Anyone using the Octopus recirc skimmers?

[NeveSSL]

Hi all!

After having my freaking skimmer overflow on me again and after talking to hohmfree about overskimming, I think I'm going to take a shot with an Octopus DSW 110 recirculating skimmer.

Anyone using one or a similar one? I know reefingmadness is... how has yours been, Thomas, now that you've had it for a bit?

Hopefully I may be paying a visit to Emerald Bay on Saturday to pick one up.

Brandon

 

[sandalscout]

I have a DNW-150, and I LOVE it. It's on my 90 with maybe 40 pounds of rock, only a few larger corals, and a single 4-5" Pink Tailed Trigger, and I'm surprised by how much crap it pulls out of the water every week. It's been very much a plug and play affair, once it was setup correctly, I've not touched it at all. I've got mine plumbed in externally, using part of my overflow to feed it. I highly recommend them, and would definitely get another.

** just googled DSW110 to see what the difference was between it and a DNW, did you mean DNW?

 

[NeveSSL]

Very, very cool, Matt. Glad to hear it! I've heard nothing but good things about them. I'm thinking probably the only mod I will do to it is the gatevalve mod because its supposed to make it A LOT easier to adjust. Where did you get yours?

How much flow do you think you have going through it? I'm thinking about using a little 100GPH pump I have to supply it. Not sure just yet.

And... uh... I was testing you on the DSW... congrats, you caught the error! You pass! :lol: No, you're right... I meant DNW.

And when you gonna come get your corals I owe ya?

Brandon

 

[sandalscout]

I got mine from TitansFan, he ended up going a different route, so it was brand new, but I'm pretty sure he bought it from EBay. Bill (poolkeeper1) has one as well, and he just upgraded to the new style pinwheel and seemed to really like his a bunch too.

I considered doing the gatevalve mod, but it was so easy to setup, it just seemed like a waste of money for me. I've been running mine for 5-6 months (might be longer) and the tank literally had only 50 pounds of sand and a few rocks in the sump (the display was completely empty) for at least 3 months, and it was still sucking out some nasty crud. Once I moved the LR to the display, those few corals and fish, and turned the lights on, it has consistently pulled something like 2.5 cups of very nasty tea out a week. I pull the collection cup out every 2-3 weeks and wipe out probably another 3/4 of a cup of VERY nasty thick sludge.

I think that I'm flowing about 130 GPH threw mine, but I'm not 100% sure. That'd be my guess anyway.

I do need to head down that way and visit you don't I? haha, I might be in Nashville on a weekend in the next couple of weeks, I'll shoot you a PM. Thanks!

 

[NeveSSL]

Sweet, man. I'm really excited about getting one of these. I'm also getting my upgraded Aquatronica back and the ethernet module. I'm also thinking about getting a magnetic stirrer for my kalk reactor.

Lots of upgrades and fun lately.

Anyway, yeah, just let me know when you're headed this way. My selection is a bit on the sparser side due to funding this new skimmer :lol: , but we should be good.

Brandon

 

[NeveSSL]

Oh... I meant to ask, how did you do the plumbing since it uses metric? Did you just use what came with it or did you do a conversion of some sort?

Thanks Matt!

Brandon

 

[ReefingMadness]

Hey Brandon. I am very happy with mine. Set it and forget it. I typically have to clean mine once a week. My bio-load isn't much more than it was when you were over. All that has been added is my clown and clam from the Nano. The smell that comes from this thing is horrid. I don't know how I waited as long as I did to pick one up. As far as the adjusting goes, the wedge-pipe is awesome. I don't know a whole lot about gate-valves, but I don't think it could be easier to adjust.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Your on the right track with the Octopus, I've had mine a Recirculating DNW200 for two years or so and I have done all the mods plus ran meshmod x new pinwheel impellars, Mine pulls aporx 2-3 gal of dark skimate a week plus the sludge around the neck is pretty gross. Make sure you get one with the new style pinwheel for they are more efficient than the old needlewheel, the new ones are white while the old are black, pinwheel that is. Shawn at Ebay Usally has them in stock and has pretty good prices that match Online pricing pretty close, Tell him I said hey if you see him haven't been there in awhile. One thing if you plan on getting a larger tank soon I would get a 200 model their almost the same size height wise and pretty cheap IMO I got Rhett to buy the in sump 200 and he loves it. Hope this helps.

