So I'm about to get in a fight with this protein skimmer. (Reef Octopus BH1000)

[cab395]

Hello everyone. My protein skimmer arrived today and we haven't been exactly getting along so far. I took it out of the box and assembled it as per it's very bad instructions (which I expected from reading reviews), and now it is skimming. I guess it's "Breaking In" like I've read all skimmers do, but I'm sort of convinced that this thing is "Breaking Bad" right now instead.

Okay, so in all seriousness, here's my situation. The skimmer is running, but there are so many bubbles that the collection cup is filling in around 10 minutes. Now, if I lift the collection cup any higher, there is an overflow that goes to the outflow pipe so it will not skim anymore. Do I need to sit here and empty it every 10 minutes while it breaks in or is there something else I can do? Please help. This is my first encounter with a protein skimmer, so I'm not sure what to expect. Thanks for any and all help!!! :bounce2:

PS.- I have the silencer (black tube) on the intake right now. Should I have the air valve on right now until "The bubbles come out perfectly" as per the instructions? What the heck does that even mean, LOL? And then replace it with the silencer? Sorry for my confusion! And thanks for the help!!!!

 

[cab395]

Okay, just so everyone knows where I'm at... I have replaced the silencer with the air valve and have slowed the air intake down so that the bubbles just BARELY climb over the top so the collection cup fills much slower, but now what? Do I wait for it to "break in" (again, whatever that means, LOL) and then replace it with the silencer? Even though the silencer will not slow the air intake at all?

 

[fishgate]

No once it is started you do not need the air valve. You can set the collection cup above that hole in the side it will not hurt it at all. Set the cup up as high as you need to not have it overflow. Make sure to tighten the screw to hold it in place.

 

[cab395]

Okay, so by "one it is started" do you mean once the pump started running or after it has actually broken in?

 

[cab395]

Also, if the hole is not covered by the collection cup, it tends to make microbubbles which go into my tank. Any advice?

 

[ocellaris123]

I have a BH 1000 and its a great skimmer but it was frustrating on initial startup. I had to cut the return pipe to the skimmer a few inches to prevent it from overfilling the return chamber and flooding the floor. Also had to shorten the intake tube to the the surface skimmer closer to the surface.

 

[cab395]

Awesome, great advice, thank you. I will probably also cut my intake tube tomorrow as well because it is much too low to do any surface skimming. Placing the bottom where the bubbles reach appears to be working so far. Thanks again!

 

[ocellaris123]

Did cutting the return work for you?

Again its a great skimmer, and when I got the problem figured it, it was pulling skimmate within an hour of being first plugged in. Def put my remora to shame.

 

[cab395]

It did help a lot. It removed the surface scum in less than a day, and is now pulling great skimmate out. We've definitely settled our differences and are friends again, haha.

 

[BrownParticles]

For me and my reef octopus SRO 2000, I had to raise it up to about only 7.5 inches of water depth for it to stop overflowing. What a pain that was.

 

[tljokerst]

Oh my god! I know this thread is ages old, but I just found it and it solved many hours of wondering why the hell my skimmer kept overfilling when I would turn it on. All I had to do was cut the return to a shorter length and bingo bango it's done. Thank you so much.

 

[afish70]

anyone have photos of the before and after the cutting?

 

[A sea K]

anyone have photos of the before and after the cutting?

I do not but there are supposed to be some how to videos on you tube about this skimmer.