Octo Extreme Skimmer KO Club

[Maverick2009]

Im using the red demon NW and its working great. Pulled a whole cup of stuff in one day.

 

[jmski333]

You're bioload is light, the skimmer is definitely overkill. Raise the skimmer so it's sitting in about 6 1/2 inches of water (Use eggrate or something similar to make a little table that will raise and support the skimmer inside the sump). The amount of water the skimmer is sitting in now will not allow you to adjust the internal water level properly, causing no skimmate going into the cup adjusting in one direction to too flooding out the cup adjusting in the other direction. The same as jAustin indicated in his post. How long do you have the skimmer?

i've had the skimmer running as long as i've had the tank, about 4 months. i will try your suggestion. where should i put the bubble level?

 

[InfernoST]

Start it just below the collection cup and let it run for a little while making small adjustments higher (waiting a while between each adjustment) until you start seeing something in the collection cup. If you find that your cup has filled too quickly and the skimmate is almost clear back off on the adjustment.

 

[Ghostbuster]

Yes. IMHO the skimmers do best in 7-7.5" of water.. so the"B" pipe is not needed at all! you can use the "ell" but make sure it is turned sideways.

+101... Here's some pics from my tank... I kept the B-pipe but turned it sideways. The water outlet is partially submerged; no noise at all; reduces macro/micro bubbles. And, this is in a kinda small space in my 20-gal sump.

GB

 

[jmski333]

thanks for the pictures, i will do everything you guys said tonight. get back to you with the results in a couple days.

 

[InfernoST]

Cool, looking forward to the results. Just remember your bioload is very light and your skimmer oversized so you probably wont get the the amount of skimmate as other tanks.

 

[maynardjames]

Im using the red demon NW and its working great. Pulled a whole cup of stuff in one day.

had you tried out the purple pinwheel before the red demon. wondering how they compare, since i had problems with 2 ppw`s

 

[InfernoST]

XP=2000 10 Day Update

XP=2000 10 Day Update

Here is an update on my XP-2000 performance, she's really doing a fantastic job.

 

[tangtang clown]

Here is an update on my XP-2000 performance, she's really doing a fantastic job.

That does look good! I can get my water dirty enough to skim like that. I guess that's what I get for using Natural Sea Water. I may have to start making my own water so I can get some foam in my skimmer. LOL

Inferno, what skimmer did you have before you got the SP.

 

[mikid]

Octo 160 pump upgrade

Octo 160 pump upgrade

were you guys getting your pump ungrades and in your experiance with the extreme 160,what levels are you using for best results???.....

 

[mhurley]

JAustin,

Family friendly..ok?

 

[InfernoST]

That does look good! I can get my water dirty enough to skim like that. I guess that's what I get for using Natural Sea Water. I may have to start making my own water so I can get some foam in my skimmer. LOL

Inferno, what skimmer did you have before you got the SP.

This was a little while after a water change and cleaning the tank & sand. My previous skimmer was an EXT-160 modded with a BB HY-2000s.

 

[louisvilleboy]

ive got the octx-250 why when i unplug it or the water level in my sump rises this thing will overflow.i was told to either drill a hole in the pipe NOT.or remove the pipe that in the water or raise the kimmer up.has anyone else had or have this problem thanks

 

[kmu]

Well I installed 2 days ago the large Purple pin wheel on my Octopux extreme 200 with the sicce 2500 pump...

I cannot get teh sicce to pump water inside the skimmer, tried everything, raising the water level from 8" to 10" to 12" and nothing, I tried filling the skimmer body with water and nothing, tried blowing air trough the airline and nothing..

What can I do? The skimmer was working perfectly before the exchange to the purple pin wheel...

THX in advance

 

[maynardjames]

might try taking ppw off & putting back on to make sure nothing is binding. my first ppw worked great until keyway broke. replacement would not work unless i blew into airline when starting. it finally stopped working at all so i had to put stock pw back on. thinking of getting red devil pw next time. have not heard of anyone with startup issues when using. have read several with purple startup problems including me

 

[tangtang clown]

Most likely the PPW is not spinning on the impeller. Mine did this and I had to drill the center of the ppw larger so it would spin. Should be an easy fix. If this doesn't work, switch back the first impeller you were using to make sure the motor still works.

 

[HerdofCrickets]

Plugged my Octo Extreme 300 in for the first time yesterday, kinda disappointed actually.

There wasn't a huge amount of bubbles in the chamber...

I also only let it run about an hour, so hopefully when I'm ready to leave it running it does better...

 

[tangtang clown]

Plugged my Octo Extreme 300 in for the first time yesterday, kinda disappointed actually.

There wasn't a huge amount of bubbles in the chamber...

I also only let it run about an hour, so hopefully when I'm ready to leave it running it does better...

Did you buy it new? I have heard good things about the bubble blaster 5000 and the askoll pumps on your size skimmer. If you are interested, you could sell the sicces and get one of those pumps. That would be a kick A$$ skimma!

 

[HerdofCrickets]

Did you buy it new? I have heard good things about the bubble blaster 5000 and the askoll pumps on your size skimmer. If you are interested, you could sell the sicces and get one of those pumps. That would be a kick A$$ skimma!

Yeah I bought it new, so it has the Sicces.
If it doesn't improve over the next few days I'll try mesh-modding it (if I find pics on how to do it) and if that doesn't work I'll upgrade the pumps...

I don't see why I should have to upgrade the pumps on a $500 skimmer, but who knows.

 

[tangtang clown]

I understand, but two sicces on that skimmer should be enough, but I would recommend getting a better pump. Mesh will help a lot, but you will have start up probs, which I didn't mind, but I have a bb3000 on my 200 and it is night and day/set it and forget it.