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  #26  
Old 01/04/2008, 02:24 PM
impur impur is offline
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Did you bore out the fitting on the skimmer where the elbow screws onto? It seems that is a bottleneck just as much as the elbow on my octo.

I just redid my mods last weekend. I went from 2 layers of mesh to 3, but i kept both layers of needles. I used the same venturi piece, but did it in the original venturi fitting. I'm pulling only ~13scfh or 6-7lpm. I still need to bore out the elbow much more. I'm going to try moving the venturi closer to the pump like you have and see what i get.

Thanks for the writeup!
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  #27  
Old 01/04/2008, 02:35 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Impur, i guarantee with the mods you have done so far your running at over 80w. You need to take off the top rows of NW's to keep the impeller at a good weight.

I boared out both sides of the elbo. If you do that and pull off the crap venturi that comes with it and make the duplicate venturi i have on there you will get over 30scfh easy. And the flow will be greater as well. You'll be amazed at the difference.
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  #28  
Old 01/04/2008, 03:05 PM
flyguy7150 flyguy7150 is offline
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My pump has a harder time starting now though...I think i'm gonna go back to 3 layers
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  #29  
Old 01/04/2008, 03:08 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Just blow in the tube and it will start right up, or go back to three.
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  #30  
Old 01/04/2008, 03:29 PM
impur impur is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by luke33
Impur, i guarantee with the mods you have done so far your running at over 80w. You need to take off the top rows of NW's to keep the impeller at a good weight.

I boared out both sides of the elbo. If you do that and pull off the crap venturi that comes with it and make the duplicate venturi i have on there you will get over 30scfh easy. And the flow will be greater as well. You'll be amazed at the difference.

Actually is at 67w. Just got my killawatt yesterday

I'm gonna do your mods though, i'd like to get more out of my skimmer.

Thanks again.
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  #31  
Old 01/04/2008, 03:51 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Thats great man! And i'm surprised as well. Let me know how it turns out for you. I think i may recirc mine tonight....still debating.
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  #32  
Old 01/04/2008, 03:51 PM
MSU Fan MSU Fan is offline
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Luke, how exactly do you remove the one nw ring? I think I am just being stupid about it, but I don't see how...?
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  #33  
Old 01/04/2008, 03:58 PM
dzeadow dzeadow is offline
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he can correct me if I'm wrong, but you just clip the blades off w/ a utility knife, or being really careful with a dremel. The whole ring won't come off by itself you actually have to cut the blades off one by one.
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  #34  
Old 01/04/2008, 04:10 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Yep, i was going to try and pull them off whole but it wouldn't budge. If you have the white impeller blades you can get a very small screwdriver or knife and pry the top off just like a gen x impeller, but if you have the black octo blades then you have to clip them off one at a time.
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  #35  
Old 01/04/2008, 04:29 PM
MSU Fan MSU Fan is offline
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Thanks! I am going to do these mods this weekend!
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Craig & Holly

1-75g FW Planted
1-55g African Cichlid
1-125g w/ 4 turts
1-75g RR Reef
1-12g NC Mantis, 1-12g AP Brittle Star
2-cats
2-dogs (1 Catahoula Leopard Mix & 1 Shepherd Mix)
  #36  
Old 01/04/2008, 09:45 PM
ThaNgBOm321 ThaNgBOm321 is offline
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when i moded my impellar i just slide a 12'' chef knife between the pins.. then worked my way around slightly pushing in to crack the glue.. then a slight twist and it came out... ( octo 3000 )

YzGyz
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thx to Randy and so many other for making reefing that much easier
  #37  
Old 01/04/2008, 10:01 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Yep, if you have the white impeller its real easy, the black impeller and you have to be very careful as you'll break off both the impeller's if your not careful.
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  #38  
Old 01/04/2008, 10:59 PM
ThaNgBOm321 ThaNgBOm321 is offline
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luke,

i have posted before that i have the rps-3000 and did all the mods ( 4 layer pf4, shaved volute, bored out 90 ) except the new hose barb.. ( hd din't have any when i was there picking things up and never got back to getting it.. right now i have a regular 1/4 jg pipe w/ cut jamed in the og vinturi's place.. i drilled it all the way throught 1st of course) anyhow.. i know im pulling a lot more air but it's not like yours.. you have way more than i do.. my water level is about 1/4-2/5 inch below the taper... what can be done to get mine to pull more?? ohhh.. and how much did you bore out of the 90?? i think i might have to get more out.. but i cant reach the deeper part ( the pipe is long... like 3'' on one side.. )

TIA

YzGyz
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YzGyz = Wise Guys ohhh and cows go MOOO!!!

