Octopus Skimmer Mods - Page 19

Snausy · 10/06/2006, 06:43 PM

thx roland

ericwebster · 10/07/2006, 05:34 AM

-TS-Vash - I'd love to see your mod.

nebraskareef · 10/08/2006, 03:51 PM

Has anyone bored out the 90 degree venturi on the recirc OTP-2000?

Jayreefer · 10/08/2006, 11:04 PM

I just did it to my rec. OTP-1000 as well as the inlet pipe and it has seemed to help.

nebraskareef · 10/08/2006, 11:22 PM

Jay, do you have any pics? I was wondering how much material we could take off before we cut into the small venturi hole. I'm referring to the ID of the 90 degree piece.

Jayreefer · 10/08/2006, 11:34 PM

Sorry, I didn't take any pics, but I made it as big as pssible. The air now comes strait in instead of coming in and going into a 90. I reemed out every pipe and union as big as it could go with still making it water tight.

The foam is very thick and the ventury is much louder. I had to put the silencer on it. I could leave the silencer off before and not hear much at all.

nebraskareef · 10/08/2006, 11:57 PM

Jay, thank you for the info.

How would you call the bubblesize/turbulence in the chamber? I'd hate to hack up the pvc and bork the whole thing. I suppose if I did I could just feed the venturi with a pump and needlevalve, but I'm a little hesitant to say the least.

Jayreefer · 10/09/2006, 12:07 AM

The bubble size has not increased and I had to open the ball valve a little. I also opened up the three little vents that make a circle were the water enters the pump. If that makes any sence.

DRC69 · 10/09/2006, 10:20 AM

Hey All,
Whay kind of feed rate and pump do you recommend?????
I have a RPS-1000
A lot of great info.
Thanks to all

LA-Lawman · 10/09/2006, 07:58 PM

Roland... you should summarize your long thread here. provide the mods to the specific venturi's and parts you used and pics of results... everyone esle who has moded thier skimmer should post pics too, so we can reference the different mods for the different models....

just an idear!

Roland Jacques · 10/09/2006, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by LA-Lawman
Roland... you should summarize your long thread here. provide the mods to the specific venturi's and parts you used and pics of results... everyone esle who has moded tier skimmer should post pics too, so we can reference the different mods for the different models....

just an idear!

This was suppose to be a short thread summary kind of thing

. but that is a good idea and I skip a couple of little things also. I still have all my photos and Ill see what I can do. Maybe ill get my son to make a web site or something.

BTW, Someone ought to mod a Octopus shredder skimmer into a NW that would be good mod. I think it would rock.

Jayreefer · 10/09/2006, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DRC69
Hey All,
Whay kind of feed rate and pump do you recommend?????
I have a RPS-1000
A lot of great info.
Thanks to all

I have a used a off brand powerhead thats 110gph, a Maxi-Jet 1200, and now a Mini-jet 606. The mini-jet 606 has been the best.

DRC69 · 10/10/2006, 11:04 AM

Thank you for the info

jasert39 · 10/10/2006, 11:36 AM

anyone do a waste collection system for the nw style skimmers that dont come with the hole in the collectioin cup?>

danskim · 10/10/2006, 11:52 AM

Sorry if this was posted already...
But what size fittings do octopusskimmer.com sell for their gate valve mod kit?
They say they use non-metric fittings.
$38 is rather steep for a kit whose main component is a gate valve that can be bought for $10-15 and the rest much cheaper.

Lake75 · 10/11/2006, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by danskim
Sorry if this was posted already...
But what size fittings do octopusskimmer.com sell for their gate valve mod kit?
They say they use non-metric fittings.
$38 is rather steep for a kit whose main component is a gate valve that can be bought for $10-15 and the rest much cheaper.

I believe it's 1.5", but don't quote me on that. I ordered my parts from savko a couple of weeks ago. The gate valve ($15.90), T, 90, and 5' tube cost me $22.70 plus ~$8 shipping. So, $38 is really not that steep and you're not saving much by doing it yourself.

danskim · 10/11/2006, 09:28 AM

I see your point.
Lucky for me, I have a lot of left over plumbing, and I have plenty of 1" pipe and fittings.

I guess I'll be paying around $23-4.

JCTewks · 10/16/2006, 01:13 PM

I have done most of the mods in here.....well, some I didn't...I have DNW 110, it is the recirculating model from Coral vue.

I smoothed out the clear piece going into the "tee" on the output of the pump and reemed it out a little bigger. did the same on the input fitting.

I started to make the ID of the air intake on the venturi bigger and promptly melted it in half from the heat of the drill. I drilled it out larger and glued in a 1/4" ID Insert fitting that I cut at an angle and smoothed down. I then made the inside section of that pipe about 11/16" ID, up from the 7/16 or 1/2" that it was.

The inside of the pump where the impeller sits was made larger as well as rounding the output. I also did the GG mod to the impeller.

I am also feeding the skimmer with a gg modded maxijet pumping foam air into the feed line.

