Reef Octopus BH 1000 Trouble

Oldcabin

New member
Hey all,
Looking for some help setting up a BH 1000. I have assembled the unit correctly (I think) and tried to start it up for the first time. I can hear the motor running and see a small vortex in the small tube connected to the motor, but no real bubbles? It's not pulling in any water from the tank, it just sits there and hums? I have tried to plug the air line according to the terrible instructions, but it doesn't seem to do anything. What am I missing? I can post pictures if it will help, but it's pretty dark right now.
Thanks.
 
sounds like you need to prime the pump, put the air intake hose in the water for a min or two, then when it starts pulling in water take the air line out of the water and then it should start working, i dont have that skimmer so this is just based off of the way i primed my skimmer
 
Yep! I shoved my PH up the intake and it took off!! Thanks for the help!
Now I just have to tweak the collection cup and pray the microbubbles subside.
 
The microbubbles will subside as the skimmer breaks in.
I have the similar Reef Octopus BH 100F skimmer and I removed the black sponge in the return section and made a mesh screen that I wrap in filter floss to remove any last detritus and microbubbles. Very easy to remove and throw away the dirty floss.

When I shut the skimmer off and lose the venturi prime, I use one of those Newborn Nasal Aspirator bulbs to blow air into the airline. One quick squeeze and it's back in business.

-JASON
 
Thanks for the tips. The microbubbles are ridiculous right now, but I'll be patient.
I removed both sponges and aimed the outlet at the inlet, but its still crazy.
One plus is that it really helps me "see" the flow in my tank -- I've noticed a dead spot:)
 
I have the BH-1000 skimmer and it's been running for 6months now. Everything works great except the micro bubbles never subsided. I mean there are a lot less but still there. What I did was cut some of the black sponge, wrapped it around the outtake elbow and angled it toward the glass. If that makes any sense at all....stopped all the micro bubbles!
 
You put the black sponge in the tank? Essentially cramming it into the outake?
I thought about placing a sponge in the outake chamber to see if that would help, but haven't had time. It's already pulling a wet yellow skimmate, so I'm happy so far.
This was my first smell of skimmate -- I about hit the floor!
 
Dredging this thread back up because I just installed a BH-1000. Goodness....I think I have it set up properly, but.....sheesh......microbubbles!

It looks like they'll be hard to get rid of too because the foaming chamber foams up so high that the bubbles go straight out the overflow hole into the return chamber.

You COULD kinda block that overflow hole with the collection cup, but then the cup will be full in about 5 minutes.

Is it just that my aquarium (which has been running for 3 months) might have so many dissolved crap that the water will be super foamy at first. Then as the skimmer does it's thing and the water is cleaning, I can move the collection cup lower because it isn't so foamy in there?
 
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I have this model,I've had it about a year. You have to fill it with water and have the air intake valve closed. Once the pump gets its prime open valve. I have had to plug it in a couple of times toprime The black foam you need to leave in place. I had micro bubbles for a couple months I still have bubbles but they don't stick to everything like before . Also use rubber gloves if you put your hands inside the skimmer once I had trouble where it quit skimming because of oils on my hands,took about a month to skim again. Hope this helps you can message me if you need anything else.
 
I have this model,I've had it about a year. You have to fill it with water and have the air intake valve closed. Once the pump gets its prime open valve. I have had to plug it in a couple of times toprime The black foam you need to leave in place. I had micro bubbles for a couple months I still have bubbles but they don't stick to everything like before . Also use rubber gloves if you put your hands inside the skimmer once I had trouble where it quit skimming because of oils on my hands,took about a month to skim again. Hope this helps you can message me if you need anything else.

Awesome. Thanks. I mostly just wanted to hear someone say, "Yes....it gets better." Seems to work. Even the one time I had the skimmer cup placed so low it filled in 5 minutes the water had a definite tinge of yellow-brown about it.
 
You want the cup above the hole it is a return, you want to keep it at least towards the top of the hole.
 
Yep. It gets better:)
They will go away completely. Mine come back if I turn the skimmer off for longer than a day -- takes about 3-4 hours for them to go away again.
 
The black sponge should be on the return side, I have a extra piece of sponge with a hole in it that I put on the water intake.I have had lost power and have had it reprime itself when power came back on.
 
I don't know what you mean by noisy...It's all relative. I mean, you can hear mine running and it is louder than either my HOB filter the HOB refugium. But, it isn't that bad and there's no rattling or anything like that.

Also.....you guys were right....the microbubbles did go away, but I also go creative with the sponges and that helped a LOT.
 
the pump itself is noisy...buzzing noise...hard to describe but its coming from the pump itself...

its not a humming noise, its buzzing...
 
hello,
Just a little question concerning this skimmer...can someone please tell me what is the max gallon this skimmer can accept?
My tank is a 260litres and full sps.
Thank you guys.
 
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