Octopus Recirc Needlewheel 200 mod help

[MRGolfo]

I had read about making the whole bigger where the pump pulls air so it performs better. I did and now I am in a world of trouble. The water level goes well above the collection cup and I am unsure what to do. I can't adjust the valve that it came with anymore than it already is. I am using a maxi jet 1200 for water supply. Any help would be appreciated.

I just turned the thing off hoping to get some help.

here's the unit

http://www.marinesolutionsinc.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_35&products_id=74

 

[capncapo]

I believe that there is also a mod that replaces an O ring on the Octopus skimmers. You might want to see if you can find a thread on that mod.

 

[chadfarmer]

maybe to much air or it is restricted

 

[capncapo]

I think the O ring that comes with it restricts the air flow because it's fairly fat. The replacement is the same size but is thinner.

 

[spongebobby]

When you drilled it out. Did you drill the airline hole or the hole through the venturi?

If you drilled the airline hole make sure you didn't break through. There is a 90 deg turn so you have to drill from the top and from the front.

When I had mine mesh-modded and drilled the line it pulled alot more air.

Do you have the gate valve all the way open. I can't see how it would be able to rise the water that high unless your return pipe is clogged with some FOD.

 

[MRGolfo]

I drilled it about half an inch in and I ran the skimmer for about a week. It didn't seem to make a big difference and so I tried it again and I guess I drilled through because as soon as I did that, water started coming out. I put the tube back on so where I drilled through and lifted it above the water line so it would stop coming out. I also disconnected the whole thing from the sump.

This is the first time I tried to modify anything and I surely made a cluster cluck out of it.

 

[spongebobby]

You may try to fill the hole where you drilled through and smear aquarium silicon on it.

When I was into modding mine I drilled mine out the size of a bic pin body all the way through and siliconed it in and then drilled the horizontal hole larger. It worked pretty well with mesh-mod.

If your not mesh-modding your pump, enlarging the airline hole will yield very little performance gains if any at all.

I have a pic if I can find it. I'll look

 

[spongebobby]

found it

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[ncox38]

if it is too much air you can put an airvalve on the top of the airline.

 

[StupidsReef]

Awwhhh, I should of taken pics of the O ring mod when I did it. You have a WHITE FLAT ring that fits between the the skimmer and the pump, This ring is to thick in width and restricks the amount of air due to it cover half of the air hole. Any hardware store sells tiny black " O-RINGS " take the " WHITE FLAT " one with you a match it to the black ones they have. You'll notice the black o-rings are rounded and not flat therefor will not block the air hole.

 

[StupidsReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11735849#post11735849 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spongebobby


If your not mesh-modding your pump, enlarging the airline hole will yield very little performance gains if any at all.

I don't know if I would agree with you here Spongebob, I drilled mine and then ran it again it apeared to the naked eye, that I was recieving more white bubbles within the skimmers body, However I also did replace the O-ring at the same time so I could be wrong.