Everything works great!! the ball valve is wide open, the foam head is all the way to 1/2" from the top of the neck...nice small bubbles. the problem is that the skimmer cup is staying empty. The foam won't make it over the neck...it just sort of gunks up the lid.

Is there a mod that i can do to remedy that??

Roland: Great thread..great mods...I have Gutter guarded most every pump that I have, and the all kick BUM!!

Do you think that I could add like 2 feet to the height of that skimmer using unions and PVC....essentially just make the neck longer???

Thanks

Jeff

Avast Marine · 10/18/2006, 10:43 PM

Anyone know where I could get a 80mm union to make a new collection cup for the nw200?

CarlC · 10/19/2006, 10:48 AM

Here is a Canadian company that sells metric. I don't see 80mm listed though.
http://www.dwyermfg.com/pvccouplersadapters.html

Carl

Avast Marine · 10/19/2006, 12:01 PM

Ouch...90mm is $65

The id of the union is 90mm and the id of the pipe inside the union is 80mm.....so that means the union is a ___mm?

sickman · 10/21/2006, 10:23 AM

ok, so I have the DNW-200 (recirc) on a moderately heavy stocked 135. I'm seeing that it's having a hard time pushing the head of foam up and over the neck in to the cup. Would the 90 degree elbow mod from the pump to the skimmer take care of this? Or do I need to also widen the the water feed into the pump (otp-3000) and then replace the little air feed stick with something wider?

Roland Jacques · 10/22/2006, 08:29 AM

sickman,
Elbow is the first thing you should do.
then sand transistions get rid of the sharp edges that envolves water flow after the impeller.
the only think id would do before the impeller is the venturi mod taper the output side of the venturi all the way up to the air hole (on the short venturi only)
see how you like it. that should increase your air up to form 9-11 to 18- 20 scfh. should be good also make sure sump stays at 10" deep.

If you want more than that you'll have to do an impeller mod & air venturi... mesh or GG. mesh is easier. id try to stay away from this it can be little tricky.

sickman · 10/22/2006, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roland Jacques
sickman,
Elbow is the first thing you should do.
then sand transistions get rid of the sharp edges that envolves water flow after the impeller.
the only think id would do before the impeller is the venturi mod taper the output side of the venturi all the way up to the air hole (on the short venturi only)
see how you like it. that should increase your air up to form 9-11 to 18- 20 scfh. should be good also make sure sump stays at 10" deep.

If you want more than that you'll have to do an impeller mod & air venturi... mesh or GG. mesh is easier. id try to stay away from this it can be little tricky.

ok so for the elbow, sand both ends till they are as wide as possible... (my skimmer is hooked so I can't look ATM)

Are there any pics of the venturi mod? I Assume you need a new little stick that is wider to put in after you widen the hole?

Guess I Also wondering if that elbow and the other straight piece coming form the pump to the skimmer are sold seperately somehwere... I'm hesitant to try my hand at Dremmeling for the first time and ruin it.

Also my skimmer is external plumbed, does it matter how deep my water is in my sump?

Lake75 · 10/23/2006, 11:03 AM

Got the NW150 and did the gate valve mod same as the one sold by Marine Solutions. At first, I submerged the output under water surface and it was quiet. Then I read that this will cause backpressure on the skimmer, but after having tried to raise the output above water, I found the splashing sound was too much to bear. So I replaced the 90 degree elbow with a Tee according to other people's post. Now I can submerge the output w/o causing the backpressure (at least that's what I was told), but it still has a kind of trickling sound which is quite annoying. Other than using a filter sock, is there any good method to eliminate this?

10/06/2006, 06:43 PM	#451
Snausy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 907	thx roland __________________ A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 300gal FOWLR- Emperor Angel, Rainbow Wrasse, Green Bird Wrasse, Dogface Puffer, Niger Trigger, Flame Hawkfish, Matted Filefish 150 Turbosnails that only come out at night! :D

10/07/2006, 05:34 AM	#452
ericwebster Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 375	-TS-Vash - I'd love to see your mod. __________________ "Nobody tried to sell me the most used piece of equipment I own .. my mop." 72G Tank LTA, Pulsing Xenia, Blue Tang, Mated Maroons, 2 Damsels, Neon Goby, Watchman Goby, Algae Blenny, Peppermint Shrimp (3), CBS (1), Cleaner Shrimp Current Tank Info: 100G bow front corner. Yellow Tank, Coral Beauty, Clownfish, some SPS, LPS and Soft Corals

10/08/2006, 03:51 PM	#453
nebraskareef MFCEO Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,495 Blog Entries: 1	Has anyone bored out the 90 degree venturi on the recirc OTP-2000? __________________ Originally Posted by tmz "Now if I drink the vodka the colors do look much better than if I drink the vinegar."

10/08/2006, 11:22 PM	#455
nebraskareef MFCEO Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,495 Blog Entries: 1	Jay, do you have any pics? I was wondering how much material we could take off before we cut into the small venturi hole. I'm referring to the ID of the 90 degree piece. __________________ Originally Posted by tmz "Now if I drink the vodka the colors do look much better than if I drink the vinegar."

