Bubble King Skimmer Club

[lsingh]

Question ??
Is bubble king sp200 is Qzone safe ??

[grcforce327]

Originally Posted by Rwpdunne

I'm still having problems with my new gen 2 bubble king mini 180 it's releasing loads of tiny bubbles into the sump it's running two weeks now
Can anyone advise?
Many thanks Robbie

You may want to post where your water level is. My cylinder is in 8 1/2in of water,and the inside water level is 3/4in below the line.I have a small amount of micro bubbles,but they disappear in the refugium.

[dailykos]

Hello everyone!

So my Bubble King 160 works fine, but has always been noisier than I hoped and what other people claim to experience. I thought I was just extra sensative and didn't think more of it.

So I'm on this energy efficiency kick and am measuring the energy output of every single electrical device in my house. Today I attacked my tanks. While the spec sheet says the BK160 draws 18 watts, my skimmer clocked in at 43 watts!

Clearly my skimmer pump is working harder than it needs to be, and that could be causing the extra noise.

Any idea what might make that skimmer pump draw more than twice its rated energy consumption?

[dailykos]

Double post.

[Jeremy B.]

Originally Posted by dailykos

Hello everyone!

So my Bubble King 160 works fine, but has always been noisier than I hoped and what other people claim to experience. I thought I was just extra sensative and didn't think more of it.

So I'm on this energy efficiency kick and am measuring the energy output of every single electrical device in my house. Today I attacked my tanks. While the spec sheet says the BK160 draws 18 watts, my skimmer clocked in at 43 watts!

Clearly my skimmer pump is working harder than it needs to be, and that could be causing the extra noise.

Any idea what might make that skimmer pump draw more than twice its rated energy consumption?

You should expect in the 35w to low 40w range with the Mini 160. The specs Klaus put on these I believe were in 220v at 50hz. Going to a 60hz pump that will automatically raise that wattage just a little since that spins the RPM's up just a little (Our pumps over here perform better than theirs overseas). Then when you put that power consumption over one leg (110v) instead of two legs (220v) that decreases efficiency just slightly as well, and you double the power consumption rating on 110v versus 220v. HTH!

[dailykos]

Okay, thanks for the info!

[AndreMF]

Originally Posted by Jeremy B.

You should expect in the 35w to low 40w range with the Mini 160. The specs Klaus put on these I believe were in 220v at 50hz. Going to a 60hz pump that will automatically raise that wattage just a little since that spins the RPM's up just a little (Our pumps over here perform better than theirs overseas). Then when you put that power consumption over one leg (110v) instead of two legs (220v) that decreases efficiency just slightly as well, and you double the power consumption rating on 110v versus 220v. HTH!

Hi there America! I am one of those "over there" who use 220V and I too have measured a higher consumption then expected. The measurements were undertaken as I am in the process of purchasing a used BK Deluxe 250 Internal and found it odd that it did not produce more bubbles then it did. Just to have something to compare it with I connected my skimmerpump from an ATI 250i Powercone, and sure enough, the ATI produces more bubbles!.. its about 1/3 the size of the Red Dragon BK1500 skimmerpump, something is not right, and I am hoping the guys and gals of RC could help me figuring out just what.
Stated powerconsumption 48W
Nozzle all the way in:57W
Nozzle in optimal postion: 60-62W
Air intake quickly blocked: 90W

Stated min luft (minimum air I guess..?): 1500l/h
Measured air.
Nozzle all the way in aprox 1000l/h
Nozzle all the way out aprox 1350l/h
ATI skimmer pump pulls 1500l/h of air.. again, this thing is about 1/3 the size of the Red Dragon BK1500 skimmer pump.
Stated min. water 2500l/h
Measured capacity: 1l.pr 5 seconds = 12l.pr/m=720l/h from the outlet tube of the skimmer.
I have two rotors/pinwheels, one hardly used, one unused, same results with both.

The seller reckons it is because it only has 15 cm. of water in the sump, so I raised it to 23cm. same results.. Testing it in a bucket, same thing.