 

[poolkeeper1]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1588539
Here's a used one if your looking that way

 

[NeveSSL]

Glad to hear you're still loving yours, Thomas! Thanks for the reply.

Yeah, I paid a visit to Emerald Bay yesterday and I'll be getting it there, Bill. So I'll make sure to get the new style. I would love to get the 200 model, but I'll be stretching all I can to get the 110. Plus I'm planning on keeping the tank I have now and setting it up as a seahorse tank, so they'll need the 110 I get now anyway.

Is there a particular mod that you can't recommend enough or couldn't live without?

Thanks all!

Brandon

 

[bnmir]

I have an older pacific coast rps-1000, not sure how different the new models are, but the mesmod was well worth doing, as well as cleaning up the venturi hole.

 

[poolkeeper1]

If you had an old style neddlewheel I'd say meshmod, But the new Pinwheel rocks stock although I added 1 layer of mesh to it and It's even better. Note that I tried several layers and the others made it too turbulent for mine! The other thing to look at is opening up the venturi size to allow more air into the skimmer , but these are all things that void the warranty so that is up to you. I've done all that can be done to mine and it skims as good as much more expensive models but whenever you mod you take a chance. I'd let it break in for several weeks stock and see how it does. If later you want to mod I'll show you how to do them all.

 

[NeveSSL]

Cool deal... thanks for the reply, bnmir.

Awesome... thanks for the offer, Bill.

Right now I'm thinking the best mod would be the gate valve, and I wouldn't think that it would void the warranty since it would simply just be in the plumbing, right?

I would imagine that even a stock 110, which is rated at 125g, will pull quite a bit of crap out of my little 45g tank stock. What I will probably do is just leave it alone until the warranty runs out, and then mod it a bit. We'll see.

Thanks again!

Brandon

 

[poolkeeper1]

Like night & day compared to the SS you have!

 

[NeveSSL]

I'm sure, Bill! I'm rather excited about getting it and setting it up. The CSS is a decent little skimmer and I think its great for a basic tank I think, but I'm hoping the Octopus will take things to a new level.

Brandon

 

[meintn]

I have the non-recirc NW-200 and love it. Plus, there are plenty of mods out there for them as well.

 

[NeveSSL]

Awesome, James. I just had Sean order my 110 recirc.

And you need to come get your corals so I can afford this thing, bro! Give me a call some time.

Brandon

 

[sandalscout]

Brandon, plumbing is easy, basically, they come with everything you need except the feed pump and it connects with flexible 3/4" tubing and connects via a barb fitting. Plug and play basically. I did have a problem with my setup and had to replumb part of it (I screwed it up while gluing it all up, needed for the external plumbing, forgot to put the union fitting on BEFORE gluing a joint!). I simply used a 1.5" peice of PVC as a coupler and PVC glued it, it was a close fit. Not leaks.

 

[NeveSSL]

Awesome, Matt. Thanks for the reply.

So the plumbing is all slightly smaller than 1.5"?

Is the input 3/4" ID or OD?

Brandon

 

[sandalscout]

Yes, the plumbing is smaller than 1.5", if I recall correctly. IT's very loose in 1.5" pipe, but I was able to patch a connection with 1.5" glued up, and then ran silicone around the ends of the "coupler" for good measure.

I believe that it's 3/4" OD, but I don't recall for sure. Might even be 1/2" ID. Whatever it was, I had plenty of that size laying around when I hooked it up! haha.

I'm considering getting a 110 for my 55 and ditching my CSS also. The CSS has been a good little skimmer, for what it is, but I just have too many bubble problems, and my bubble coral traps the bubbles and tears.