Octopus HOB Skimmer Owners - Page 29

scunfcu · #**701** 01/06/2008, 09:32 PM

Within few hours of installing the BH-300F, getting some thick white foams with skimate that is light green in color. I did not run any vinegar into the skimmer to get skimming going.

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...photo/s2-1.jpg

Here is the overflow for surface skimming and outlet turn to hit back of my tank.
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/e...to/surface.jpg

Still early, but I really like the skimmer so far. I installed the Silencer on the pump on the bottom ( chamber 2 ). I didn't use the Silcencer on the pump on ( chamber 1 ), so I am getting gurgling sound, not too noisy.

Using the BH-300F on my 75 gallon. Have to go with this model because the BH-100F doesn't fit my 2 inch Eurobrace rim.

An important point is that because this skimmer uses two pumps, it brings up the tempature in my tank a little.

dzeadow · #**702** 01/06/2008, 09:43 PM

Interesting note about the temp. I noticed that my pump gets pretty darned warm as well. Looks good, the skim will get darker w/ time, mine went from tea colored to sludge. keep us updated.

Looks like the return and inlet pipes are shorter on your skimmer than on the 100F's, or maybe they just fixed that recently.. however, Koraltek just got his 100F in Dec. and he had to chop his off to get the pre-skim box to work.

happyface888 · #**703** 01/07/2008, 12:33 AM

That cup looks pretty dam big can you put it next to a water bottle or something to give me a idea how big is it?
This is how big the bh100f is

And yours looks huge in this pic and the foams looking good

BTW how much water does that thing hold?

Hmm thats interesting, who did you ask about if the skimmer would fit on a 2inch eurobrace? And from this picture

The parts that are sitting on the EB looks the same as the bh100's maybe we measured it wrong, it doesn't look any longer than ours. If you get a chance could you tell us whats the diameter of the tube? and like everyone else I look forward to updates and reviews.

Edit
Could someone test if shortening the return actually helps with micros?

dzeadow · #**704** 01/07/2008, 07:11 AM

Scunfcu -
am I wrong or does the outlet pipe actually have like a trought type thing inside the return chamber? it looks like the pipe continues into the chamber and has a pipe w/ the top horizontal half cut off of it. That makes a lot of sense since our 100F's have the unfortunate ability to get a media bag stuck in them (have had it happen recently).

Happy - I'm going to put that shelf thing on the back of my stand instead of the wall to hold up the 100F, so when I've got it off and messing w/ it, I"ll cut the return. I'd rather have it shorter anyway. I gotta get the set up ready anyway, got my rod's clowns coming tomorrow

. I also got another pom-pom for my 45g and a starry blenny to eat aglae.

scunfcu · #**705** 01/07/2008, 10:34 AM

Happyface88, Yes, I believe the collection cup looks wider and bigger on the Bh-100F. I don't have bottle to measure, but looking at your pics it does look better. When I get bottle next time I try to pic.

dzeadow, yes the pipe w/ the top horizontal half cut off of it. I was wondering why they left it expose, but makes sense. You alsocan turn and take off the bottom outlet pipe so that the water will drop straight down.

After having the bh-300F for a day, my skimming have stop, not due to skimmer not working, but the the decrease of DOC in my tank. My tank is only about 3 weeks old. Have notice some overflow squeezing up the side of the colllection cups as indicated by dzeadow. I am monitoring it, don't want to have overflow. Otherwise I will have to raise the collection cup very high and let the excess water drip out of the drain hole on side of the skimmer wall, which will drain it back into the return chamber.

luke33 · #**706** 01/07/2008, 11:22 AM

Your skimmer most likely is not breaking in. Many times skimmers start to pull crud instantly out of the box, then stop and break in and fix for days and days. The skimmer does look good though!

scunfcu · #**707** 01/07/2008, 11:25 AM

Yep, I am waiting for break-in, but was very suprise that it skims after only few hours with very think foams. Looks like a solid skimmer.

FishAreFriends2 · #**708** 01/07/2008, 11:59 AM

Hmm could you measure the cup if you get a chance?

dzeadow where did you see the picture of the return having a pipe in there? If it has one do you think you could put one on the bh100f?

