Bubble Magus BM-NAC5E External Hang On Back Protein Skimmer Review.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Thread Update: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 9:06pm

It finally arrived after 5 long days of waiting. Federal Express dropped off my Bubble Magus BM-NAC5E External Protein Skimmer this evening and I was like a kid in a candy store. My first thoughts are that the construction quality is amazing! It was much better then I expected for a protein skimmer priced at $170.00. However, documentation was fair at best. Only a few documents giving a brief description of the warranty and overall description of the parts was included. Also among the documentation was a certificate of authenticity, some Bubble Magus stickers and additional o-ring for the adjustment valve for the setting of the water level. It was much bigger then I had imagined and would have dwarfed my 10 gallon aquarium with ease. The noise level from the pump is comparable to the Seaclone 100 Protein Skimmer. I was hoping that it would be a bit more silent but it not intolerable. Also it would have helped if the documentation stated that in order to prime the skimmer you must fill that body with saltwater from the aquarium and close the air valve. After a few seconds it begins to process water nicely. I believe the best feature of all it that I have no micro bubbles entering the aquarium whatsoever! Also it came in all white as opposed to the red, white and blue coloration on the website. At this point I couldn't be happier. So I am hoping that the performance is as equally impressive as my first thoughts.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Photographs: Bubble Magus BM-NAC5E External Protein Skimmer Out of Box Setup.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Thread Update: Sunday, July 04, 2011 at 3:12am

It has been about 1 week since my initial setup of the Bubbles Magus BM-NAC5E Protein Skimmer. I noticed that the pump was making an odd noise so I figured I would do some minor tinkering with shutting off the Protein Skimmer yesterday and turning it back on with the Air Valve fully closed. This resolved the noise and seemed to increase the foam head density as I opened the Air Valve to the appropriate level (about 40%) which caused the foam head to rise about 20% up the Riser Tube in the Collection Cup. I also added some about 50lbs of Marco Rock later that morning and within about 30 minutes I had some nasty gunk pulled out of the water and it has been performing like flawlessly since that point. I initially got a ton of Micro Bubbles from the tinkering but those have seem to subside quite a bit and are almost not present and the Foam Head has been consistent. I can say so far that I am extremely happy with the overall performance. But I am definitely sad that the Bubbles Magus website has a lack of information regarding the operation and troubleshooting of the Protein Skimmer in general.





Photographs: Bubbles Magus BM-NAC5E performance & Foam Head production after tinkering with the Pump and Air Valve settings.



Photographs: Bubbles Magus BM-NAC5E Micro Bubble byproduct after tinkering with the Air Valve and Pump settings.





Photographs: Bubbles Magus BM-NAC5E Skimmate production 30 minutes after placing 50 lbs of Marco Rock into the aquarium after tinkering with the settings.

[PokerReefer]

Looking at your pictures. I think you have the skimmer cup drain line and the silencer tubes reversed. That Jon Guest fitting is to empty the skimmer cup not the other way around.

[wildman926]

Originally Posted by PokerReefer

Looking at your pictures. I think you have the skimmer cup drain line and the silencer tubes reversed. That Jon Guest fitting is to empty the skimmer cup not the other way around.

Some HOB skimmers will not restart unless you block the air inlet.

[jeepinreefer07]

Where did you get yours from?

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by PokerReefer

Looking at your pictures. I think you have the skimmer cup drain line and the silencer tubes reversed. That Jon Guest fitting is to empty the skimmer cup not the other way around.

Nope that is the way the it's shown in the manual. You would not be able to control the air intake without it.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by jeepinreefer07

Where did you get yours from?

I purchased mine from Eye Popping Corals. Website: www.eyepoppincorals.com

[Superpuma]

Hi

With my NAC6A and 150 PRO there is no air adjustment, it's a 'clean' rubber tube from silencer to impeller, only adjustment is water level via control of the water exit port.

Mike

Originally Posted by TH3C1SC0K1D

Nope that is the way the it's shown in the manual. You would not be able to control the air intake without it.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

So it has been almost a whole two weeks using the Bubble Magus BM-NAC5E External Hang On Back Protein Skimmer on my 40 gallon Breeder Aquarium with 50 lbs of Marco Rocks and 30 lbs of live sand and I have to say that I am extremely please with the performance on this Protein Skimmer. As you can see from the photographs below this is what it pulls out on a weekly basis with practically no bio-load other then the Live Rock and Live Sand. Most of the Skim Mate actually flows out the drain from the collection cup with is about 1 foot long and 0.25 of an inch thick (I currently don't have the drain hose plugged into an external Waste Collector). Also if you take a look at the photographs the Skim Mate is so dark that you can see the coloration difference through the tubing as compared to the tubing to allow air into the Protein Skimmer.