This might sound like an ATI ad, I assure you it is not, my ATI is cursed. Each and every time I go for a holiday it overskimms on me causing me to call in favours from the elderly couple next door, my parents in law, and lasty during the x-mas holidays I had to call my security company so they could send a rent-a-cop to shut down my rabies stricken, furiously spluttering skimmer.. Of course, as soon as I am back home, it performes perfectly.. sorry for the rant.. back to business:


Foam with RDBK15000:

Foam with ATI250i skimmer pump:


Crappy photo I know, but it is actually fractionaly better with the ATI, atleast no worse.

Same water height in sump, same outlet level, same everything.
Does anyone know what could be wrong with the Red Dragon Bubble King 1500 skimmer pump? Have i misunderstood something, isn't it supposed to produce more water and air then this? Is it a known issue? Or should I go with my initial thought, lube the bearing with vaseline and try again?
Your input is greatly aprechiated as I am totaly stumped at the moment.

Thank you in advance from André in the land of 220V, metrics and -23C (Aargh!), Norway.
P.S. It takes 1 minute from pressing "preview post" to the post actually previews. RC having problems, or local issue?

[nanoreefbro]

I bought a Vertex Alpha 170 a few months ago and I'm still having issues with it surging. I was wondering what did anyone do to fix it? I thought it just needed to break in but I've been running it since November. Here is a video of it.

[Jeremy B.]

Originally Posted by nanoreefbro

I bought a Vertex Alpha 170 a few months ago and I'm still having issues with it surging. I was wondering what did anyone do to fix it? I thought it just needed to break in but I've been running it since November. Here is a video of it.

I responded to your email yesterday morning that you sent me. Send the skimmer back to me so I can figure out what's going on with it. I'll get it fixed and sent right back out to you immediately. This is the only 170 I've come across that has had a surge problem since the revision was made a month after the first 20 of them were shipped to the United States a few years ago. And this one has a new pump on it as well, so I think something else is going on.

You can ship it to:

Premium Aquatics
Atnn: Jeremy Brower
6050 E. Hanna Ave. #4
Indianapolis, IN 46203

Please include your return address in there, as well as contact info. I'll pay the shipping to get it back to you after I've confirmed it's working properly.

[glxtrix]

Jeremy,
I have a BKmini200...the pump seems to be stopping here and there...lately it seems to run for a few minutes, then stops. Sometimes will start up when plugged in, sometimes it wont. It is a used skimmer...i got it back in Dec and was running fine. Probably the last month it's been having this issue. I took it apart and there was nothing built up or clogged. When the impeller was removed, the bearing was in the motor block, not on the shaft. I can break it down again if you need pics. does this sound like I need a new block?

[Jeremy B.]

@glxtrix, Just responded to your pm, but will post it here as well for anyone else that might need to know.

It's most likely a new block. I would pull it out again and remove the end bearing from the motorblock. Once it's out see if the shaft spins freely in the end bearing, as well as the shaft that goes through the bearing in the impeller assembly cover.

[glxtrix]

Thank you Jeremy! I'll check that and get back to you.

[chowder]

Hello,
I was doing maintenance on my Bubble King Mini 180, Gen 2 and seem to have lost one of the two screws that attach the pump base to the skimmer base. Anyone here happen to know where I can find a replacement? Any help is much appreciated!

[AndreMF]

Originally Posted by AndreMF

Your input is greatly aprechiated as I am totaly stumped at the moment.

Thank you in advance from André in the land of 220V, metrics and -23C (Aargh!), Norway.

Not sure what happened, xenophobia, people not having the answers, my english not being as brilliant as I like to think it is or simply the fanboy syndrome aka.

Anyways, the owner claimed the issue was due to the water level, and I had to check if he was right. I could not raise the waterlevel in my sump to the recommended 25cm. since it would lead to flooding in the case of a powerfailure. I had to come up with a solution :

Custom built perspex waterlevel raising thingy for BKDELuxe250©
Works like a charm except I didnt get the opening around the tubing 100% watertight, and it resonates a bit. Started skimming 1l. of dirty green tea-like skimmate pr. day, adjusted now to aprox. 1 cup of dark matter pr.day. I believe the large shroud of the skimmerpump makes it incapable of producing enough pressure to compensatefor the increased backpressure resulting from lower waterlevels.

