Octo Extreme Skimmer KO Club

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15100037#post15100037 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rockymtreefer
I just joined the club with this octo extreme 200 with the purple pin wheel.So far it seems to be working well for me.Here is a pic of the skimmer in action.

001-9.jpg

Looks awesome!
 
I just bought the ATB purple pinwheel for my Octo Extreme 160, and it is definitely making more bubbles and finer bubbles. Looks like it is going to work really nice. I am switching over from the stock plastic wheel that came on it. I bought the large ppw for what its worth.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15100206#post15100206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by holdyourlight
Edit: no matter where i put the output of the skimmer the display is FILLING with micro bubbles, normal or what do i do?
thanks

mine did that when it was new. You may have to put up with microbubbles for a couple of weeks. But they will go away.
 
Unless you love to mess with the mesh, the large PPW is the best you can get. Very happy with mine. No more thoughts of mesh.
 
I have an Octopus Extreme 200 and bought the upgraded expensive MSX pinwhêel but I have a hard time open it up to replace it. I'm afraid of breaking the pump itself. I also notice that the original wheel is also a pinwheel but different color, it's white. I bought the skimmer brandnew from someone so i'm wondering if it's has been upgraded or not. I'd really appreciate if you can point me to the instruction of how to upgrade to the new pinwheel. Thanks in advance.

QN
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15119227#post15119227 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by quan325i
I have an Octopus Extreme 200 and bought the upgraded expensive MSX pinwhêel but I have a hard time open it up to replace it. I'm afraid of breaking the pump itself. I also notice that the original wheel is also a pinwheel but different color, it's white. I bought the skimmer brandnew from someone so i'm wondering if it's has been upgraded or not. I'd really appreciate if you can point me to the instruction of how to upgrade to the new pinwheel. Thanks in advance.

QN

The Coralvue branded Octopus extreme comes with a different pinwheel. It is a solid white color. I had one that I sold new. I had only tested the pump. I had startup issues with the MSX pinwheel but others have replaced the pinwheel in the Octopus branded skimmer and had no problems with startup. The pumps are different from the Sicces sold with the MSX extremes. The MSX and SWC versions machine the motor block to give a little more clearance inside the pump for mesh modding with Ty-wraps. The Sicce sold with the Coralvue version is the same pump but not machined.

Anyway ... there was only a slight improvement in the performance of the MSX sicce pump with msx/swc pinwheel versus the Coralvue sicce with stock pinwheel. The difference was only about 1 lpm of air. But there are, I believe, slight variations between pumps so others have had different results.

The SWC/MSX pinwheel is either black or an opaque white color. Harder material than the Coralvue pinwheel which is more flexible.
I would personally check into the large purple pinwheel if I were to upgrade pinwheels. They have the best performance of all pinwheels for the sicces so far. I would check with other owners of the non machined Sicce pump that comes with the Coralvue branded version of the skimmer to see if the Purple pinwheel performs without issue in these pumps. Or just contact Reefspecialty.com and ask them, they would know for sure.

To upgrade, you just twist the pump volute color off ... they are snug. You can use the handles of a pair of large pliers or channel locks with padded handles and turn the volute cover off. Looking down at the cover, turn counterclockwise and the volute cover will come off. pull out the impeller and magnet assembly, there is a snap button/bushing in the center of the stock impeller. You have to hold the impeller from underneath near the center with one hand and the magnet with the other and pull the impeller off the magnet assembly. You need to pull hard. Keep track of that bushing in the center of the impeller as it can go flying. Slide the new impeller on the magnet assembly and snap that center bushing back in place to hold it on. I would use some teflon or silicone grease (make sure it is drinking water safe) on the gasket of the pump cover to help it come off easier next time.

There is a rubber "cup" at the bottom of the pump volute in the channel that the impeller magnet assemby fits into. One end of the shaft seats in this rubber piece. The other end of the shaft seats in a ceramic/plastic bushing on the inside of the pump volute cover that you removed. Be careful of the ceramic shaft ... make sure you line it up properly so it goes into the hole of that bushing on the pump volute when you put the pump cover back on.

Im sure it can be explained much better but thats about it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15119968#post15119968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Charlie Davidson
This this the difference, I saw.. I felt it was - more than slight :confused:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1590754&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

Charlie ... I was stating what I personally measured which was a slight difference between a Coralvue version of the Sicce with the stock pinwheel and the MS version of the Sicce with the stock SWC pw. This was on the two different pumps. This was not measuring the different PWs in the same pump. I stated that I felt that there were variations between the different pumps and that ... others have had different results.

I was stating what I personally measured between two different pumps with the two different pinwheels. NOT what the average actual difference may be between the different pinwheels. It wasnt a matter of fact statement of the average measured difference that users experience nor was it intended to be.

Sorry for any confusion.
 
Marine Solutions has put together a couple of video's just for this purpose. I'd recommend getting some silicone o-ring lubricant (hardware/home depot) before opening unit up. Then coat the two o-rings before re-assembly. The next time you'll be able to take the pump apart easily. Also, don't put any pressure on the airline tube. It will snapp off very easily.

http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/pages.php?CDpath=10
 
I just purchased and installed a PPW (purple pin wheel) on my Sicce pump for a OCTX-160. When I start the pump now, it makes a terrible noise like the impeller is hoping around in the volute. The only way I can get it to start is by blowing into the air tube.

Other times, it doesn't make any noise at all, like the whole thing has locked up. Kinda freaks me out some times that I killed the pump. It doesn't even make a noise like it is trying to start.

From what I've read, I shouldn't have to blow into the air tube to start the pump with the PPW. That's one of the reasons I bought it. And I really don't think that it should be making this terrible noise.

When I reinstall the original PW, it works fine.

Any ideas?
 
Turns out that I was testing the pump with too long of an air line. Once I trimmed the air line down to the correct size, everything works great!
 
Recently purchased a used Octopus Extreme 160 from another guy here. He told me it's still brand new and only had a few weeks of use. The skimmer is here and I have it running on my tank. It is very very loud. The motor rattles and the noise that is coming from the motor is like a strong-pitch wave of vibrations. Are your skimmers this loud? I am in the next room with a lock door and the noise still hurts my ear drums. The motor gives off vibration noise and air/water mix noise at the intake. I used rubber flats underneath the skimmer legs and makes no difference, so sump vibration is not the problem, it is the skimmer pump that's making all the noises. What can I do to quiet it down? Thanks in advance for anyone who can shine some lights on me.
 
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