Help with a Reef Octopus regal 200 int

[rhitee93]

Not sure if partially in your case your ever set the level properly after cleaning and then come back the next day and the water level is half way down in the body barely producing because it removed all the waste and then having to adjust the water again only to the raise and later have and over flow after feeding

Yeah, I have certainly seen behavior like this. Once it I get it stabilized, it'll run for weeks with no issue before I inevitably change something in the system and have to readjust. The next time I destabilize the system, I'll have to try your approach

 

[00W]

I cleaned this yesterday.

Been running this for years.
Only time I've ever had an issue is when I use filter pads or new filter socks.
It'll overflow then due to whatever chemicals they use in manufacturing of those products.
My bubbles start at least an inch or more below the red ring.
I run my on speed 3.
It's adjusted at 8 inches of water.
I never touch it.
Ever.
In fact when I took it out, put it in the garage for a couple of months, I just put it back in. No adjustments at all.
Every tank is different and every skimmer needs it's own tweeks.

 

[charleydavis]

Run it on three. That foam is supposed to sit right at the bottom of the cup. And when it needs to skim it will skim on its own. They do not skim if there is nothing to skim. I’m running a 150int does the same. Took me a bit to understand that. And now that I’m running fallow for my DT it’s not even skimming until I feed the shrimp that are left behind. I have a 150gal tank. Velvet struck. So been in QT mode.

I am not an expert but I suspect that if the water is super clean with a low bioload there will be very little skimate.

 

[winxp_man]

I am not an expert but I suspect that if the water is super clean with a low bioload there will be very little skimate.

Correct. It’s why the hard bubbles with the Octo skimmers are supposed to be at the bottom of the cup. And the skimmer will skim as a load appears.

 

[Rmike545]

I cleaned this yesterday.

Been running this for years.
Only time I've ever had an issue is when I use filter pads or new filter socks.
It'll overflow then due to whatever chemicals they use in manufacturing of those products.
My bubbles start at least an inch or more below the red ring.
I run my on speed 3.
It's adjusted at 8 inches of water.
I never touch it.
Ever.
In fact when I took it out, put it in the garage for a couple of months, I just put it back in. No adjustments at all.
Every tank is different and every skimmer needs it's own tweeks.

Ok so here how it looks like after almost 24 hours

 

[Rmike545]

Nothing made it to the cup and a bunch of gunk in the water in the skimmer.
Should I drop the skimmer down about 1/2 inch in the sump ?
It’s in 7.5 inches of water right now

 

[00W]

Nothing made it to the cup and a bunch of gunk in the water in the skimmer.
Should I drop the skimmer down about 1/2 inch in the sump ?
It’s in 7.5 inches of water right now

You can adjust the output a tad to raise the water level, a little at a time or add a little water to the sump and increase it that way.
Skimmate looks good.
If you adjust, just do it in very small increments.
You're looking good right now don't go too far.

 

[Rmike545]

You can adjust the output a tad to raise the water level, a little at a time or add a little water to the sump and increase it that way.
Skimmate looks good.
If you adjust, just do it in very small increments.
You're looking good right now don't go too far.

Ok now I feel like a dummy I adjusted the gate valve a tad the foam dropped and I feed the tank after I didn’t think anything of it yesterday I figured it will foam up later and I got up this morning sill no foam I poured hot water RODI in the silencer for salt just in case and still no foam

 

[00W]

Ok now I feel like a dummy I adjusted the gate valve a tad the foam dropped and I feed the tank after I didn’t think anything of it yesterday I figured it will foam up later and I got up this morning sill no foam I poured hot water RODI in the silencer for salt just in case and still no foam

Yikes okay!
Don't want water in the silencer or air line.
Reach down and pull the venturi off the pump.
Pump is inside, venturi on the outside.
Pull all lines and dry them out, doesn't have to be perfect.
Make sure there is no salt/debris in the venturi.
Sometimes when you feed certain foods it will kill the bubbles a bit.
Do that to your lines and let me know.
Wish I was close by I'd come over and help you.
Sometimes I don't explain myself very well.

