Newbie Skimmer Help! (Reef Octopus 150 INT in my Red Sea 350)

[ellenRN]

hi All!

Please help, I am not sure I am doing this correctly? I am sorry to ask, this is my first salt water tank, and I am a complete newbie!

I am cycling my tank, a few weeks in, and installed the Reef Octopus 150 INT over a week ago. I have the flow so it is all the way counter clock-wise (totally open), and I have raised it so much, now even at 5.5 inches.... It is still over flowing horribly! How long does it take to get settled and stop doing this? It is making a complete mess of my sump area with it spewing water, and my salinity went down and had to add salt today! I believe I read/saw it needs to be in 6-8 in. I raised it to 7 inches for the week with no change. About an hour ago I put this plastic tupperware temporarily to raise it higher, it is at 5.5 in, and it is still overflowing. If I need to change anything please let me know, or do I just continue to wait it out? Thanks in advance for any and all help, I really don't know what I am doing! -Ellen

 

[Flippers4pups]

hi All!

Please help, I am not sure I am doing this correctly? I am sorry to ask, this is my first salt water tank, and I am a complete newbie!

I am cycling my tank, a few weeks in, and installed the Reef Octopus 150 INT over a week ago. I have the flow so it is all the way counter clock-wise (totally open), and I have raised it so much, now even at 5.5 inches.... It is still over flowing horribly! How long does it take to get settled and stop doing this? It is making a complete mess of my sump area with it spewing water, and my salinity went down and had to add salt today! I believe I read/saw it needs to be in 6-8 in. I raised it to 7 inches for the week with no change. About an hour ago I put this plastic tupperware temporarily to raise it higher, it is at 5.5 in, and it is still overflowing. If I need to change anything please let me know, or do I just continue to wait it out? Thanks in advance for any and all help, I really don't know what I am doing! -Ellen

Once a bio film develops on the inside surfaces, it will stop. This can take a couple weeks. still needs to be at 7-8" of water to function properly once broke in.

 

[aurora.k]

Once a bio film develops on the inside surfaces, it will stop. This can take a couple weeks. still needs to be at 7-8" of water to function properly once broke in.

Ah! I finally knew one and you beat me to it! Just had the same thing happen with my Reef Octopus 152-S in my new tank and kept thinking it was adjusted wrong until my husband found out about the film thing. Anyway, one week later and it is working great!

 

[ellenRN]

Thank you everyone!!!!! I have lowered it some and will give it more time!!!! Thanks so much!!!! -Ellen

 

[ellenRN]

Our LFS (the Fish Room in Raleigh, NC - Daniel!) came and installed a new door on our Red Sea cabinet this AM (one of them was chipped when they received it). I first asked about bubbles in the filter sock area when it was first set up, they recommended the Red Sea carbon. We purchased it (it came with a bag) and I put it in the middle section of the sump. Anyway, when he was here he said the carbon can help with the skimmer crazies as well - but it would be better to be in a higher flow area, like right where the water is coming in behind the filter socks, or even in same area of the filter socks - he moved it, and OMG, the skimmer is already less crazy....! Maybe its just coincidence with timing, or the carbon, or both, but I am thankful!

He also said, when they first put skimmers in a tank, they usually wait a couple weeks after setting up a new tank. They also leave the plug thing out so the water just goes back into the sump (can even hook up that extra tubing (that came with it) and have it just go into the sump so that it doesn't splatter down the side of the skimmer). I had the plug in and it was just bubbling all over the top to the ceiling, the sides, everywhere (at one point last week I took the top off because I thought it was going to get popped off by all the bubbles coming up). Anyway, I did not know this, so I thought I would let you know this if anyone else is having this same issue. Keep the plug thing off/out until it calms down!