BK's

[miller_boy]

probly a dumb question but why are the bubble kings so expensive?
why are they so good?
how do they work?
are they worth the money?
thanks

[Chad W]

You've come to the right place for BK ?'s. Personally I do not own one......yet :icon_bigg . Why do they cost so much?
1. As with all things German there is the cost associated w/ importing.
2. All hand built from the finest materials
3. Red Dragon pump, in the states I believe all Reed Dragon pumps for BK's are imported w/ Titanium needle wheels. I believe the Red Dragon pump is the heart and sole of the BK and is the reason for much of the cost but then also is one of the main reasons for it's superior performance.
Why are they so good?
As above hand built, finest materials,Red Dragon pump.
Maybe one of the users can comment on the diffusion plate on the bottom but I believe it is designed to keep the reaction chamber stable which in turn keeps foam more stable. Might not be correct about that though. One other reason why they are so good is this pump brings in a huge amount of air. I don't believe there is another out there that can bring in this kind air volume w/ such low power consumption.
There's another reason, power consumtion. You can literally skim a 300gal tank w/ a BK300 int. and only be using 58watts. One other thing is I have heard they run completely silent. This coupled with being short and wide and you can fit them under a stand and have it in the same room w/ no noise.
How do they work?
They use a needle wheel deign. Air is drawn in through a valve on the intake side of the pump and is basically chopped into very fine bubbles by the pump/needle wheel impeller. Sorry if that is too basic :icon_bigg .
Are they worth the money?
Myself I would say yes. I'm a equiptment junky though and I appreciate finely crafted equipt.
HTH,
Chad

[GTR]

why are they so good?

The design and workmanship is amazing compared to many other skimmers on the market. Each joint and glue line looks perfect. I'm not an expert on these materials but it appears that the best possbile raw materials have been used.
I substaintial part of the cost of the BK is the Red Dragon pump. It's not your normal off-the-shelf pump with an after market plastic needle wheel made to fit the housing. The air it's able to draw is nothing short of amazing considering you are using only one pump with very little amps drawn.

how do they work?

Same basic concept as many needle wheel skimmers. I assume that's your question.

are they worth the money?

If I added up what I'd spent in the past on other skimmers I'd have been close to what I spent on the BK. Before buying the BK I knew I needed better performance from my skimmer but also new I just might not be satisfied until I had bought what I thought to be the best available skimmer.

If you look back at each and every person's first impression of the BK when they first unpack their new BK every last one will tell you that the pictures posted just don't do them justice. Seeing it first hand is amazing.

Does that make it worth it... I don't know but it sure feels good owning one. :lol:

SteveU