Still have issues with Octopus Xtreme (w/ pics)

[RichardPryor]

Ok, it's been a week since the skimmer has been up and running. I assume the break-in period should be over by now.

I've seen a couple of pictures of how the skimmer should look like at the top, but mine is pretty inconsistent with the 'intensity' or ammount of foam.

Right now I have it submerged about 10-11" in the tank.

Previously it looked like this:



Now, the foam is even lower.




As you can see, there is some skimmate (one day of skimming because I emptied the cup yesterday). But I thought skimmate was supposed to be filthy and thick, and for $100 I would drink an ounce of my skimmate. Not sure I would drink even a drop of some of the skimmate I've seen in some of the pics here, not even for $1,000.

My tank is filthy, btw, so it's not an issue of not having anything to skim. It's a PS-150, and I have it in a small 29g tank.

[flipteg]

i just want to clear out if this is the in-sump version or the recirculating version...

is the skimmer sitting in the sump's compartment that gets constant water level...? meaning, not in the same compartment as the return pump... also, do you have the output plumbed in any other way than just the straight riser tube...? did you put a T on output...?

i just got done dealing with the recirculating version... but i need to see exactly how you have your tank setup in your system... regardless of how dirty you think your tank is, it will not skim very much if the water level keeps changing inside it...

[RichardPryor]

Actually, I have the skimmer inside my DT, which is a 29g tank. I will eventually use this as a sump for a 75g tank.

I have the skimmer standing on a crystal glass. Water level stays pretty much the same always.

It is the in-sump version.

[flipteg]

but how are you supplying water to the crystal glass...? too slow of a water flow through the skimmer can result in what you're seeing...

[RichardPryor]

Ok, not sure we are on the same page.

The skimmer is inside a 29g tank without sump. Imagine a 29g tank filled with water to about 3/4 of the way.

The skimmer is standing on top of a crystal drinking glass in order for it to be 10-12" submerged in water. Otherwise (ie no glass) the water level would be too high and the skimmer would be completely submerged in water.

Hope you can picture what I'm describing.

Tell me if I need to shut down the skimmer so as to not break it.

[JRaquatics]

The skimmer has not broken in yet. AquaEuros, octopus and Reeflos skimmers seem to have a two week break in period. It needs to build a scum residue on the inside of the skimmer. My newest skimmer the reeflo took two weeks, even with a mild vinegar bath. If you keep trying to force air/scum up the neck you will be in a never-ending battle.

[flipteg]

wow, that's a pretty big skimmer to be sitting in a 29 gallon main tank...

but anyways, do you have an auto top off...? how are you compensating for evaporated water... the recirculating version that i have is VERY sensitive to changes in the water level... just a few hours worth of evaporation was enough to lower the water level within the skimmer by more than an inch...

also make sure that the air hose is not kinked... the hose is soft and it bends very easily...

[luke33]

It looks fine, when breaking in it will take around two weeks to become consistent and another two weeks to break in and reaaaaly be considered broken in. Just be patient ; ) The more you mess with it the longer it'll take.

[RichardPryor]

Yes, it's a big skimmer. Much bigger than I imagined it to be. I just couldn't wait until I got the 75g tank before using it.

No auto top off. Compensating for evaporated water with weekly water changes. I didn't know they were so sensitive.

Ok, I'll stop messing with it and relax. Thanks!

[RichardPryor]

I can clean the cup, right?

[Roland Jacques]

Like luke said your photo shows a skimmer thats not fully broken in yet. ive seen skimmers from China take a month for all the oils to go away.

[luke33]

Yea, you can clean the cup out and that sort of thing. Just talking about moving it here and there and adjusting the water level alot, those sort of things help when your skimmer's tryin to break in. A consistent water level is a must though once you get your sump set up.

[JRaquatics]

Originally posted by RichardPryor
Compensating for evaporated water with weekly water changes.

You are only adding fresh water to top off evaporation, right? You should atleast topoff evaporation once a day IMO.

[bearshore]

I just got the INT-PS-150 the other day i theres no instructions?

It came with 4 rubber gaskets 2 small and 2 medium the 2 small seem to fit the two ends of the pump but where do the the other 2 go?

Also the one seems like it would block the hole thats drilled(venturi?)

Then the Piece of plastic that was on (venturi?) that connects to soft airline poped off is it supposed to be glued on? It does not seem to just stick in there i waas going to put some liquid nail around it to seal?

How do you determine how high to make the black sliding pipe?

And one more newbie question... Ive seem people talking about washing with =vinegar to help breakin? Do you just wipe down insides with white vinegar? Is there a special process?

[notenoughtanks]

ps 150 is NOT the extreme, it's just a revamped nw-150. Take a pic of the pump, it's an octo pump, not a sicce. This is why you're not seeing crazy bubbles like the actual extremes. I had a nw150 that ROCKED in 7 inches of water, worked way better than my nw200.

[notenoughtanks]

but your neck does look different, better pics please...

[jmjohnson]

I dont think you could possibly have enough stuff to pull out in a 29 gallon tank with that skimmer.

[saltydragon]

is he replaces evap water durig water changes then hes gotta have water level fluctuations.....i think installing a baffle after the skimmer would help alot.....

[godiver908]

Do you have a pic of how the pump is setup? I was told mine is on backwards... I set it up just like the picture the came on the box but was told box and directions were wrong?

[godiver908]

Never mind the guy who sold it to me oviously has no idea as diagram was right....