Photographs: Bubble Magus BM-NAC5E weekly Skim Mate production.

[ChicagoReefOne]

Any update on how this skimmer is working for you?

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by ChicagoReefOne

Any update on how this skimmer is working for you?

The skimmer is working great for me. It performs day in and day out. This is about a day of skimmate from the last cleaning.

[ChicagoReefOne]

Thanks so much for the reply! I REALLY appreciate it. That has a waste drain too right? So does a lot of it drain out?

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by ChicagoReefOne

Thanks so much for the reply! I REALLY appreciate it. That has a waste drain too right? So does a lot of it drain out?

No problem at all. Yes there is a drain tube built into the collection cup. However, I am not using it currently on my aquarium but there is about 12 Inches of 0.25" tubing that connects to it and when I clean out the collection cup it is always full. If you look at the previous photographs in this thread you can see the discoloration of thr tu ing from the Skimmate in it. Here are some photographs of it. The Skimmate that it produces is pretty thick and quite honestly I couldn't be happier with the Protein Skimmers Performance. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.


uploadfromtaptalk1312593267270.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1312593283967.jpg

[pompeyjohn]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I am also own this skimmer and LOVE IT. Great write-up and thread.

[ChicagoReefOne]

Originally Posted by TH3C1SC0K1D

However, I am not using it currently on my aquarium

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you using it anymore?

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by ChicagoReefOne

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you using it anymore?

I actually dont have anything for it to drain into currently. I am focusing on other equipment at the moment but eventually I will purchase something for it to drain into.

[ChicagoReefOne]

Oh-- I'm sorry, I thought you meant you weren't using the skimmer anymore, not the collection cup. Thanks again, really appreciate it.

[jeanietn]

I wish I had found you several days ago! I agree not enough instructions. Mine is an in sump NAC5. I just called the company and had to shut mine off and start all over again. Since I have never had a skimmer I did not know what to expect. I am glad to see you like yours. Mine has only been running since friday and I was having "lots" of bubbles go into my sump. Now I know I am supposed to start on "max" then go down------not one and go up Any other advice you have will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
Jeanie

[J-Burns]

How is your skimmer doing? are you getting any micro bubbles in your tank? The only bad thing I see is that the pump on the websites is listed as using 11 watts but the pump is marked 41 watts.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by jeanietn

I wish I had found you several days ago! I agree not enough instructions. Mine is an in sump NAC5. I just called the company and had to shut mine off and start all over again. Since I have never had a skimmer I did not know what to expect. I am glad to see you like yours. Mine has only been running since friday and I was having "lots" of bubbles go into my sump. Now I know I am supposed to start on "max" then go down------not one and go up Any other advice you have will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
Jeanie

Jeanie, I do not really have any other advice for you. Do you have any specific questions that you need answered? I think I can be more helpful to start that way. Unfortunately your model has the numbers on the exit spout to control the foam height but my exit spout does not have numbers at all. I honestly jut eye balled it to a level in the middle and made small adjustments until I got to a level I wanted. I honestly have not had to adjust it at all, even after turning off the protein skimmer weekly to empty amd clean the collection cup. But it has been a great performer for me for the money. Please let me know if I can be of any further help.

[TH3C1SC0K1D]

Originally Posted by J-Burns

How is your skimmer doing? are you getting any micro bubbles in your tank? The only bad thing I see is that the pump on the websites is listed as using 11 watts but the pump is marked 41 watts.

J-Burns, my protein skimmer is doing just fine. I initially had a good share of micro bubbles that were ibtrudced back into the aquatium but I constructed a retro-fit shield to minimize the micro bubbles from entering the aquarium. I am waiting on the delivery of a new lens so when it comes in a will snap some photographs and show you what I mean. Also I do know that the website focuses on the chinese versions of these protein skimmers so the difference in the pump wattage could just be something that was lost in translation. It is still a great protein skimmer line in my opinion.

[J-Burns]

Thanks, I'll watch for the pics. It looks like a good skimmer.

[jeanietn]

Thank you. I don't have any questions at this time---but I might be back I will be starting mine back up shortly. I have never had a skimmer. My sw 55 gal. aquarium is 16 months old. I have been going very slow----2 clown, 2 damsel,1 lawnmower blemmie, live rock and of course the clean up crew. My goal is to learn all I can then maybe corials. The hobby is wide open. I just need to know more than I do now! Thanks again for answering me.
Jeanie
p.s. I am usually on the newby site