Offtopic:
I need some help here
Well here in SF just a few days ago there was that big storm that knocked out my power for a few hrs. Since I don't have a back up power plan, I read a older post here somewhere that mentioned it was good to keep a bottle of amquel on hand. So I tossed some of this stuff in to my tank for the meanwhile and everything looked fine. I went out for a few hrs came back power was back corals didn't look to good though they were all closed up and my anthelias didn't look to great. But I didn't think of it too much, than the next morning the water looked cloudy a bit and the coral still closed up, the anthelias looked like they were melting away. This once happened before when I used amquel but it never came to my attention that it was the cause. Until this happened once more and it seems to be the cause of my problem. What should I do and who has had similar experiences wit this product?

dzeadow · #**709** 01/07/2008, 12:22 PM

I'd do water changes.. 20% or so until the water clears up. Your skimmer will probably go nuts until the amquel is gone, but it'll help remove that stuff. I've never used it before so I have no idea what to do besides the water changes.

As far as the pipe goes, it was in his picture... I cut it out and circled it to make it more obvious

FishAreFriends2 · #**710** 01/07/2008, 01:00 PM

It still hard to see. I'll right when I get back home I'll do a big water change.

luke33 · #**711** 01/07/2008, 01:05 PM

Run alot of carbon to remove it. Your skimmer is pry going nuttzo and do the water changes.

happyface888 · #**712** 01/07/2008, 03:47 PM

Thats a bummer to hear man I hope all goes well.

janderson8 · #**713** 01/07/2008, 07:18 PM

how much is the 300f

dzeadow · #**714** 01/07/2008, 07:20 PM

i think it's $225.. check aquacave.com or thereefstop.com

scunfcu · #**715** 01/07/2008, 07:27 PM

I got it for $229 at Marine Solutions inc.

happyface888 · #**716** 01/07/2008, 09:38 PM

I didn't know aquacave and thereefstop sold them now. I told it was still in customs or something.

dzeadow · #**717** 01/07/2008, 09:43 PM

oh, my bad... I'm just throwing websites out there

happyface888 · #**718** 01/08/2008, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dzeadow
I'd do water changes.. 20% or so until the water clears up. Your skimmer will probably go nuts until the amquel is gone, but it'll help remove that stuff. I've never used it before so I have no idea what to do besides the water changes.

As far as the pipe goes, it was in his picture... I cut it out and circled it to make it more obvious

Hmm I can't really see whats in there. It looks like the bh100f could use whatever that part is. Dzeadow if you get a chance think you could figure out what that is and where could I get such a part ot try? and whats the benefits of having that?

happyface888 · #**719** 01/08/2008, 02:07 AM

Ok bh100f users how often do you guys take out your pump for cleaning? Mines been running for 3 months and I haven't touched the pump.

dzeadow · #**720** 01/08/2008, 07:11 AM

with all the modding i've done, the pump that's in there is probably pretty clean! if you haven't mesh modded it yet i would think it's probably ok. I noticed the mesh mod impeller had "stuff" in it vs. nothing in the nw. I wonder if Koral ever got his air meter?

As far as that pipe goes... it's just a piece of their crazy metric sized plastic pipe that had an end on it and then they cut a section off the top to make a trought. I don't know if we'd be able to duplicate exactly, it looks like it goes all the way to the back wall which would be hard for us to do. I don't know what size pipe would fit in there, possibly a ground down 3/4"? Here's a rough pic of what it is though just in case you're still having a hard time seeing it:

FishAreFriends2 · #**721** 01/08/2008, 11:31 AM

Hmm I think theres added bonus to that pipe, it blocks bubbles from returning to the tank. Since the bubbles would go around that tube. Seems pretty useful. I think even the bh100's could use it. Dzeadow when will you make one?

dzeadow · #**722** 01/08/2008, 11:38 AM

lol..never. I don't have micro bubble problems that bad to need one. it would help to keep media out of the tube, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I don't think the 100's could use it since your return tube goes all the way down your return chamber right?

happyface888 · #**723** 01/08/2008, 03:39 PM

Thats pretty interesting and yeah it would be nice to have it on the 100f, that way it'd block the media from jamming the return.

dzeadow · #**724** 01/08/2008, 03:53 PM

i noticed sticking a suction cup w/ something attached to it allows you to drop the media half way down so you don't have that issue.. technically that's what the bubble plate thing is for, but since none of us can get it to stay there w/o the sponge, we're outta luck.

happyface888 · #**725** 01/08/2008, 07:02 PM

Yeah its a pain to get that thing to stay still and I broke mine so I don't have that plate anymore. Guess if theres a alternative that would be great.