Octopus Skimmer Mods

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7987234#post7987234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Abengochea
I wasnt really thinking about the venturi though. I was mainly thinking of a way to replace that 90 elbow that goes from the pump to the skimmer. Since that elbow restricts the flow by using a small opening, wouldnt it be better to use some tubing that can fit over the output of the pump and attach it over the input of the skimmer. That way there wouldnt be any bottlenecking since the tubing inner diameter would be big enough to fit over these openings

Doing that didnt really net much change. 1-2scfh. The big change was boring out the output of the pump, and replacing it with 1". That was where the jump from 13-15 to 22+ came from.

I'm starting to think that mine needs a more restrictive venturi to pull any more air.

 

[Covey]

Thanks Spazz.

Rich,
Do you have 1" PVC going all the way into the skimmer or did you just replace the elbow?

Also what the cheapiest place to get a airflow meter?

I think I might start playing with mine.

 

[spazz]

can some one post a pic of how this pump is attached to the skimmer body? im not sure about this elbow thing you guys are talking about. I have an idea to replace it but I need to see a pic first.

 

[Roland Jacques]

I need to switch over to the 0-50 scfh flow meter today. I did a stupid impeller mod today. Air is steady at 21scfh now. Up from a steady 18-19. The bubbles may even be a little smaller, not sure, got to let it run for a little more.

My stupid impeller mod is just sandwiched a round piece of gutter guard between the 2 spoke needle wheels. (Their not easy to get off). Ill try to post photos of the wheel.

 

[Covey]

Duece's pinwheel mod might be a great add on to reaming out the output as Duece got a 30% jump in air pull without moding the out.

Spazz here is the link to the product line.
http://www.aquacave.com/searchresult.aspx?CategoryID=222
I don't have any close up but it looks to be a off the shelf metric elbow.

Also it looks as though clkwrk narrowed it down to the pump body itself from the post above.

 

[Deuce67]

I will be cleaning out my skimmer this weekend. Ill post some pics of the impellar and my version of my venturi mod.

 

[Roland Jacques]

spazz

i belive this OTP3000 is the same housing as the OR3500 if that helps.

i clean up the hosuing transistion areaas much as i could even went thru . got the flow up to 18-19 scfh with a little venture work.

heres the elbow mod. i also went in their from both sides and opened it up the shape 90 with a round rotary file. the pump pulls the same mounted to the skimmer or unattached at 21 scfh.

 

[spazz]

wow that plumbing is small. they could do alot more withthat pump if the plumbing was 1" diam. the mod that Roland Jacques did make alot of sence. but its not easyto do either. if you mess it up then your looking at a new pump. but if you do try it just take your time and go slow.
Roland Jacques thats an awesome mod you did and i think you will just keep improving that mod to the point you get 25 schf out of that bad boy. the only restriction you will have is the head hight. other wise i could see that pump ptting out 30 schf of air. and the more you mod the impellor with the mesh the better it will work.

 

[Roland Jacques]

i did go thur and used a little fast weld epoxy to cover it. Is thier any epoxy better than other for this type of plastic?

Deuce67
looking foward to seeing it.

 

[wjhuie]

I think he has 1" all the way to the skimmer body but not into the body.Im pretty sure that the union on the side of the skimmer has be replaced with a 1" union.

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7989706#post7989706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Roland Jacques
Is thier any epoxy better than other for this type of plastic?

if this is the same type of plastic that ocean runner uses, then it will be hard to find a glue to stick to it. its some weard type of plastic.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7989706#post7989706 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Roland Jacques
i belive this OTP3000 is the same housing as the OR3500 if that helps.

i dont think its the exact same as the ocean runner 3700's the cases are a little different. it may have been made by the same company though.

 

[BLockamon]

I think the stock OR3700 comes with a larger output glued to the pump. If you can't/don't want to do a pump casing mod, you might consider the OR3700. You would still have to pumb it to the skimmer though.

I'm trying to decide what I can do with the elbow on my RPS-3000 (Recirc. 200). I can only ream it out from one side, since the other has a long (3-4") pipe attached.

 

[Robert Patterso]

Ok, i just got my Oct. nw200 today. Other than beveling the output of the case in the pump housing and boring or grinding the 90 out to 5/8 or 11/16 on the small end is there anything else worth while doing to the skimmer? I also have the 90 in the skimmer chamber. From what I've read you guys don't like the 90. is this the older model. I bought it from marine solutions. Without trying to take out the 90 and possibly opening up a can of worms is there a way of improving the function of the 90? Does it creat to much back pressure? If so why not drill a hole straight thru the elbow of the 90? Just asking, not a skimmer buff like you guys seem to be. I'm not installing it till next week and its going to be in pretty tight quarters so would like to make improvements befor installation. I'm putting it on a 70g reef.

Thanks for any help,

Robert

 

[spazz]

is there some where you can buy these needle wheel impellors? i would loke to try one in an ocean runner to see how it works and if it fits right.

 

[ChemE]

I just emailed Rob at Marine Solutions. So far, he's been an extremely nice and helpful guy. We'll see if he can sell us the impellers and if so for what price. I'll post his response as soon as I get it.

 

[ChemE]

So I've been watching the bubbles swirl around in my 200 for a few days now and cant help but notice that the bottom 2"-3" are pretty much wasted. The microbubbles don't seem to get down that low. I'm wondering if those of you who have done the recirc mod have taken back those bottom few inches. Any comments?

 

[tm613]

more bubbles at the bottom=more bubbles out of the skimmer into the sump....i have noticled that many recircs have even more empty space at the bottom...check out an H&S recirc almost 5 inches of empty space

 

[spazz]

i agree that you need a seperation area that is about 2-3 in from the bottom of the skimmer. thats not bad in my opinion. i have see alot worse. euro reef skimmers have 4-6 in in the bottom of there skimmers. that is stock though. no mods.

 

[wjhuie]

Has anyone done the elbow mod of the nw 150. I just did and I have noticed a big difference. I am planing on working on the volute this afternoon.

 

[danskim]

Roland, do you think it's worth it to bore out the pipe like you did?
Or was the benefit not worth the trouble?
Did you use a dremel or dremel type tool?