Anyone Using a BM 250 Skimmer?

[NewSchool04]

I'm looking to upgrade my skimmers. I'm currently using two small ER's on my 180 and even though these really crush it, I think that one larger skimmer would be both more efficient and skim more. On the other hand, one of the benefits of running two skimmers is you can run one dry, the other wet.

Does anyone have any experience with either the Bubble Master 200 or 250? Prices are about $550 for the 200 and $750 for the 250. I've done a lot of research, just looking for some more feed back before pulling the trigger.

If you have any skimmer suggestions besides the BM's, please post. I'd prefer in sump but I can do an external with a little work and rearanging.

Here is a pic of my two skimmers working now. I just cleaned the near one a couple of hours ago and they both are full every three days. . The skimmer section has 13" x 17" of space to use and I think the max height I can go would be 24" and that would be cutting it real close. That's one of the reasons that I really like the idea of the BM's b/c they are only 20" tall.

What would you do?!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/NewSchool04/CIMG4697.jpg

[anydarnthing]

I had a BM250 but it was the first Gen one so it had some problems, I wouldn't get one unless you have a constant level sump if not you'll have some inconsistent skimming. BM250, the one I had required constant tinkering to get it to skim right and I didn't like that so I got rid of it. Thats just my experience with them I think there is a lot of people on here that love them but not me I like H&S but they are a little more money. Plus my BM250 used to overflow a lot and the pumps need to be cleaned every week at least thats what Greg at Reefgeek told me when I called about the overflows all the time. I would recommend a H&S A200 1260 but maybe they fixed all the problems I had with my skimmer and the BM250 is now a great skimmer but I don't know.

[sjm817]

Yes, this is very true. Any darn in sump skimmer thing (sorry I couldn't resist) :) requires a constant level in your sump. This is extremely easy to do with a simple baffle.

I've had my skimmer since February and have cleaned the pumps once. The mesh was not at all dirty, just the normal calcium around the impeller magnet like any pump.

My skimmer has never overflowed. I never adjust anything on the skimmer. It just sits there and does its thing. Mine is a gen 3?? The one with the wingnut outflow adjustment.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/Cheerleader555240/DSC_1390.jpg

[NewSchool04]

Thanks for the info anydarnthing. From what I've read, they have fixed most of the problems that you mentioned. I don't like the whole clean the pump every week though, I'm going to have to look that up!

[NewSchool04]

I like that pic!

[sjm817]

I just took it today. Its a little darker than usual. I stirred up my fuge when pruning up the macro and I think it picked up some stuff from it.

[NewSchool04]

That is one thing that I noticed when I've seen pics of peoples skimmate. It's very light, tea colored. The skimmate that I pull out with my two ER's is very dark and very nasty. The sludge in the neck is disgusting. See first pic, the far one has been running for three days. I'm thinking that even both together, they are not enough.

[anydarnthing]

I was saying it needs a constant level sump because mine was VERY sensitive to level changes even a .5" change affected the skimming on my skimmer. Mine was extremely touchy about anything in the sump but I was comparing it to my external H&S's which required no input from me and and was consistent in its skimming.

[sjm817]

Your ERs look like are are working well. Just not quite big enough.

Here is a different pic. This one is lighter. The ATIs do skim on the wet side. Nothing wrong with that. I dont like gunk clogging up the neck. I want it in the cup.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/Cheerleader555240/DSC_1387.jpg

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10293696#post10293696 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by anydarnthing
I was saying it needs a constant level sump because mine was VERY sensitive to level changes even a .5" change affected the skimming on my skimmer. Mine was extremely touchy about anything in the sump but I was comparing it to my external H&S's which required no input from me and and was consistent in its skimming.
Thatis not surprising.
All in sump skimmers require a constant sump level. If you had an H&S, ER, or any other in sump, you would see the same thing.

All external recirculating skimmers are unaffected buy sump water level.

This is a difference between an in sump and a recirculating skimmer.

[NewSchool04]

Still looks great sjm817. I wonder why they skim to the wet side? Have you found that the skimmer can be adjusted towards either dry or wet?

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10293730#post10293730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NewSchool04
Still looks great sjm817. I wonder why they skim to the wet side? Have you found that the skimmer can be adjusted towards either dry or wet?
Yes, like any skimmer, raise/lower the outflow for wetter/dryer. If you want it even drier, you can cut back on the air. They skim wet because they pull a lot of air. Take a Deltec and run it with the air valve all the way open or removed and it skims wet. They recommend running the air valve closed to 2:00. Less air, drier skimming. No different.

[NewSchool04]

Great info sjm817! You're pulling me towards the BM!

[sjm817]

Its a good skimmer. There are lots of other good ones as well. For you, the short height would come in handy. Many of the larger capacity skimmers are quite a bit taller and wouldn't fit in your stand. You could run an external outside of the stand, but IMHO...that looks so...... I dont like it.

[NewSchool04]

I'm not a fan myself. 20" gives me room to spare. How much height do you need to clear the cup from the skimmer? I also noticed you wrote in a different thread that there is no union, the cup is just fits into a groove. How is that working for you?

[sjm817]

The construction of the ATi is very....minimalistic. The cup has a recess and just sits on the neck. The neck stays on the body. You just lift the cup off. I dont even turn the skimmer off, I just let it overflow the neck. You might need maybe 1/2" to remove the cup. Its fine, just different.

The pumps are just connected with a rubber union that slides into the pump and the body. Not my favorite feature. If you pick up the skimmer, the pumps will fall out. You can also easily knock one off if you are messing around in the sump. You get used to it. not a big deal, but I would prefer a more secure attachment.

[klam114]

This thread might help:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1035400

[NewSchool04]

Thank's klam, I think I've read it 5 times! I was hopping to get another point of view from someone that might not have seen that thread.

[klam114]

Here's another thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1113879

[Reef Sponger]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1130656&highlight=bm250
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1023016&highlight=bm250

Since we're bringing up old threads, here's a couple more. HTH I'm waiting on a BM160 myself, should be shipped out next week.

[taxman95]

I was facing a similar issue as you with restictions on size and height to fit into my sump and decided to go for the BM250.

It was purchased primarily for a tank upgrade this fall, but as the pump on my old skimmer died I decided to buy this now.

One of the powerheads died after a week but my LFS had a new one couried to them in a couple of days.

The only thing I had to do was raise the water level in my sump (I do use an auto top off system).

The newer model also have a gate valve so that you can adjust the skimmer and how wet the skimmate is.

While I've only used it a few weeks, and can't compare performance to an H&S, I'm very pleased with it

[NewSchool04]

Show us a pic taxman!

[dkreef]

i have bm250 new one. man everytime i have to plug the pump to start, it rattles like crazy cuz of air block in the hose line. sometimes it takes forever to open the air block.

also does the foam have to used? mine gets wet and dirty...whats making it dirty?

water level is constant at 10" and sometimes the foam tube touches water.