2nd best way is to learn from ones own mistakes but the best way to learn is from others...

thx to Randy and so many other for making reefing that much easier
  #39  
Old 01/05/2008, 02:14 AM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Ok, i couldn't resist with the recirc mod as i always like the recirc and i don't care for the oct pump's either. I do like the odyssea pump's. Anyhow, here's what i did. I put a couple holes in the skimmer and put a couple uniseal's, made a generic venturi and added a feeder pump through the original feed pump. Anyhow this skimmer is now a recirc pulling 30scfh. Pics











The footprint is large, the micro's are not noticable and the skimmer is milked from top to bottom.

Luke
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  #40  
Old 01/05/2008, 02:42 AM
flyguy7150 flyguy7150 is offline
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looks good..skimmate pics??
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Click on my red house to see my 90g RR tank :) Tons of pictures, tons... Click!!!
  #41  
Old 01/05/2008, 11:18 AM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Won't have any for a few day's i'm guessing because of the lube i had to use on the uniseal's to squeeze in the pipe. Its looking pretty good though.
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  #42  
Old 01/05/2008, 11:26 AM
dzeadow dzeadow is offline
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Luke, when you recirc mod those Octo's, do you not use a feed pump with a venturi on it also? Or would that be too much?
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  #43  
Old 01/05/2008, 11:45 AM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Na, no venturi on the feed pump, i like a consistent flow.
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  #44  
Old 01/05/2008, 06:32 PM
Mr Bojangles Mr Bojangles is offline
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well I don't know what you did different then me, but I spent half the day and I could only get to 30, here is what I have done........

bored out the 90 and smoothed out the transitions and cut the washer for the 90

trimmed the output volute down

cut first row of pins off

4 layers of mesh

tired 3 venturis (the one you made did not work well on mine)

saned more of the volute on the intake side

here are my pics............

this is my venturi, its just a schedule 40 3/4 pipe with the insides sanded down with ridged tubing. I held it in by one wrap of electrical tape










It shows 28, but it has settled to 30 now



  #45  
Old 01/05/2008, 06:52 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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40 for the neck is to much anyhow. I had to keep the foam level below the neck for it to work. I'm now holding steady at 32ish with my new recirc mod done with a different pump There are more complicated venturi's you can make that will pull 40scfh such as a 1" female pvc fitting that goes from 1" to 3/4" to 1/2" right before the air injector, that will work well as well, or jtcrews has a picture of another that works as well. I was just trying to post the easiest way to do it that no one would have a problem with. 30ish scfh is ideal for the neck on this skimmer. If it were 5" or so it could handle much more.
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  #46  
Old 01/05/2008, 07:26 PM
ThaNgBOm321 ThaNgBOm321 is offline
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hey luke,

i didn't say it before but

THANK YOU ( very kind of you to help others with these mods and everything els)

YzGYz
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YzGyz = Wise Guys ohhh and cows go MOOO!!!

2nd best way is to learn from ones own mistakes but the best way to learn is from others...

thx to Randy and so many other for making reefing that much easier
  #47  
Old 01/05/2008, 08:07 PM
BLANKENSHIP76 BLANKENSHIP76 is offline
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Luke,

I have that new Oct Extreme, so the elbow isn't a problem, and i am not even sure it needs a mesh mod, but the venturi is crap, pure crap,

You think making it bigger with the 1/4 adapter would improve performance?

I am just toying with it waiting on the new MSX200, then it'll be for sale.
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  #48  
Old 01/05/2008, 08:09 PM
nietzsche nietzsche is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by ThaNgBOm321
hey luke,

i didn't say it before but

THANK YOU ( very kind of you to help others with these mods and everything els)

YzGYz
yup

thanks for answering my questions on modding mine luke, you've been a great help
  #49  
Old 01/05/2008, 08:30 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by BLANKENSHIP76
Luke,

I have that new Oct Extreme, so the elbow isn't a problem, and i am not even sure it needs a mesh mod, but the venturi is crap, pure crap,

You think making it bigger with the 1/4 adapter would improve performance?

I am just toying with it waiting on the new MSX200, then it'll be for sale.
Well, from what i've seen the octo extreme's are you get what you get meaning the inner tube is to restrictive and when you mod them, the air is to much for them to handle........the bubble plate extension goes up waaay to high. They look nearly identical to the H&S in sump skimmers. There nice but i still like the old model more as it'll handle more air. The MSX's now, there in a whole different league imo as there an awesome design. They just didn't make the sicce venturi correctly, but you can buy the design for 14bux from orca or make it yourself for a few bux. Then your going to get teh 22-24lpm
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  #50  
Old 01/05/2008, 08:31 PM
luke33 luke33 is offline
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And no prob on the help. My pleasure
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