Oftentimes it is difficult to determine which brand of equipment to buy when starting or upgrading a reef aquarium. In this article, we compare our Simplicity 120DC Skimmer against one of the more popular skimmers on the market, the Bubble Magus Curve 5 Skimmer. Both skimmers have well deserved reputations for quality and value. In many ways they are similar products, however there are some key differences to highlight.
We reviewed the following aspects for comparison purposes: skimmer size, body shape, collection cup, build material, pumps, capacity, ease of assembly, warranty and cost.
1. Size
There are 3 important components of the size of a skimmer:
- The footprint which impacts the physical space needed to fit the skimmer.
- The body diameter which impacts the skimmers performance.
- The height which impacts the skimmers performance. Height can also play a role on where a skimmer will fit especially if space inside the stand is more limited.
Footprint
The footprint is the physical space required in your sump for the skimmer to sit. It is typically a measurement of the maximum length (from left to right) and width (from front to back) of the skimmer.
Body Diameter
The body diameter is one of the most impactful aspects of the rating of a skimmer. As a general rule, the larger the body diameter of the skimmer, the larger the tank a skimmer can handle. This is because a larger body diameter increases the amount of space for water and air to mix and also reduces water turbulence. As a result, the air bubbles stay in contact longer with the water which improves skimming and waste removal.
Height
Similar to body diameter, increasing skimmer height also increases the contact time between the air bubbles and the water. As such a taller skimmer is generally more efficient than a shorter skimmer. The trade off is that as a skimmer gets taller it becomes more difficult to fit inside the stand.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Footprint | 6.7” x 6.3” | 7.3” x 7.1” |
| Body Diameter | 4.75″ | 4.75″ |
| Height | 18.7″ | 18.5″ |
Advantage: Toss Up
The Simplicity 120DC Skimmer has a slightly smaller overall footprint. However, the Bubble Magus Curve 5 includes 2 outlets. (The user covers the outlet they are not using.) The first outlet is at 90 degrees to the pump input just like the Simplicity skimmer. However, it also includes a second output at 180 degrees to the pump input. This additional outlet allows the skimmers to fit better in a really thin sump compartment. At essentially the same body diameter and height, there are not any other discernible differences between the 2 models.
2. Body Shape / Style
This refers to the overall shape of the skimmer. When skimmers were first designed they always had straight walls on the sides since it was easy to manufacture. Later it was discovered that having sloped sides, improved contact time and helped more bubbles reach the collection cup without breaking.
The most common styles available today are:
- Straight: No curve
- Full Cone: Curved / angled from top to bottom
- Hybrid: Straight at the bottom and curved / angled towards the top
The styles used by these two skimmers are:
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Body Style | Hybrid Design | Full Cone Design |
Advantage: Toss Up
While both a hybrid and full cone design are superior to a straight design, there is not a significant advantage between one or the other.
3. Collection Cup
To compare the 2 different collections cups, we reviewed the following:
- Connection: How the collection cup connects to the skimmer body
- Capacity: How much skimmate the collection cup will hold
- Built-In Drain: Does the collection cup include a built-in drain. If yes, how does the drain work.
Connection
There are many ways to connect the collection cup to the skimmer. They include bayonet twist lock, press fit, screw on, union, stacked and others. The bayonet twist lock and press fit are the most common. There are 2 primary items to consider regarding the connection of the collection cup; (1) is it secure and (2) is it easy to remove. You don’t want it tipping over if bumped, yet you want to be able to easily remove it for cleaning.
Capacity
Skimmer cup capacity is only important in regards to maintenance, not performance. The larger the cup capacity, the less often it needs to be emptied. This can be beneficial in certain situations, however regular cleaning of the neck of the collection cup is still needed to keep the skimmer working well.
Drain
A handy feature on many skimmers is a drain in the bottom of the collection cup that allows you to drain skimmate between cleanings.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Connection | Bayonet Twist Lock: Slight turn to remove | Press Fit: O-ring seals to make it tight |
| Capacity | 1-1/4 Cups | 2+ Cups |
| Drain | ½” included with drain plug | ½” included with tubing plug |
Advantage: Simplicity 120DC
The Simplicity 120DC skimmer features a twist-lock bayonet style collection cup that is both secure while still being easy to remove with just a slight turn. The drain plug allows the drain not to be used without any tubing connected. In contrast, the tubing plug for the Bubble Magus Curve 5 always has to be connected.
