Problems with Octopus Extreme 200

[Melonbob]

I bought an octopus extreme 200 a few months back for my 180g reef, and I haven't had a ton of luck with it. Don't get me wrong, it pulls out gunk, but nothing like the pics of green tar I've seen on here, more like green tea coloured water. It is running in 9" of water, and is stock pinwheel impeller. I just read today about having the outlet breaking the surface of the water and I've done that. but thats it. I actually thought there was nothing left to skim as its a new tank, but after weeks of feeding and seeing my nitrates jump, I get the feeling its just not working to its potential. Is there some standard tweaks and setup pointers to make sure this thing is running prime? Thanks peeps!

[sjm817]

9" is kind of deep. I would run it in 8" max.

[Melonbob]

any other tips? Someone told me the pump should only point one way?

[carlso63]

How high up is the "air/water transition" inside the skimmer?

If you look in the skimmer body while it is running you should be able to make out where the waterline ends and above that is just foam... that transition line should be around the area where the "cone" of the skimmer connects to the body cylinder.

If it is higher than that you will skim "wet" and get that "green tea" you mentioned. Lower than that you skim drier and get a gooier skimmate.

Perhaps your waterline is very high up near the neck area and you are just skimming very wet?

[carlso63]

BTW, to adjust that transition line you adjust the height of the outflow standpipe. Higher makes the waterline go up; lower makes it go down...

[Melonbob]

I twisted the elbow on the outlet, so about the top 1/4" of it is exposed to air. It seems to have helped already, and is easier to adjust. As for the transition line, I can't tell exactly, but looks to be in the neck area somewhere, I don't know where it was before I played with the outlet