impur Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 About 12 days ago i installed my new Reef Octopus NW200 skimmer. For the first 9 days i had let it run with the water level at about the bottom of the collection cup. The riser neck in the collection cup became lined with crud to the point that you couldn't even see into the neck, but i never got a drop of skimmate. So 3 days ago i cleaned the neck, lowered the water level to about 2" below the bottom of the collection cup and let it run. After 2.5 days still no skimmate, but crud starting to build up inside the neck again. So last night i raised the output riser to its top position and covered 1/3 of the pipe bringing the water level to about 1/4" from the top of the riser in the collection cup and let it run overnight. Still nothing. I can see fish poop and food swirling around inside the skimmer. It just swirls around, and exits thru the outlet pipe. Never goes to the collection cup. The foam travels up the neck in the collection cup and there is a lot of foam. It hits the lid of the collection cup, the bubbles pop, and the foam goes back down to the water level in the neck. My $60 PCI skimmer with a broken needlewheel pulled more skimmate in this time than the octopus has. What gives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanz Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Have you tried throwing the skimmer body in the dishwasher yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 No, what would that do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanz Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 I heard people breaking their skimmer in by throwing it in the dishwasher....no soap of course. I think it takes off oils or something, don't remember. Try it to see if it works. Nothing to lose. Throw everything except the pump in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 I might toss the collection cup in there that seems to be where the prob is. I'm gonna take it apart this weekend and do some modding i think. Also need to grind down a couple acrylic tabs in my sump so the thing fits better. Its a really tight fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2R2 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 You might check the air inlet at the base of the venturi to be sure it is not restricted. On the same note, how deep is it submerged in the sump water? The deeper the venturi is below the surface, the harder it has to "pull" air down from the surface. It's like trying to use a straw underwater; if you are close to the surface, you're OK, go a little deeper and you can't draw a breath. Just a thought. R2R2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 It takes a while for these to break in. I have the recirc model and I love it....it took me a while to get it just right...but I also have the recirc and I am gravity feeding it, so it is set up differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 You might check the air inlet at the base of the venturi to be sure it is not restricted. On the same note' date=' how deep is it submerged in the sump water? The deeper the venturi is below the surface, the harder it has to "pull" air down from the surface. It's like trying to use a straw underwater; if you are close to the surface, you're OK, go a little deeper and you can't draw a breath. Just a thought. R2R2[/quote'] The pump is about 6" below the surface. It sure looks like its getting enough air, the venturi is not restricted, and i cannot see thru the skimmer its so full of bubbles. I'm going to try and open up the venturi a little though. I'll get some pics tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted February 2, 2007 Share Posted February 2, 2007 Sounds like there might be something on the neck of the skimmer. Maybe try cleaning the inside of it with vinegar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 2, 2007 Author Share Posted February 2, 2007 I'll give anything a try at this point. I have a small area of cyano popping up since putting this skimmer on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drock59 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Have you tried throwing in the garbage yet? That is going to be my next step with my PCI skimmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 Heh no this is a Reef Octopus skimmer not a PCI. PCI might distribute them, but thats not where i got it and they do not make these skimmers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drock59 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 right, that is what I meant sorry. Reef octopus...either way. Miles have you seen the mod threads on RC? In order to make it work really well there are a lot of things you should change. I added some mesh to the needle wheel and I have seen significant increase in skimmate production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 Yah i'm doing the gatevalve mod and adding some mesh this weekend. After 3 days since i cleaned the neck. Total 10 days running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Watch out drilling them Miles. I know most others that are cell cast you can but I have heard horror stories about people drilling them. Just take it easy. I have seen several cracked bodies :( Good luck! Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H20cooled Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Miles, From looking at the pics it looks like you have next to no micro bubbles in the chamber. Is that a pic of it on or off? If thats on you are not getting hardly any air in there at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Good call Rich. Yeah Miles there is absolutely no air bubbles in there. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanz Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 the chamber looks like its full of micro bubbles to me It would look a lot darker if there wasn't any...well that's what happens when my venturi clogs up and no bubbles are produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piero Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 ya it should look pure white and opaque with bubbles.....white like, uh, like marshmallow fluff! mmmm...fluffernutter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldbrownies Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 It does look a little dark, try giving the venturi intake some ro water to pull through the valve, maybe its just got a bit of salt or something built up in there I mean through the air intake, not the water intake of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2R2 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 I agree, there should be more bubble density in the column. I notice the height of your water return is also well above the same model we have running at the shop. These two findings make me believe that either the venturi intake is not being allowed to pull the needed amount of air, or the pump is not moving enough water, or both. What pump are you using for the water delivery to the skimmer? Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted February 3, 2007 Author Share Posted February 3, 2007 Its the pump that came with the skimmer, OTP-3000 Octopus turbine pump. The intake of the pump is slightly up against the side of the sump, that very well could be the problem. Maybe limiting the water into the skimmer. I'm going to grind off a few of these tabs in my sump so it fits better. I'll also take the whole venturi fitting off and run some vinegar thru it so i know its clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2R2 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Hmmmm, an octopus 3000 pump on a RPS 2000 skimmer,... shouldn't it have a octopus 2000 on it? R2R2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R-3 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 There site says its the 3000. Later Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2R2 Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Oh, nevermind.R2R2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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