Hoping this might help others.

André of Norway

[glxtrix]

NIIIICE one André!

[AndreMF]

Originally Posted by glxtrix

NIIIICE one André!

*Bows*
Thank you! It´s a bit "ghetto" but atleast it´s proof of concept and fits my needs. Seems the inhabitants likes it it too, had a mass spawning of mysis last night, and the BK took it all in its stride whereas other skimmers would throw a hissy fit with ensuing foam spluttering madness.

[Heliman]

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on a variable speed Speedy RD3 new skimmer pump to hook on to my Supermarin 200.

Anybody gone down this track...using the new variable speed pumps on a Supermarin ??.....did you get any benefit by being able to adjust the air/water flow ??

Thanks

[glxtrix]

Anyone know where to get the Red Dragon 1500 block? Seems like no one has them anymore. Is there is new pump they make that will work on the BK mini 200?

[uireef]

Setting up a 330 gal peninsula style reef tank. The tank will be packed mixed reef and a dozen fish..should I go eitht the supermarine 250 or 300?

[sportzfish]

I have a BK Mini 180 Gen 2 and am looking to purchase a used Red Dragon 1500 pump. The label on the pump reads "Red Dragon BK Vertex 1500 Special Pump for Vertex Alpha 300". Is this basically the same Red Dragon 1500 pump that my BK Mini 180 Gen 2 uses or has it been modified to an extent unsuitable for my BK Mini 180? Thanks in advance for any reply.

[Jeremy B.]

@uireef, I'd go with the Super Marin 250 without a doubt on that size tank. If you're pushing 500g or over, then go with the Super Marin 300.

@sportzfish, There are only two different models of motorblocks used in the Royal-Exclusiv skimmer line:

Askoll 1500 - BK Mini, Vertex Alpha, Slave pump on SM 300.
Askoll 2000 - All Super Marin and Delux skimmers.

Then the differences are volute sizes, venturi sizes, impeller head sizes, etc. Any Askoll 1500 will fit your Gen 2 Mini 180, but the problem is that the pump plate that the block is glued to is specific to your Gen 2 Mini 180 only, so if you pick up a 1500 block for another skimmer you'll have to use your existing pump plate.

[taka]

Hello, I just received my supermarin 250 broken, what can I do??
It was send to Brazil by USPS.

thanks, Takashi

[Frost3839]

Hey guys, I have a Bubble king question! I am a proud owner of 2 bubble kings. A 160 and a 180. I bought them bought used. The 160 I put on a system I had up and running for years and love it. The 180, I put it on a brand new system. The system has been cycling now for a week. Everytime I plug in the 180 it just fills up the cup in less than a min and keeps going. This is my first experince with setting up a new system using the bubble king. Does it need to break in? I dont believe the issue is the water level. The bubble king was damaged during shipping and I made repairs to it. I am trying to figure out if this is happening due to the reapirs or if this is normal and will go away after a break in. Cause my 160 did not have this issue. But it was also added to an older system. I would really appericate any knowledge on this situation! Thanks!!!!!

[Jeremy B.]

@taka - Email me your order number to jeremy@premiumaquatics.com.

@Frost3839 - Just Remove the plug in the collection cup and let it drain. It will eventually settle down after a few days and you'll be able to dial it in. If you want to post some photos of the skimmer in the sump just so we can take a look at it to make sure the install is ok that would be fine too. I'm already assuming that you've adjusted the wedge pipe so that it's full open and nothing is clogging the venturi or anything is stuck in the pins of the impeller as well.

[Frost3839]

Yes I did all the proper adjustments with the wedge pipe. and ventrui is not clogged from what I can tell. I have had it running 24/7 already for the last few days. It is still doing it