Bubble-Magus NAC 3.5 Review

Hey Guys,

I've been running my BM NAC 3.5 on my tank (29g DT, 10g sump) for about 4 months now and I'm finally at the point where I can give an honest review of the skimmer.

Out of the box, the skimmer appears to be very sturdy and to be built with quality materials. Assembly was very simple so instructions regarding that weren't an issue.

I installed the NAC 3.5 in my skimmer section which is 10 1/2" x 5 1/2". The small footprint was the main reason I chose this particular skimmer.



The skimmer's Atman pump runs very quietly and the needle wheel impeller vigorously creates bubbles. The skimmer took about 5-6 days to break in and during this time I was a bit worried that I had made a $150 mistake. But, soon enough the skimmer broke in and bubbles began to rise.

The main problem I faced with installation was determining the depth I wanted the skimmer to run at. After much tinkering, I finally found the ideal height for the type of skimmate I wanted at 9 and 3/8 inches.

The skimmer does produce some micro bubbles, but with a baffle system this shouldn't be a problem.

The main problem I face with maintenance is keeping the airline and air intake system free of salt creep. The good thing is that this is a very simple problem to fix. Usually some warm water and a toothpick will do the trick and bam, the BM NAC 3.5 is back in business.

Cleaning is very simple. The skimmer seems to work fine either dirty or clean. The skimmer does come with a hose to connect the overflow cup to a larger reservoir, but I don't use it because I can monitor the skimmer's operation more easily.

Overall, I think this skimmer was a very good investment and I would buy it again if I had to do it over.

Here are some pictures of the amount and type of skimmate produced after exactly 7 days.


1 and 1/2 inches of skimmate





The setting





Hope this helps those researching BM products.

 

Thanks! Nice write up!

I was looking into this skimmer for a friend's tank and this helped a lot!

 

Hey Mike! Glad the review helped. ;D

 

Thanks! I want to buy this skimmer eventually when BRS gets them in stock. Where did you get yours?

 

great write up Hydrologic

they do look good quality skimmers IMO I have seen a number of different Bubble Magus models out here, and I have been impressed with build quality

Steve

 

Hey Mulder,

I bought mine from TB Aquatics. I just looked for the NAC 3.5 on their site, but it doesn't look like it's available right now.

 

Great review. Thanks for posting.
I love my Bubble Magus NAC6.
It really pulls the skimmate.
I had a problem for a short time with the pump not restarting easily after replacing a mesh-wheel but it appears to have broken-in now and I have not had that problem in months. Perhaps I was a little off snapping the new one in.
Other than that this has been a very predictable, stable skimmer that performs great for the money. It is also very quiet. I am happy with mine as well.

 

Thank you Steve and Matt, a decent writeup is my way a giving back to this site which has taught me so much.

-Jarrett

 

Much appreciated Jarrett. That is what it is all about.
I am going to tinker with my NAC6 later today. I think I see some salt creep in the intake.

 

That salt is creepy man