Help me identify htis skimmer, and how do i hook it up?

king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Its dirty and had a lot of buildup. But for $150 bucks, evidently its rated for up to 500gal tank, so Im cool putting it into a 125 system.
I cant remember the brand or model, I was hoping someone else would.
I want to put it outside the sump, But I don't really understand how it all gets assembled. If someone could walk me through it I would really appreciate it.

One small problem...but not too bad I hope:


I snapped it off by accident, is this going to ruin everything? if so how can I repair it properly? and what is it for?
Thanks a bunch,
Nep
oh and one last thing, what is a good way to clean it? i sprayed with water hose 20 min and barely took anything off. Does that really matter? It seems like its just a cosmetic issue..but inside the chamber I was worried that the buildup was detrimental.
 
9supratt4

9supratt4

Active Member
For cleaning....sitting it in a tub of vinegar and water will make it nice and clean. As per the pictures.....I don't think that is an external pump.....it may have to go inside your sump.
The piece that snapped off is your air tube....so yes.....you do need that. The top of that tube needs to be above the water level to allow air to mix with the water and create the bubbles.....the bubbles then pop and the protein is released into the collection cup....keep in mind that the smaller the bubbles the better.
And sorry, but I can't really tell what make or model it is....but i'm sure if you can figure it out you can get a replacement part for the tube.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
i was pretty sure the airline was important, it did look like it was deliberatly above the waterline of the main chamber. do i need a valve to adjust flow?
the pump is internal/external ccording to the guy who sold it to me. its an in or out skimmer.
as soon as he answers his PM I can have more details...probably might evin be willing to guid me through it.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Octopus/Pacific coast recirc (either Pacific coast RPS-3000 or older Octopus DNW-200)
thats the air intake broken. it is required and where air is drawn into the skimmer. you'll need to replace it. easiest thing to do is go to the hardware store and get a small hose fitting same size or slightly larger (or seek any octopus retailer for replacement).


to get it running you need a small feed pump to feed tank water into that top fitting and the output with the valve on it is where it drains back into your sump (or you can put it in the sump if you have room). basically like these basic instructions. you will use that output valve to adjust the water level in the skimmer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMpgm8rn4XU
to clean it internally you'll have to run the skimmer in a bin filled with vinegar/water to remove the calcium deposits (the acidic vinegar dissolves calcium). the outside needs to be scrubbed down in the same solution.
where's the collection cup?
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Great!
OK to answer your questions:
Yes it had a collection cup, I just forgot to put it in the pict. Also it had a separate pump which I'm assuming is the one you talked about feeding the upper input...makes sense since the tube attached to the pump fits this.
Now the vinegar solution...is there a special brand to buy? or just go to the grocery store and get any gallon? Also is it something that will take days to clean? or hours? or even weeks?
and finally will I need a control valve for the tube I snapped off?
It didnt have one but if its a good idea I can install one.
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
I was just at home depot and saw a clear double ended barb just like that. I would go there and take ur pump with you and see if they have one that will fit. If not try contacting octopus. Where I live I find that Lowes has a much better plumbing section than HD. Hmm now that i look at it, it looks like the guy in the pic modded his ocean runner pump. He drilled a hole through the treads to accommodate that barb line.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by King_Neptune
http:///forum/post/3095315
Great!
Now the vinegar solution...is there a special brand to buy? or just go to the grocery store and get any gallon? Also is it something that will take days to clean? or hours? or even weeks?
any white vinegar. I buy mine in the food section of walmart by the ketsup, jelly ect. Its cheap and I run it straight but you can dilute it with water, it will still work. As far as how long, the outside you can start scrubbing with a sponge/brush right away. it should come off easy enough. you cant really actively clean the inside except for what you can reach so you need to let the chemical dissolving and circulation clean it out. A day or more wouldn't hurt. probably the longer the better.
and finally will I need a control valve for the tube I snapped off?
no, connect the air hose and leave it be. all you can do with a control valve is restrict airflow, something no stock or stockish octopus needs. your adjustments will be through the output valve. you might want to find a silencer (probably came with it new) to cut down noise.
 
bountyhunter23

bountyhunter23

Member
Its recirculating right? Then you most likely dont need to put it in you sump. I would just because i like skimmers in my sump in case a leak is sprung. Just my 2 cents. Good luck, looks like a steal.
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
Just picked up 3 gallons of vinegar.
How much dilution will I need? Its going into a 20gallon trash can(never used) So i would probably get away with not diluting it at all, and if I did...maybe a couple gallons at the most.
Would it be ok if I was forced to raise the water level in the can by adding water? or should I just head back to town and get a couple more jugs?
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
i went ahead and did 50/50 seemed plenty strong to me. if not...ill just pick some up tomorrow. for now its in the sink, gonna run it a couple days submerged
 
king_neptune

king_neptune

Active Member
WOW!
I took a ocuple hour nap and came back, this thing is WAY WAY cleaner!
I glued the airline back on and will put it back in the vinegar tub tomorrow to see how it goes.
In the meantime I put the CO2 reactor in the tub and fired it up.
I took the sponge out just in case it was a bad IDEA to have it soaking in vinegar all night. tomorrow Ill put the skimmer back in and see if I can get the last little bit of film out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top