4. Material
For material, it is important to consider both the type as well as the thickness in this instance.
Type
A few brands of skimmer use a fair amount of PVC however most are made primarily of acrylic. Acrylic is great because it is clear and economical, however PVC is generally more durable.
Thickness
The thicker the material, the stronger it is and the more durable the skimmer body and collection cup.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Type | Primarily acrylic | Primarily acrylic |
| Thickness | 3mm | 3mm |
Advantage: Toss Up
Both the Simplicity and Bubble Magus skimmers use acrylic for everything except the wedge pipe and venturi. The one difference is the Simplicity has a PVC water discharge while the Bubble Magus has acrylic. Both skimmers are solidly built with 3mm thick material.
5. Pump
We compared the following 4 properties of each skimmer’s pump:
- Type: AC vs DC
- Control
- Air Intake
- Energy Consumption
Type: AC vs DC
In direct current (DC), the electric current only flows in one direction. On the other hand, in alternating current (AC), the electric current alternates directions. In practical terms, the chance of electrical shock from a DC pump is significantly lower than an AC pump.
Control
Unlike standard AC pumps, DC pumps are fully controllable. This feature is very helpful as it allows the pump to be slowed down when adding medications and/or foods to your tank that can make a skimmer go crazy and overskim. This allows you to leave the skimmer tuned, while not over skimming. With a skimmer using an AC pump, the skimmer generally needs to be turned off if adding any foods or medications that will make the skimmer overskim.
Air Intake
More air intake generally means better skimming.
Energy Consumption
Generally the more power a pump draws, the more water it moves and the more energy it consumes.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Type | Direct current (DC); lower chance of electrical shock | Alternating current (AC); higher chance of electrical shock |
| Control | Fully controllable | No control |
| Air Intake | up to 541 liters / hour | 300 liters / hour |
| Energy Consumption | 12 Watts at full power | 8 Watts |
| Air-to-Electricity Ratio | 45.0 liters/watt | 37.5 liters/watt |
Advantage: Simplicity 120DC
Even though it uses a touch more energy, the ability to control the pump on the Simplicity 120DC Skimmer makes the skimmer easier to use. The DC current of the Simplicity 120DC is also safer than the AC current used on the Bubble Magus Curve 5.
6. Stated Capacity
It is always difficult to know just how much cleaning power a particular skimmer has. Capacity ratings often need to be taken with a grain of salt since manufacturers want to make it appear suitable for the largest tank possible. Below are the stated guidelines for these 2 skimmers:
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Stated Capacity | 120 gallons with a light bioload: 60 gallons with a heavy bioload | up to 140 gallons |
Advantage: Toss Up
Given their similar sizes and styles, these 2 skimmers can handle similar sized tanks.
7. Ease of Assembly
Assembly is important not only during initial installation, but also when doing routine maintenance on the pump or cleaning the skimmer body.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Assembly | Base is held in place by 4 plastic screws. Other assembly features are similar. | Base is held in place by 4 locking clips. Other assembly features are similar. |
Advantage: Bubble Magus Curve 5
Assembly of both skimmers is similar. While both skimmers are relatively easy to set-up, the innovative locking clips on the Bubble Magus Curve 5 make removing and reinstalling the base plate faster and easier.
8. Warranty
Not only is the length of the warranty important but also how easy it is to exercise the warranty. Before purchasing your skimmer, try reaching out to the manufacturer to see if you are able to get anyone or if your request falls onto dead ears. The stated product warranty is one thing, however knowing someone will be there to help in your time of need is another.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| Warranty | 3 year pro-rated warranty; Lifetime US based support | 2 year on the pump motor and controller; 1 year on impeller |
Advantage: Simplicity 120DC
Includes a longer manufacturers warranty with lifetime US based support.
9. Cost
The price is obviously a concern when choosing a skimmer. Picking one within your reef budget only makes sense.
| Simplicity 120DC | Bubble Magus Curve 5 | |
| MSRP | $199.95 | $209 |
Advantage: Toss Up
The skimmers offer similar features and are similarly priced.
And there you have it! While this is our own honest and professional assessment of these two products, we’re curious to hear what our readers think. Please feel free to drop us a line and let us know your own experience using these products.
Next up, we will compare the operation of the two skimmers… How easy are they to tune? How loud do they run? How much waste do they remove? Check back later for more!