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awestruck
03/13/2011, 10:25 AM
My Reef Octopus skimmer has been running about 4 weeks. I was told it needs 3-4 weeks to break in before it begins to skim. When it first started to run, it had about 2" of foamy water in it. Now, 4 weeks later, it still only has about 2" of foamy water in it although the collection cup is 1/3 full of clear water. I also was told to leave it alone. The water level in the sump is staying fairly consistent, and the pump is covered by 1-1/2" of water, which is what I was told is about the correct amount for optimal performance. Ok, so is this normal and does anyone know WHEN it's going to really start skimming?

MOOSE1504
03/13/2011, 10:33 AM
mine didnt need any break in time it started pulling nasty stuff real fast. How old is your tank?

goofball310
03/13/2011, 10:37 AM
Don't own one of these skimmers but I'm sure model of the skimmer and water height would help with any potential advise.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 10:38 AM
The tank is an upgrade from a 30g. to a 65g. w/about 14g. in the sump. I'm getting frustrated.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 11:04 AM
Don't own one of these skimmers but I'm sure model of the skimmer and water height would help with any potential advise.


Good point :) It's the Reef Octopus XP-1000 Space saving Cone.

Bio load: 1 very spoiled midas blenny (no other fish), corals, snails, a few hermits, brittle star etc.



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EllieSuz
03/13/2011, 11:24 AM
Check to see if your air hose is plugged. My Octopus Skimmer gets clear water in it when it doesn't get enough air. Also, it doesn't look like your skimmer is sitting in deep enough water. I don't have the same unit, but mine sits in eight inches of water. Try taking those "legs" off it and see what happens.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 11:30 AM
Check to see if your air hose is plugged. My Octopus Skimmer gets clear water in it when it doesn't get enough air. Also, it doesn't look like your skimmer is sitting in deep enough water. I don't have the same unit, but mine sits in eight inches of water. Try taking those "legs" off it and see what happens.


Thanks Eileen. Perhaps the air hose is plugged and I'll check it in a few minutes. If it's supposed to sit in 8" of water, well, geez I'm going to be frustrated. I repeatedly posted, and asked AquaCave, about how much water it should be sitting in and was told ~5-6.5" of water. If it sits in 8" of water, then the gate valve is supposed to be totally submersed in water?

Justdrew
03/13/2011, 11:30 AM
1 fish may not be providing enough bioload for the skimmer to pull anything significant out of the water column. Shots of the skimmer running would also help us provide more suggestions once we see the air water mix, and also the height you are running the water in the skimmer.


Drew

awestruck
03/13/2011, 12:08 PM
1 fish may not be providing enough bioload for the skimmer to pull anything significant out of the water column. Shots of the skimmer running would also help us provide more suggestions once we see the air water mix, and also the height you are running the water in the skimmer.


Drew

I considered the blenny not providing enough bio load, however, I have a shallow sandbed and when I do a water change and siphon the sand, well, it's gross. I tried to upload a video of it skimming (or not really skimming as the case may be) but it won't upload.

EllieSuz
03/13/2011, 12:19 PM
Although I'm sure they mean well, AquaCave is a retailer. If you want to get accurate advice on your skimmer, why not contact the manufacturer? Try contacting CoralVue directly. They were a huge help to me when I needed a new impeller for my skimmer pump and I'm sure they'll help you too. I don't know the appropriate depth for your skimmer, since mine is a few years old and an entirely different model. I suggested it as sort of a "can't hurt to try" option. It's an absolute that your skimmer should be producing a lot of tiny bubbles and colored skimmate by now.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 12:29 PM
CoralVue is the company I spoke to after talking with AquaCave. They are the ones who told me to wait 3-4 weeks and to make it sit in 5-6.5" of water, the same as what AquaCave said.

EllieSuz
03/13/2011, 12:36 PM
Well, I'm fresh out of ideas, then. Check your air hose. Does it have a little black thingy on the top? Sorry, I don't know the proper name for it, maybe a diffuser? If you have one, take it off and blow in it to see if it might be clogged and/or run fresh water through it. I had to poke mine with a toothpick because there was something in there inhibiting airflow.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 01:11 PM
The air hose is clear-so clear in fact you can hear the air going through it. When you said you have yours sitting in 8" water, isn't your gate valve submerged?

awestruck
03/13/2011, 01:21 PM
How do I paste this thread in the Sponsor forum to CoralVue? I'll give all this info. to them and see what they say.

RenoR1
03/13/2011, 01:40 PM
5-6'' of water, like what is recommended, barely works. I had mine in 6'' for about 8 months. Just switched it to 8'' deep and more that tripled what I was pulling out...

awestruck
03/13/2011, 01:49 PM
5-6'' of water, like what is recommended, barely works. I had mine in 6'' for about 8 months. Just switched it to 8'' deep and more that tripled what I was pulling out...

Ok, thanks for your response. I've asked this a couple times but will try again: if it's sitting in 8" water then the gate valve must be submerged. Is this ok?!

awestruck
03/13/2011, 01:50 PM
Forgot to add this: as you can see from the pics, the cone is no where full of water...

karsseboom
03/13/2011, 03:20 PM
Check to see if your air hose is plugged. My Octopus Skimmer gets clear water in it when it doesn't get enough air. Also, it doesn't look like your skimmer is sitting in deep enough water. I don't have the same unit, but mine sits in eight inches of water. Try taking those "legs" off it and see what happens.


ok, you do not want to put the skimmer in deep water. this skimmer works the best in 5 inches of water or less even 3inches works, max maybe 6. You need to turn it down so it skims more dry. I have the bubbles set right at the neck.

karsseboom
03/13/2011, 03:23 PM
ok, you do not want to put the skimmer in deep water. this skimmer works the best in 5 inches of water or less even 3inches works, max maybe 6. You need to turn it down so it skims more dry. I have the bubbles set right at the neck.

btw 8 inches is way to deep for the xp1000 maybe the reg old needle wheel, but this skimmer needs to be in less water i have talked to reef octopus myself about this and they told me 3 inches is what they use them at.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 03:43 PM
ok, you do not want to put the skimmer in deep water. this skimmer works the best in 5 inches of water or less even 3inches works, max maybe 6. You need to turn it down so it skims more dry. I have the bubbles set right at the neck.

karss, thanks for your response. The guy from CoralVue told me NOT to touch the gate valve for a month so that it could do its thing. So, does the valve get turned clockwise or counter clockwise. I'm trying not to sit and constantly change it.

karsseboom
03/13/2011, 03:56 PM
clockwise rasies the water level and counter clockwise lowers the water level.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 04:00 PM
clockwise rasies the water level and counter clockwise lowers the water level.

Ok, I'm going to give this a try! :) Let's hope it works. BTW, from my pics, does it look like it's sitting correctly in my sump?

awestruck
03/13/2011, 04:36 PM
I turned the gatevalve (quite a bit) clockwise and the cone filled w/water. It looks like it's working-finally! I was so reluctant to turn the gatevalve and now it looks like that's all it was. Thanks everyone for your help. :)

karsseboom
03/13/2011, 05:32 PM
when adjusting the skimmer, make small turns on the gate valve and see what happens then wait a while then turn it again. Keep making small turns untill the skimmer reaches the perfect height. But make sure when you adjust the gate valve to turn a little bit then wait. small turns on the gate valve make a big difference on the skimmer.

awestruck
03/13/2011, 08:43 PM
thanks karss, yes, I'm hoping I won't wake up to it overflowing all over the place. I've been watching it and it seems to be doing well.