Bubble Magus is fast becoming one of my favourite marine brands, says Jeremy Gay. Every product does its job, is well made, yet comes at the right price.
PFK’s latest arrival for evaluation is the cone-shaped, in-sump Curve 7 protein skimmer, that’s suitable for marine volumes up to 900 l/198 gal, although I’m long-term testing the model on a volume that’s half that.
The skimmer comes part assembled, but goes together easily without the need for instructions.
Do cones outperform standard cylindrical-shaped skimmer bodies? Too many variables affect it to make it provable — like skimmer pump used, water depth, Venturi/needle wheel design and protein content of water. However, more and more companies are taking the cones route.
The pump is inside the skimmer body itself — and that’s a great space saving idea of which we’re seeing far more. The Curve 7 gives you two mounting options, offering the choice as to which side of the body the inlet sits.
The inlet fits to a flexible silicone Venturi tube and silencer, allowing you to connect to an ozoniser.
Another likeable feature is the water level adjustment.
Big and sturdy with good grip for wet hands, it allows you to adjust the water level inside the skimmer in small increments, making dry or wet skim settings oh so easy.
The collection cup is large, but also connects to a drain which is a preferred feature.
Verdict
This skimmer is quiet, works well and looks great. It doesn’t take up much room, yet handles heavy loads — and all for £308.39 RRP.
I’ve been testing the Curve 7 against some £500 and £600 models and as I write this, it’s the one I’d keep!
Are there any downsides? Sometimes you get foam lifting up the lid to the cup, but I’ve had no accidents. Disassembly, cleaning and maintenance are easy.
In all, this is a great product and highly recommended.
Price: £308.39. J and K will direct you to a stockist.
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