Octo NW200 Step by Step to 40scfh

[luke33]

Ok, with the amount of info out there for the octo mods there's so much crap in the thread i wanted to just make a simple step by step. There's to much talk of the venturi and this and that. Its a very simple mod to do, will take all of an hour. I've been getting a large amount of email's about them here so i wanted to make a step by step so i can just link to this thread every time. Here's what you do. First take all the blades off the top nw to make it lighter. Starting point was 10scfh hooked up.



Second, use a dremel and a sanding bit to grind out the elbo as much as you can. But be careful or you will go through the other side. This is a huge restriction for the pump and output of the air. Heres mine boared out.Must boar out both ends.



Next get 4 layers of enkamat pf4, its on ebay, or pm sherm71(sorry man) and take 4 zip ties(very small ones) and cut the mesh exactly the same size as the impeller blades. Face the head of teh zip ties towards the volute cover, opposite impeller. Trim it so its not touching the sides or top of the volute cover.







Next is the simplest part there is. Take a dremel and the same grinding bit, and drill a hole on the male thread coming out of the volute cover. Do this as close as you can to the impeller casing without cutting it to close. Use a 1/4" od hose adapter from lowe's....etc. Take the hose adapter and cut a slit in it at the bottom, on two of the segments. Fact that towards the impeller. If you don't face the slit towards the impeller, it won't pull any air. Stick it down as far as it will go, and use super glue to bond it.





The next thing i faced was the riser tube was just to high. This skimmer is use to pulling 10scfh so it needs to be high. You are now at 35-40scfh so it will overflow the crap out of your skimmer. I cut nearly 4.5" off the riser tube so i can control the height of the water.



And here's what the 40scfh in teh octo 200 looks like. The second pic is me pointing to where the water line stops.





I hope this simplified if for many of you and I hope it has answered many questions about the whole mod thing. This will work just fine for the nw150 as well. It should give you around 20-25scfh for the 150.

This mod puts you at 40scfh, 19lpm, or 1135lph air. This can handle a lightly stocked 283g tank, a med stocked 190 or heavily stocked 140g tank. The ratings are for water volume, so you have to look at actual volume, subtract sand, rock....etc. These are all imo ratings but i feel they are pretty safe.

This should run you about 10bux in supplies. The skimmer total with shipping 195+ 10 for the mods, a skimmer that will skim that large a tank for 205bux. It truly is the poor man's skimmer and easily the best value out there. I was going to recirc it, but i just don't know if its worth it at this point. I'm definately going to do a gate valve but that will pry be it.

Luke