octopusBH-100F is a POS

I am officially changing my tune on this POS skimmer. It's the only skimmer I've ever had, so I'm not comparing it to anything.


This thing is either overflowing or underflowing. If you don't block up the outlet hole at all (sponge), the water level in the return area stays at the top of the outlet (or below) so that bubbles just gush out into the DT (the bubbles come from the air on top of the water surface, not from the air pump). fail.

If you block it up (sponge) to keep the water level higher than it, it will overflow randomly. fail.

I am so sick of this thing. Every time the power is shut off (for any reason), this thing overflows when it's powered back on. before the water level falls back down to its normal level. fail.

It's junk. I hate it.

 

Your kidding.....these are usually good quality HOB units. Ask Jason (Packleader). He has this model.

 

Had a fan running behind the DT all night. Stupid rug is finally dry. Will get back there and clean up the salt today. Stupid overflowing skimmer.



Has some serious nasty bubble build up in the first chamber where the pump lives. Not sure what's up with that. Will probably have to take it down for a thorough cleaning this weekend.

 

Sorry to hear that your hating life with that skimmer. Maybe your just got a bad one, because it sounds like its acting like my seaclown skimmer....

 

Not familiar with this skimmer, but most skimmers will misbehave if turned on when the water level is higher. For example, my Euro-Reef RS80 in my sump will overflow if it was turned on immediately after turning on my return pump.

I have a controller that can turn the skimmer pump back on 3 minutes after it restores power to the return pump (after feeding). This keeps the skimmer from overflowing. Nothing saying you couldn't just plug in or switch on the skimmer several minutes after you switch on the return.

 

drill a nice sized hole in the cup lid, outside of the inner ring and stick your airline in that. That will keep your venturi moist and keep nastiness from collecting in it. That will help with the overflowing issue

 

as an update

I took this down, took it apart, cleaned the whole thing quite thoroughly. Also added an overflow tube in the return chamber to go back into the DT.

Dried it out, put it back together and set it back up. Had to reestablish nasty siphon :-X


As a change of pace, this time I am not using the little black sponge to block the return hole at all as this is the primary reason for the overflows, I am sure.

The water level in the return chamber stays about half a centimeter below the top of the return hole. Thus, there is a little tornado here and the return sucks in air which releases as a stream of bubbles into my DT.

I knew that was going to happen as it was the reason I was using the sponge to block the return outlet up some. I have let it run now for a couple weeks in this state thinking maybe it would figure itself out and raise a bit higher.

It has not. I have a steady stream of bubbles going into my tank. I hate that. It is unsightly. And probably dangerous to some of the life in there.

I did try removing the "silencer" from the return T to see if the air could escape in this way. It slightly reduced the amount of bubbles, but not really by much.

I do not know what else to try. It's not so terrible I can justify the funds for a new HOB skimmer. So I'm stuck with it.


I have no idea if this is typical or not of these skimmers. It has done this since it was new.

 

Wow, what a pain.

good luck!

fwiw, bubbles from skimmers or other equipment outside of CO2 systems are not harmful to anything.

 

Sorry your having such a bad time with this skimmer.
I'm told that the Deltec MCE600 is the best HOB skimmer on the market.Maybe its time to upgrade?

 

Peredhil I have the exact same skimmer and yeah its okay it does its job but it puts the bubbles out and I HATE THAT! I have tried a couple things like you with no success I am in the same boat as you and have thought about just getting a new one but at the same time I am not sure if bubbles in the tank really justify for a new skimmer. I kind of think it almost does...