deltec vs bubblemaster

[fmelindy]

Any opinions on which is the better skimmer - bubblemaster 200 or deltec ap701? I could get either for around the same price. I have a 94 gallon mixed reef planned with mostly SPS and clams. Which one should I go with (not set up yet)?

[untamed]

For that kind of money, I would look at the Reeflo Orca 250 Needlewheel.

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SQ-OCT-PK&Category_Code=reefflo

[fmelindy]

well, that's a lot more expensive (on the order of twice as much) as I could pay for either of the two I mentioned. So any other opinions?

[dirtyreefer]

Maybe I can help with your decision! Not that I'm being biased or anything :D

JL's sells a new Deltec AP701 for $1200 + tax, and a BM200 for $600 + tax. If you bought the BM200 and for some reason wanted to sell it and upgrade, you would possibly get $400 for it on the used market. If you bought my Deltec for $750, are you basically getting a $1200 skimmer for $750 (no tax), especially good since it's had less than 1 year of use. If you decided that you wanted to go really big and sell this sucker, I'm pretty sure you could get what you bought it for.

Again, no conflict of interest here! :)

[fmelindy]

hmmmm.... that's a good point you have there.....:lol:

and I really like the idea of the recirculating skimmer. Another consideration though is noise level. This is a living room system - and in a small condo. Any issues with noise when you had it setup? And how would it compare to the BM (to anyone that knows)?

[dirtyreefer]

Wholly crap Fred, just waiting by the comp for responses eh? :) I guess that's the only excitement us married guys get nowadays huh? :p

I have no experience with a BM and have no idea how it works (I don't even know if it's in sump?) however a recirculating skimmer is the most efficient skimmer you can get. In sump wastes alot of the pump's energy sucking in the water and getting it into the skimmer body, and then uses the remaining energy to churn bubbles. Recirculating doesn't waste any energy getting water into the skimmer, and focuses 100% on making bubbles.

About noise, when you have the cabinet doors closed, you can't hear a thing. My main problem was the overflow noise (as I didn't use a standpipe), but if you can get the standpipe going with the corner overflow then you'll be laughin.

How is everything else going? Did you get everything setup? I assume you had to change the plumbing as we cut off the under the cabinet piping.

[fmelindy]

haha..... no man, I wasn't waiting by the computer for responses, honest! :wink:

and you're right on all counts there, by the way!!! :lol:

Yeah, I had a feeling that the recirc skimmers were efficient and the way to go, just have no experience whatsoever with them.

As far as setting everything up goes, I've already had my first disaster - yeah I'm off to a great start.... I overtightened the overflow bulkhead and cracked the nut, leading to the dumping of the 94 gallons of water onto the stand/floor. Yep, I'm feeling like a real pro in the disaster category! Remind me why I do this again? I'm sure you're reminded of why you got out of the hobby....

[dirtyreefer]

Oh man, I can't believe that happened! :( I know this is a little too late to mention now, but bulkheads are supposed to be hand tightened only. They say not even to use thread tape or anything as you're messing with the integrity of the seal.

At least you're just renting the place though eh? :lol: I'm sure the damage is "hidable"!

[fmelindy]

yeah, I found that out the hard way about only hand-tightening the bulkhead - I was using a wrench! No wonder the more I tightened, the more it leaked! You'd think I'd know that by now - it's not the first time I've had a drilled tank.... I guess you never learn some things until there's a good reason :cry:

Oh, I sent you a PM by the way... check your inbox.