Reef Octopus BH2000 max distance from surface?

sammysreef · 11/03/2013, 06:22 PM

I just sold my old skimmer and get to buy what I thought was the skimmer of my dreams...a Reef Octopus bh2000. I have a 110 gallon tank without a sump. Now that I am ready to purchase it, I have doubts. The water surface is 4" from the top of the tank. Will that work? Is it too far for the Intake and Outflow to reach? I know that they are adjustable,--but just what is their range? I am not thrilled to lay out the money for a new skimmer, only to have to mess with trying to "make it work." The only manual that I found online offered no info on that subject and I cannot seem to find that topic addressed here on RC. Thanks for your help! I need to get a new skimmer in there asap.

Allentown · 11/03/2013, 08:25 PM

It will reach four inches down. I ran mine for a month after I switched to a reef tank and it would still run even with the return pump off (much reduced water level). I'm keeping mine as a back up,its worth the storage space.

sammysreef · 11/04/2013, 10:30 AM

Great! Thanks. What about 4.5 inches? Could the pipe easily be swapped out with another longer one?

fishgate · 11/04/2013, 10:37 AM

You can't swap the pipe. Both the surface skimmer box and the pipe are custom for the BH2000 and could not be fabricated. The part that attaches to the skimmer box has 2 orings on it. Why is your level so low? Seems very excessive. You are going to get in a situation where the skimmer box sucks air having it that far down.

sammysreef · 11/04/2013, 01:10 PM

This is a DAS aquarium that has the light/canopy attached to the tank. So I cannot raise the level without flooding the light support arms. The water level is just a hair above the black band that you see at the top of the tank.

Allentown · 11/04/2013, 03:00 PM

You might end up having to run it without the skimmer collection cup. I'm going tobgo measure the pipe. Be right back

Allentown · 11/04/2013, 03:08 PM

Ok you do have a problem. Here you see the o rings fir the surface skimmer and you can see the pipe lenght is just at 4 inches. Even without the surface skimmer you'll lose your prime if you have surface agitation. The only option you have here is running it without the surface skimmer and getting a piece of kfc that can be inserted to extend the length a bit. They run well enough without the surface skimmer to tell the truth, but finding the extension might be a problem. I suggest posing to Jeremy in the sponsor forum for coralvue .

Allentown · 11/04/2013, 03:09 PM

Above, should be pvc not kfc, I don't think a chicken wing will help.....(oops).

sammysreef · 11/04/2013, 03:31 PM

KFC is so much easier to find than the right PVC! I posted a question in the Coralvue forum.

11/03/2013, 06:22 PM	#1
sammysreef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 12	Reef Octopus BH2000 max distance from surface? I just sold my old skimmer and get to buy what I thought was the skimmer of my dreams...a Reef Octopus bh2000. I have a 110 gallon tank without a sump. Now that I am ready to purchase it, I have doubts. The water surface is 4" from the top of the tank. Will that work? Is it too far for the Intake and Outflow to reach? I know that they are adjustable,--but just what is their range? I am not thrilled to lay out the money for a new skimmer, only to have to mess with trying to "make it work." The only manual that I found online offered no info on that subject and I cannot seem to find that topic addressed here on RC. Thanks for your help! I need to get a new skimmer in there asap.

11/03/2013, 08:25 PM	#2
Allentown Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 975	It will reach four inches down. I ran mine for a month after I switched to a reef tank and it would still run even with the return pump off (much reduced water level). I'm keeping mine as a back up,its worth the storage space. __________________ NEW Build: 225g 72x27x27 Tigger Emerald 39 Sump, ConeS CO-3, 3xHydra 52, BRS 2 part dosers, Vortech MP-40 QD Gyre XF150, Neptune Wav x2, 2x Jaebo RW-4, SMR-1, MR-1

11/04/2013, 10:37 AM	#4
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	You can't swap the pipe. Both the surface skimmer box and the pipe are custom for the BH2000 and could not be fabricated. The part that attaches to the skimmer box has 2 orings on it. Why is your level so low? Seems very excessive. You are going to get in a situation where the skimmer box sucks air having it that far down. __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

11/04/2013, 03:00 PM	#6
Allentown Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 975	You might end up having to run it without the skimmer collection cup. I'm going tobgo measure the pipe. Be right back __________________ NEW Build: 225g 72x27x27 Tigger Emerald 39 Sump, ConeS CO-3, 3xHydra 52, BRS 2 part dosers, Vortech MP-40 QD Gyre XF150, Neptune Wav x2, 2x Jaebo RW-4, SMR-1, MR-1

11/04/2013, 03:09 PM	#8
Allentown Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Augusta, Ga Posts: 975	Above, should be pvc not kfc, I don't think a chicken wing will help.....(oops). __________________ NEW Build: 225g 72x27x27 Tigger Emerald 39 Sump, ConeS CO-3, 3xHydra 52, BRS 2 part dosers, Vortech MP-40 QD Gyre XF150, Neptune Wav x2, 2x Jaebo RW-4, SMR-1, MR-1

11/04/2013, 10:30 AM	#3
sammysreef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 12	Great! Thanks. What about 4.5 inches? Could the pipe easily be swapped out with another longer one?

11/04/2013, 03:31 PM	#9
sammysreef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 12	KFC is so much easier to find than the right PVC! I posted a question in the Coralvue forum.