impur Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I have an octopus skimmer as well. Have you done any mods to it? On mine i modded the needlewheel impeller with mesh, opened up the elbow going into the skimmer from the pump, and changed the venturi. With these mods i'm getting close to twice the skimmate i was previously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted April 27, 2007 Author Share Posted April 27, 2007 Well, let's have the skinny on those mods!!! Details, details and pictures if you have them! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted April 27, 2007 Share Posted April 27, 2007 Ha! Do i have pictures (nutty) I used my dremel and a sanding drum to open up that elbow more that goes from the output of the pump into the skimmer body. Here is the mesh on my impeller The next limiting factor on these skimmers IMO is the venturi. The airway makes a 90 degree bend inside that grey fitting, and the opening at the bend is actually smaller than the rest. I had to put water down the venturi airline about every 2 or 3 days otherwise it would clog with salt creep. So i drilled out the venturi opening and inserted my own soft airline tubing. This has done wonders for this skimmer. The output riser tube now can't be higher than the bottom of the union on the collection cup or it overflows. I get some real nasty skimmate now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share Posted April 28, 2007 Interesting about the venturi....I broke it off one day while fiddling with it. I then super glued it back on and wondered?? This doesn't get much air! I will try that one. What type of mesh did you use for the needle wheel? How did you attach it? As for the elbow from the pump to the skimmer...elaborate on that as I don't quite understand. Thanks for the info. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCR Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 If you can add a ball valve and elbow to the output. You will cut noise and evaporation. I opened up he venturi also. Stupid little hole is to small. To turn it into a rec. ya need a couple of uniseals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Its called enkamat i think. There is a large thread over at RC, titles meshwheel friggin rocks on genx4100. Its REALLY long but there are lots of links to places selling the mesh. I attached it using 3 small zip ties. On that elbow, i removed it and used a small sanding drum on the inside of it. I took out maybe 1/16" of the plastice to allow more flow thru it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drock59 Posted April 29, 2007 Share Posted April 29, 2007 Miles, how is the noise level since doing those mods? I have been meaning to do the venturi mod but I am concerned about noise. Also, did you just drill straight through the venturi? It take a 90 degree turn, so if you didnt drill straight through, how did you manage to make the turn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Its just as quiet now as it was out of the box. I have a silencer on the airline, so i can't hear that at all. If i remove the silencer, i can hear the venturi sucking air but with it its silent Yah i just drilled straight thru at an angle. My thinking was to get the end of the airline as close to the impeller as i could. I've seen a lot of ppl have just as much success drilling it straight down and inserting some ro tubing straight down into the incoming water stream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 1, 2007 Author Share Posted May 1, 2007 Do either of you have trouble with restarts??? BTW...Got 4 snails today...those puppies have gone non-stop. The already have half of my rock clean!!! I pumped up the skimmer to "wet" and the junk the snails are letting loose is making some nice (if you can call it that) skimmate. Hopefully, in a day or two, I will have some nice clean pics. Its been 22 days.... Ph 8.2 Alk 4.0 Nitrite....00000 Nitrate....2 Ammon...nil...and has been since the start temp 79 salinity 1.025 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drock59 Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 If you pump doesnt restart, call the manufacturer. That is unless you have moded a bunch of things. WHen I got my PCI Reef Octopus 2000 recirc. the pump didnt restart. Ryan at advanced talked to PCI and got it replaced for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 1, 2007 Author Share Posted May 1, 2007 Cool...I notice that if I tap the input two or three times it will start back up again. I will see how it goes. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted May 1, 2007 Share Posted May 1, 2007 Mine starts right up even after the mods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 3, 2007 Author Share Posted May 3, 2007 I just emptied out some nasty guck from the skimmer today. For now I will hold off on any mods. I would like to find that balance between under and over skimming! For now it is working wonders. The snails have contributed greatly...albeit the only realize there is rock on one side of the tank LOL. They have eaten as well as kicked up alot of junk and the tank is looking pretty good. I ordered my lights the other day. Hopefully GOOD lighting will improve the situation. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 The only thing that will improve it is time and patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted May 3, 2007 Share Posted May 3, 2007 ...and money. Lots of money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 4, 2007 Author Share Posted May 4, 2007 Oh the money....I used to show horses and drop 1k easily at a horse show. This is a much cheaper hobby....trust me. Plus the fish don't kick, tromp, run you over, step on your foot, buck you off or dump you in a huge jump! As for the time and patience...."it's in there". Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 My lights arrived today, but unfortunately three out of the four were broken. You would thinik that with all the fragile stickers they would be a little more careful. Anyways the moon lights look "totally wicked".(squirt from finding nemo)"fin, noggin, dude!!!" I requested, nicely, for replacement ASAP, we'll see what happens! TTLY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 9, 2007 Author Share Posted May 9, 2007 By the way, my daughter Rylie, who is fourteen, posted the last reply for me!!!! she is totaly a better typer than me!! yes its the truth!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 I finally got all of my lights. I will definately need to add a small fan in the sump area during the summer! It heated the tank up quite well with all four going. The snails are well...just picked up a few more margarita snails. I know they aren't suppose to last in warmer water, but they clean the rocks so well!!!! Along with the 2 mexican turbos and another "conch" type and 4 little blue legged hermits...the tank is looking better. I am researching livestock to "clean my sand" now. I have had alot of people say that gobies do well. Any imput from you all would be great. On another note, my first batch of live rock is nearly done. I did a water change today and will measure the PH tomorrow. If ok, I will move it to some RO water and retest it again. Hopefully, it will add some depth to my aquascape. I just refinshed my bathroom and made about 50lbs more with left over mortar. It is soaking as of today. Hopefully it will turn out as well. Will update with a few pics soon. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Looking forward to the pics! I like nassarius and cerith snails for sifting the sand. The nassarius snails burrow into the sand during the day and come out anytime you feed and at night. The ceriths eat algae really well and also burrow thru the sand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 Cool...still researching. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefgeek84 Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Oh the money....I used to show horses and drop 1k easily at a horse show. This is a much cheaper hobby....trust me. Plus the fish don't kick, tromp, run you over, step on your foot, buck you off or dump you in a huge jump! As for the time and patience...."it's in there". Kris Then your getting the wrong kind of fish... (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Wait for your first Metal Halide burn, you'll be singing a different song ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriswaters Posted May 22, 2007 Author Share Posted May 22, 2007 Then your getting the wrong kind of fish... (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) (laugh) (clap) I will avoid those fishes that tromp, kick and buck you off....hopefully the ones that bite as well.. As for the MH's...T5's for me for now. I couldn't afford the electric bill on those puppies!!! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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