The new Bubble Magus line of BM series cone skimmers we brought you recently were on hand at the Sea Side Aquatics booth at Reef-A-Palooza the other week. We were able to get in close and take a few snapshots of this affordable skimming beast. You still see many of the same features on the other Bubble Magus skimmers on these new models but seems like these guys are constructed with the best features in addition to the new Atman PH series of pumps.
The two models we were able to get access to were the the Bubble Magus BM-180 and BM-180EX. Both use a pressure fit connection to hold the skimmer cup with a silicon o-ring added to help get a tight seal and simple removal. The two models also employ the larger bubble plate seen in some of the NAC and previous BM line of skimmers along with a wedge pipe with marked reference point to help make skimmer adjustment easier.
The main difference between these two models is the “EX” portion of the name — basically an extended version of the BM-180 model. The MB-180EX uses a straight extension to increase the height of the reaction chamber. Secured to the base with thumb screws, the cone portion of the reaction chamber is held in place with a pressure fit and o-ring connection to make access to the pump and cleaning much easier. The standard BM-180 uses this pressure fit and o-ring to secure the cone to the body as well, so no worries about getting access to the pump or skimmer body for cleaning.
According to Sea Side Aquatics, the new line of Bubble Magus skimmers should be stateside within five to seven weeks and retail around $359 for the BM-180 and $399 for the BM-180EX. A larger model, BM-220, will also be available for around $469.
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