 

[winxp_man]

Ok now I feel like a dummy I adjusted the gate valve a tad the foam dropped and I feed the tank after I didn’t think anything of it yesterday I figured it will foam up later and I got up this morning sill no foam I poured hot water RODI in the silencer for salt just in case and still no foam

Adjust the valve back until the foam is rising to the bottom of the cup. And then give it about 30-40 min and see how it settles. Skimmer adjustments are done with some time to pass between adjustments. Also in the evening when lights go out you get better results. Especially if your tank is loaded. At night everything closes and is not using anything up (the life form using nutrients that is). During the day you can make adjustments and even wait the 30-40 min to let the skimmer settle in. The amount of nutrients being used at during the day vs night are two different things. So adjusting at night gives you the correct settings technically. And night I mean by lights out. Not outside sun time.

 

[00W]

Turning the valve clockwise, bubbles will rise, water level gets higher
Turn it the other way, the opposite.

 

[Rmike545]

Yikes okay!
Don't want water in the silencer or air line.
Reach down and pull the venturi off the pump.
Pump is inside, venturi on the outside.
Pull all lines and dry them out, doesn't have to be perfect.
Make sure there is no salt/debris in the venturi.
Sometimes when you feed certain foods it will kill the bubbles a bit.
Do that to your lines and let me know.
Wish I was close by I'd come over and help you.
Sometimes I don't explain myself very well.

I always hear a gurgling sound in the silencer it doesn’t matter how much I dry it.

 

[Tangdora]

Your level in the body is to low. I’d suggest you give my method a try. I just cleaned my out to better show. With your finger blocking the air. Set water level right to where the cap fits with the gate valve. Once you remove your finger and let it stay to bubble the level should rise a bit and be right under the red base of the cup. Will post back later when it’s starts to foam collect.

Forgot to reply back yesterday. Here is one day of production. Will note my tank is currently way under stocked and why level is low. But still get a good froth

 

[Rmike545]

Another question the skimmer came with 2 air lines a skinny one and a fat one which one to use ??

 

[Tangdora]

One is for the cup drain the other is for the connection between the Venturi and the silencer they are not interchangeable. Fatter one most likely for the cup.

 

[Rmike545]

Yikes okay!
Don't want water in the silencer or air line.
Reach down and pull the venturi off the pump.
Pump is inside, venturi on the outside.
Pull all lines and dry them out, doesn't have to be perfect.
Make sure there is no salt/debris in the venturi.
Sometimes when you feed certain foods it will kill the bubbles a bit.
Do that to your lines and let me know.
Wish I was close by I'd come over and help you.
Sometimes I don't explain myself very well.

Ok I dried the line I checked the needle wheel and I dropped the skimmer to 8 inches instead of 7.5 and I also took off the CO2 scrubber and it looks like it’s starting to foam

 

[Rmike545]

Here a morning update it looks like there’s actually foam pouring over in the cup

 

[Rmike545]

New findings I went to my LFS and I was telling him about the skimmer and he said one of his customers have the same skimmer and he was having the same issue they tried cleaning the pump and air lines and nothing worked and while he was working on it he blocked the inlet on the pump half way with his finger the bam the skimmer started foaming like crazy so he ended up putting one of the bio media blocks in front of the pump and it’s been working since and his explanation was too much water going in the skimmer so I came home and tried the same thing and look at this it started foaming and this is on 3.
My question is what can I do to have less volume of water in skimmer without slowing the pump down ?
When I slow the pump it’s less air and water and it will not foam and it’s currently in 8 inches of water if I raise the skimmer up would that work or that’s more water volume?

 

[winxp_man]

New findings I went to my LFS and I was telling him about the skimmer and he said one of his customers have the same skimmer and he was having the same issue they tried cleaning the pump and air lines and nothing worked and while he was working on it he blocked the inlet on the pump half way with his finger the bam the skimmer started foaming like crazy so he ended up putting one of the bio media blocks in front of the pump and it’s been working since and his explanation was too much water going in the skimmer so I came home and tried the same thing and look at this it started foaming and this is on 3.
My question is what can I do to have less volume of water in skimmer without slowing the pump down ?
When I slow the pump it’s less air and water and it will not foam and it’s currently in 8 inches of water if I raise the skimmer up would that work or that’s more water volume?

The skimmer should have a gate valve knob that you spin. That dictates how much water is allowed in.

 

[Rmike545]

The skimmer should have a gate valve knob that you spin. That dictates how much water

I was asking more of how to slow water injected in the skimmer without slowing down the air because that seems to be the issue.
Every time I slow down the pump speed with the controller it slows down the air as well and I was was hoping to slow down just the water.