Octopus HOB Skimmer Owners

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12447519#post12447519 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by afish70
so i have a dumb question, what should i do to my new 300F before i install it? i think someone said to rinse it but do not remember with what for sure. is there anything else i should do? is there a magic list somewhere with the best things to do?? i am going to install it in the next day or so.
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Shorten your intake if you want the surface skimming box to work. Luke mentioned it was a tad long? And like danny mentioned use vinegar and water.
 
It would be between the pump and the wall. And I think there was also a ring that was stuck inside the wall. I can't recall I'll have to let Danny chime in on this to make sure since he took his apart quite some times.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12445813#post12445813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by keith5
I just registered here to post the exact same question :eek:

Same issue, I understand the micro bubbles are normal and will go away after some time (only been running my 100F for two days) but the large bubbles are a huge problem for me. The salt spray is very bad, but even worse are the noise they make.

They are obviously being created in the return T pipe, since there are none flowing up the 3rd chamber. Plugging up the top of the T doesn't do anything.

Don't know if it'll help but heres a picture
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Here's another suggestions move your skimmer to one side of your tank preferably close to the end. You should be able to pull the skimmer forward a little so that the return tubes are further away from the glass. Aim the return towards the corner. I found this to work a little better it reduced most of the salt spray since the bubbles had room to run a little. By aiming it straight towards the glass I guess the water is pushing it too fast causing it to rush up fast and pop fast? This is only my guess. You might have to play around with the return to figure out how to stop the large bubbles. I don't get them anymore now.

As for the cap method and tube method here is a picture of how Danny did his a while back.
fullmodshot.jpg


Method number 2
outlet2.jpg

outlet1.jpg

Just to give you an idea.


And the sponge method great, but you would have to wash it once in awhile so that it doesn't clog that skimmer.

or you could try something like this
upload_0000BG.jpg
 
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<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12449610#post12449610 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by happyface888
It would be between the pump and the wall. And I think there was also a ring that was stuck inside the wall. I can't recall I'll have to let Danny chime in on this to make sure since he took his apart quite some times.
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That may be my problem. My pump touches the wall directly and the o-ring is on the bolt side (per the instructions which aren't very detailed). I'll try reversing it this evening.

Thanks.
 
Np, but again I'm not 100% if that plastic washer is on the pumps side. Its been so long since I took it out. But it is worth a try, I am sure Danny knows where the washer is.

:lol: The instructions are a joke. I could never start mine up following the instructions, I just use a pump to shoot water up the intake and its all good.
 
Here's David's Suggestion

"I am confused with this problem as well since we have sold thousands of these skimmers and never had this brought to our attention. I wonder if we try to put some filter sponge material in the output tube if it would help to filter these bubbles. It is strange because any large bubble should burst inside the pipe before they are returned to the tank. Another option to try is drill a small hole into the top f the 90 degree elbow where the air must be building. If this works we may have to put a small vent tube in the hole so it will exhaust the air buildup inside the 90 degree fitting.

What do you think?



David"


I am however a little confused to where this 90 degree thing is. I don't know if hes talking about the outlet or is he talking more about the T, with the opening. Well maybe someone could clarify this.
 
i'm too lazy to read all the new posts now :D. The washer I believe is on the bolt side. because if it was on the pump side it would have fallen off every time I took the pump off and it didn't. Of course I can't remember if I even have that thing on there anymore. I might have a hose barb fitting that came w/ my other pump that I got for modding purposes. So I know that there's no washer on the pump side.
 
So I asked david would facing the return towards the back cause any problems and here's his response

"I would try to angle the output fitting and not force the return water back into the fitting which could be building up the large bubbles that you see coming out. It has to be something in that 90 degree fitting that is causing the problem because the water coming out of the skimmer has an exhaust at the top of the T to help filter out the bubbles.



Let me know how this goes and I would like to learn for future customers.



Thanks for the help,



David"
 
It's definitely not the 90, because even with that removed there are bubbles.

Anyway I suppose I can live with the sponge fix. I'll just have to remember to check it every now and then ;)
 
When you guys say silent, do you still hear a hum. I've gotten the vibration problem solved, but I do have a loud hum. Just want to make sure that I am not being overly critical about this (that and my wife is tired of me talking about this with her). IS there any thing you guys did to dampen the noise or just plug and play. I'd like to get this problem solved being that the tank is in our living room.
 
plug and play here.. besides the slight modifications I did. I quieted down my other system tonight though and I'm hearing on and off again rattling in the octo. I have no idea where it's coming from but I do know it's going bye bye in the next couple weeks when I combine that system w/ my other one :D
 
cloudy? not sure. if it was dirty/yellow, you could put some carbon in a bag in there, or if you're having some phosphate issues, phosguard works in a bag in there too. If it's cloudy there might be a different problem.
 
So I remembered I ordered the BH-100F (ordered 4-09) and a question popped in my mind.. can you fit both a heater and something like a carbon bag in there?

Anyone else still waiting on their order from Reef Specialty? I think.. but am not sure that they were going to start shipping the 1st or 5th of May for the people who ordered when I did?
 
you can fit all kinds of things in there. A bag of carbon and a heater will fit. Just remember that putting the bag of carbon in there will displace water so the level in that chamber will be higher than without. So don't break in your skimmer and set your collection cup height, and then put the carbon bag in and think it's going to be ok. The carbon bag will displace water and raise the level in both the reaction chamber and the return chamber... so you'll have to reset the height of the collection cup.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12468274#post12468274 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dzeadow
you can fit all kinds of things in there. A bag of carbon and a heater will fit. Just remember that putting the bag of carbon in there will displace water so the level in that chamber will be higher than without. So don't break in your skimmer and set your collection cup height, and then put the carbon bag in and think it's going to be ok. The carbon bag will displace water and raise the level in both the reaction chamber and the return chamber... so you'll have to reset the height of the collection cup.
Click to expand...

Jeebus you're fast, thanks for the heads up ;)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12468265#post12468265 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Electrobes
So I remembered I ordered the BH-100F (ordered 4-09) and a question popped in my mind.. can you fit both a heater and something like a carbon bag in there?

Anyone else still waiting on their order from Reef Specialty? I think.. but am not sure that they were going to start shipping the 1st or 5th of May for the people who ordered when I did?
Click to expand...


:D dzeadow answered them all.

Sorry to hear about the delay on the octo, it gets pretty annoying having to wait so long for a skimmer. The last time I checked with david he mentioned they should be in, and unfortunately it dragged on. I hope it does get shipped out to you soon, its a great skimmer for the price. And note when you get it you might want to shorted the intake so that the surface skimming box works. Hmm and I wonder if dzeadow is still selling his, this skimmer might become a collectors item :D
 
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