pump, only t discover that the meshwheel was looking pretty unhealthy (frayed out and thinning). I replaced it with the spare needlewheel, which I don't think I should have to do yet, by the way, and it did not really improve the situation.

I'm running this on a 50 gallon sps tank with 2 anthias, a yellow tang, 2 ocellaris clowns and a royal gramma. I feed a small amount of thawed and drained frozen food once a day. Is that enough bioload/doc to support this size of skimmer? Do you think it might be just oversized? It's the nac6a model with the wider neck - could that be the source of the problem? Is the neck too wide, you think?

[banditpowdercoat]

I think your fine.Few things.

Mesh wheels do wear out fairly fast. It's why most manufactures do not use them. Pinwheel's, although not as good at chopping the bubbles, last a heck of alot longer.

The skimmate production will vary. You may well be at equilibrium with what your tank produces and what your skimmer is taking out. You really can not have to large of a skimmer. A larger skimmer will just seem like it doesnt skim as much, as it is acctually pulling more out, and when there is no gunk to pullout, theres no gunk. A undersized skimmer will acctually pull lots,all the time, as it can not keep up and there is allways gunk in the tank to pull out.

[TRS]

I never could read Chinese, but if it has an acrylic bottom, that extra piece of acrylic is most likely a coral viewer/camera boat for top down viewing or taking photographs into your saltwater aquarium.

[nlreefguy]

Originally Posted by TheReefShoppe

I never could read Chinese, but if it has an acrylic bottom, that extra piece of acrylic is most likely a coral viewer/camera boat for top down viewing or taking photographs into your saltwater aquarium.

Nope, it's just an acrylic hoop! Wider than the neck but not as wide as the body... hmmm.....

[banditpowdercoat]

Ring for a filter sock maybe, on the output?

[nlreefguy]

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Ring for a filter sock maybe, on the output?

I hear ya, but the water outlet is on the bottom, nowhere near where a filter sock could go! Not trying to be an a**, I just can't figure out what the hell it's for and it keeps me wondering if I'm missing something important.

[Arok3000]

If your still interested, someone translated the writing, and it's a stand.
The ring is intended to go under the skimmer if your water level is too high for the skimmer to function.

How is the skimmer doing lately?