If you’re willing to get past a bit of head-scratching in the beginning, the Bubble Magus Curve 5 is a fantastic option for just about anyone looking for a good, full-sized protein skimmer. The setup for the Curve 5 is extremely easy to set up and get going. I’ve assembled and set up all 3 Curve 5’s we have in the lab, and they take only about 15 minutes to get going. The included instructions are very detailed with graphs and pictures, so it’s easy to get it going. Setting it up should be problem. You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways: Bubble-Magus Protein Skimmers are practical and highly efficient. These protein skimmers offer innovative features along with reliable pumps at an affordable price: which makes them a great value. Plus, the fact that it’s so efficient means that a fair amount of pressure is taken off your canister filter, leading to an all round cleaner aquarium with higher water quality.

In our humble opinion, this might be the best protein skimmer out there, within those parameters. Where to Buy the BM-Curve 5 Protein Skimmer This feature comes in handy because the air inlet is very close to the lid, so it can get clogged easily, especially if you’re overfeeding your fish.It’s not exactly compact, as it’s a full-size protein skimmer. But it does have a small footprint for the performance and tank rating. The Curve 5 seems to run smaller than most skimmers I’ve worked with- in terms of height. The Curve 5 is about 18.5’’ in height, and 7’’ in length and width. You’ll probably have no problem fitting this in your sump, as the Curve 5 has a very small footprint. Let’s take a look at the skimmer’s profile. You can see it’s a nearly a full-size skimmer with the typical hourglass design. We’ll throw in a word of caution here: although it can be used in tanks up to 140 gallons, it will work best in volumes slightly below that. It’s possible for even the best machine to be overworked sometimes. These skimmers are rated for water depths between 9 and 11.5 inches. Many modern sumps feature an adjustable baffle on the skimmer chamber allowing you to set that water level but you can also use an adjustable height skimmer stand to meet the required submersion depth. Point is, be sure the skimmer is submerged at the proper water depth from the start. The Bubble Magus Curve 5 protein skimmeris one of the most popular brands among saltwater reefers. I use 3 of them in the lab, for a variety of propagation tanks. We have them set up for our zonathids and mushrooms, along with a few other smaller species. Yes, it may be overkill. But we like to keep the water as clear as possible.

Easy to set up and assemble – anyone can put this protein skimmer together, even if they have no previous experience with similar tools The Curve 5 does produce a lot of skimmate, and I cleaned out my cups every other day. The skimmate is foul green and smells. You’ll want to clean it out often, which is easy due to the convenient assembly of the body. It easily breaks apart for cleaning, or you can simply do a partial cleaning of the collection cup. It makes zero noise. Enough said. Compared to other skimmers in the lab, the Bubble Magus Curve 5 is silent. What are the dimensions of the Bubble Magus Curve 5? One thing I noticed is that it’s very quiet for the performance it outputs. I’ve had smaller protein skimmers that had loud pumps and the sound of rushing water with half the performance. Place the top of the bubble diffuser onto the base and thread in the thumbscrew to hold it all together.This machine is virtually noiseless, which, if you ask us, is one of the best qualities a protein skimmer can have. Louder products tend to make care and maintenance or even just being in the same room as your tank headache-inducing. Not so with this one! Features a powerful pump with silent operation – it doesn’t cause much noise or disturbance while it collects the waste from your tank Some tampering with the water level is needed to make sure that the protein skimmer is working the way it should. This is possible thanks to the water level adjuster. The protein skimmer is well-made and easy to assemble, so you can clean it easily for regular maintenance.

This is also necessary if you’re dealing with overflow issues. The recommended water level is between 9.5 and 11 inches. A good osmolator and overflow will also help you stay on top of water levels. Pros Of A Bubble Magus Protein Skimmer

Once you have put all the pieces together, the skimmer will start working instantly, so you can easily remove the contaminants from the water. We suggest you try this out as well if you find it still overflowing after a week or so of use. By Robert Nunnally (CC BY 2.0 licence) Overall Verdict