New Reef Octupus Skimmer Thread (Pacific Coast Imports)

[phreezee]

UPDATE! I got it!!!

 

[ghever]

still trying to get answers from the guys who have it running..

Are you gravity feeding your skimmer or with a pump?

If gravity feeding, I prefer not to use a T and ball valve because using a ball valve can cause some back syphoning from what I read and can lead to floods....so its either gravity feed by controlling my return pump flow...or I guess I could do a T and have half go to sump, half go to skimmer... so for my 200gal total water volume system, 300gph is what I should be shooting for so with a 600gph return pump, if I divert the return overflow so half goes to sump and half goes to skimmer, it should be 300gph going to both right?

Where do you guys have your skimmer output going to? The overflow section of your sump, or refugium section, or return section?

thanks
G

 

[Stephany]

I'm gravity feeding. I had to cut down on my return pump to slow it down because it was overfilling the main tank.
I tried switching my return pump with my gen-x adjustable flow pump, but when I plugged it in brand new... no go.
So, yeah... there are flood concerns. This week I'm planning on either building (I have like 3 old aquaclear hob filters) or getting a second overflow, just in case.

My skimmer output is going right back into the sump, but there aren't many bubbles at all coming out of there. I already cut that long piece, and just have it going straight down for lack of room in my sump. Very quiet.

 

[ghever]

Thanks stephany.. I think the prob you are describing is more due to your overflow not being able to handle your pump.

What I heard is if you gravity feed and have a ball valve to control flow to the skimmer, that can cause some back syphoning and lead to flooding in some instances.. there was a thread on the deltec use forum about this issue.

 

[Stephany]

Actually, my overflow can handle my return pump, just not with the skimmer attached. Before the skimmer, I had the unadjustable Dolphin pump on, and a bioball on top of my 3/4" overflow, and there was no need to make any ball valve adjustments (both were open). Water fell down as fast as the pump could keep it up.

I understand having to slow down the flow coming down the overflow to the skimmer, and I agree. I wouldn't mess with that ball valve...especially with only having one overflow at the moment.
So, I just closed the ball valve on the return pump a bit. I slowed that down, which in turn slowed down the rate of water falling down the overflow.

 

[ghever]

ahhhhhhhh I see... so there is truth to this backsyphon or backpressure from the skimmer connected to the overflow... which can cause flooding....now I understand...well, I am thinking of going with a small return pump... blueline NS800 which only draws 40w...or I saw some nice Eheim ones too that draw very lil energy... if I can get my 300-400gph , it should feed my skimmer nicely... most of my flow will be from a closed loop DART anyways.

G

 

[phreezee]

For the front inlet of the pump, has any body noticed that the black washer blocks the hole for the venturi? I decided not to install it and see what happens, if not I'll buy a thinner o-ring and use that instead. RPS-3000 BTW

 

[mr. pluto]

it might leak. i used a dremel to enlarge the hole a little.

or this:

you know i don't think it matters too much. what matters if
you don't put on the silencer. that really restricts air.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Hello everybody,
I just received RPS-3000.
What pump should I use to feed it?
Couldnt find the info on their web site.

 

[elephen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7155030#post7155030 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Vili_Shark
Hello everybody,
I just received RPS-3000.
What pump should I use to feed it?
Couldnt find the info on their web site.

You want to feed 1-1.5x your tank volume per hour. So if you have a total of 100 gallons you want to feed 100-150gph.

 

[phreezee]

Cool, thanks MrPluto.

I tried running this in sump yesterday and the pump vibration gives a humming noise because it's vibrating the glass. I'm going to try this out of the sump and see if the it reduces the noise.

Anybody else have issues with noise?

 

[ackerman]

Just put in an order for the 3000, hope its as good as it sounds!

 

[BLockamon]

For those running the 3000, what water level are you running. I'm having trouble getting a lot of skimmate. The consistency is fine, just low production rate.

The tank is a lightly stocked 220 gallon. Feeding ~240 gph. I have the bubble break line maybe 1.5--2" below the cup lip. I haven't changed out the gasket to open the air hole yet; that's next. Maybe the tank doesn't have a lot to skim, but I wanted to be sure.

 

[bond007069]

I saw a smaller model at the LFS today

It had a 1000 l/h pump
about 18 watts

The contruction looked pretty nice, the bulkhead placement was what looked like acrylic donuts and glues up real nice

It was tiny but sweet looking

 

[mr. pluto]

BLockamon, i think my level is at the bottom of the cup
maybe a bit higher. it took over a week to break in. it's still a little green. i consider my stocking level light. i have no sand & i'm not getting gallons of gravy either.

 

[trmiv]

Well guys I got a Deltec Ap600 as an anniversary present from my wife so my RPS-2000 is available. Apparently she was already planning on buying it for me when I bought my RPS-2000. Not being one to turn down a skimmer like that (I thought she would kill me if I spent that much), I had to jump on it before she came to her senses. Anyway, my RPS-2000 is available in the FS forum. Mods if this is not acceptable, please delete.

 

[ScubaMedic]

trmiv, since you have both how do they compare to each other?

 

[trmiv]

I don't have the Deltec hooked up how I want it right now, it's just being fed from an open sump, and not getting raw overflow water, but it's doing about the same as the RPS-2000 did. The RPS-2000 was hooked up getting raw overflow water. The bubble size is noticeably smaller on the Deltec, so it's going to kick butt once I move it to my 90 and hook it up right. I didn't realize before I got it how small the AP600 is, much smaller than the RPS-2000.

For the price, the RPS-2000 is an excellent skimmer. The bubble size on it is much smaller than my ASM skimmer ever was. It's really the only external skimmer in it's price range too. I actually want to keep mine and hook it up to a frag tank, but I don't think I can make that fly with the wife.

 

[deadmanh]

trimv, posted in the FS forum as well, ill take it, can you send the barb ends and air venturi valve thingy ma-jiggy too?

 

[Psionicdragon]

do you guys know how much flow is going through 1 inch pvc pipe/bulkhead? The reason why I ask is because I was thinking about using both of the 1 inch overflow pipes and connecting them to the skimmer.