reef octopus skimmers

[fishinsouthga]

ok i have purchased a reef octopus skimmer and have googled and searched and read and can seem to find anything about my skimmer, i bought it from a store in jacksonville that had them as a demo got it for 160 bucks it has a like becket valve that is on a 13inch tube. the water is pumped from an in sump pump to this tube though some (bioballs??) and then into the reaction chamber?? then out the side back into the sump where i can adjust the water lvl in the skimmer, i get it cleaned up and it pumps some foam! for about a day.... then it slowly gets dirty (over the next 2 days) then i have no output........ just moving water... does anyone have one of these and if so what have you done to fix it? i assume its supposed to make foam all the time..... please advise..

 

[fishinsouthga]

rebump anyone??????? PLEASE HELP ME IM MELTING! oh what a world

 

[Len]

Sorry, I've got no experience with this skimmer. It sounds like you have a downdraft skimmer (like ETSS skimmers). If it's not producing foam, the air intake for the downdraft pipe is probably congested. It is suppose to create turbulent foam all the time; however, it will not always create enough foam to rise up the column into the collection cup, especially if you put your hands in the water (e.g. the oils on your hands act as suffocants). This is simply the nature of downdraft and beckett skimmers. If it's making turbulent bubbles at the base of the skimmer but not climbing the reaction chamber, your skimmer might be working properly. If there's no bubbles at all, I'd check the air intake to make sure it is clear. You also need a high output pump to make these skimmers perform as intended.

 

[fishinsouthga]

thanks len i appreciate your response, and it is as you described, anything in the tank other then the tank normals stops all foam production, and any reduction in flow (pump buildup etc) and i have no foam as well, in 2 months its produced approx 1 liter of foam/drained out gunk for lack of a better word, i assume i'll sell it and look for a needle wheel setup...

 

[Len]

Yep, a needle wheel will generally have more consistent performance. Downdrafts can be powerful, but they're tempermental IME.