Old HOB Octopus Skimmer Mod!!!

[balto777]

I have an old HOB Octopus skimmer. The return has a T-section where the top is open and the bottom extends into the tank. Well, for two years now I have put up with constant gurgling and big bubbles being released into the tank. Before, it was not too bad because it was in the living room pretty far away from us. But my new tank is in the office and it is annoying as heck. I noticed that if I covered the top of the T-section, it stopped making the gurgling noises and stopped releasing the bubbles into the tank.

I always thatought there is a reason they made it an open top, but could not figure out why, so I left it as it was. Today, I got fed up and was going to get some tape to tape over the top of the T-section. I thought that some chemicals from the tape would get into the water, so I looked for something else.

2 liter bottle top to stuff in there - too big.

Baby bottle cap to stuff in there - too big.

Baby bottle nipple - hey lets try it.

So, I put a baby bottle nipple upside down into the T-section. It fits PERFECTLY. No more gurgling and no more big bubbles. Now I can finally hear my Vortech!