10/08/2006, 11:57 PM	#457
nebraskareef MFCEO Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,495 Blog Entries: 1	Jay, thank you for the info. How would you call the bubblesize/turbulence in the chamber? I'd hate to hack up the pvc and bork the whole thing. I suppose if I did I could just feed the venturi with a pump and needlevalve, but I'm a little hesitant to say the least. __________________ Originally Posted by tmz "Now if I drink the vodka the colors do look much better than if I drink the vinegar."

10/08/2006, 11:04 PM	#454
Jayreefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peoria Az Posts: 2,022	I just did it to my rec. OTP-1000 as well as the inlet pipe and it has seemed to help.

10/08/2006, 11:34 PM	#456
Jayreefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peoria Az Posts: 2,022	Sorry, I didn't take any pics, but I made it as big as pssible. The air now comes strait in instead of coming in and going into a 90. I reemed out every pipe and union as big as it could go with still making it water tight. The foam is very thick and the ventury is much louder. I had to put the silencer on it. I could leave the silencer off before and not hear much at all.

10/09/2006, 12:07 AM	#458
Jayreefer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peoria Az Posts: 2,022	The bubble size has not increased and I had to open the ball valve a little. I also opened up the three little vents that make a circle were the water enters the pump. If that makes any sence.

10/09/2006, 10:20 AM	#459
DRC69 Oh Well Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: RSM, CA Posts: 3,430	Hey All, Whay kind of feed rate and pump do you recommend????? I have a RPS-1000 A lot of great info. Thanks to all __________________ Thanks, D Current Tank Info: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have" ----- Thomas Jefferson

10/09/2006, 07:58 PM	#460
LA-Lawman Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: So.Cal - Ventura County Posts: 303	Roland... you should summarize your long thread here. provide the mods to the specific venturi's and parts you used and pics of results... everyone esle who has moded thier skimmer should post pics too, so we can reference the different mods for the different models.... just an idear! __________________ -ben -------- "By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest." -Confucius Current Tank Info: 180g AGA RR, 3 250w DE 14k , 2 160w VHO actinics, ATI BM250 skimmer,RM media reactor, LifeReef LCR-1 CaRX

10/10/2006, 11:04 AM	#463
DRC69 Oh Well Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: RSM, CA Posts: 3,430	Thank you for the info __________________ Thanks, D Current Tank Info: "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have" ----- Thomas Jefferson

10/10/2006, 11:36 AM	#464
jasert39 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: PA Posts: 759	anyone do a waste collection system for the nw style skimmers that dont come with the hole in the collectioin cup?> __________________ Trust the Process Current Tank Info: 75 gallon RR Display, 30 gallon sump, SRO INT1000, Jebao CP9's, Marsaqua LEDS.

10/10/2006, 11:52 AM	#465
danskim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 1,639	Sorry if this was posted already... But what size fittings do octopusskimmer.com sell for their gate valve mod kit? They say they use non-metric fittings. $38 is rather steep for a kit whose main component is a gate valve that can be bought for $10-15 and the rest much cheaper. __________________ Dan The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau

10/11/2006, 09:28 AM	#467
danskim Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ellicott City, MD Posts: 1,639	I see your point. Lucky for me, I have a lot of left over plumbing, and I have plenty of 1" pipe and fittings. I guess I'll be paying around $23-4. __________________ Dan The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. -Jacques Cousteau

10/16/2006, 01:13 PM	#468
JCTewks Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wilmington, Ohio Posts: 3,040	I have done most of the mods in here.....well, some I didn't...I have DNW 110, it is the recirculating model from Coral vue. I smoothed out the clear piece going into the "tee" on the output of the pump and reemed it out a little bigger. did the same on the input fitting. I started to make the ID of the air intake on the venturi bigger and promptly melted it in half from the heat of the drill. I drilled it out larger and glued in a 1/4" ID Insert fitting that I cut at an angle and smoothed down. I then made the inside section of that pipe about 11/16" ID, up from the 7/16 or 1/2" that it was. The inside of the pump where the impeller sits was made larger as well as rounding the output. I also did the GG mod to the impeller. I am also feeding the skimmer with a gg modded maxijet pumping foam air into the feed line. Everything works great!! the ball valve is wide open, the foam head is all the way to 1/2" from the top of the neck...nice small bubbles. the problem is that the skimmer cup is staying empty. The foam won't make it over the neck...it just sort of gunks up the lid. Is there a mod that i can do to remedy that?? Roland: Great thread..great mods...I have Gutter guarded most every pump that I have, and the all kick BUM!! Do you think that I could add like 2 feet to the height of that skimmer using unions and PVC....essentially just make the neck longer??? Thanks Jeff

10/18/2006, 10:43 PM	#469
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Anyone know where I could get a 80mm union to make a new collection cup for the nw200? __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

10/19/2006, 10:48 AM	#470
CarlC Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Leesport, PA Posts: 1,099	Here is a Canadian company that sells metric. I don't see 80mm listed though. http://www.dwyermfg.com/pvccouplersadapters.html Carl

10/19/2006, 12:01 PM	#471
Avast Marine RC Sponsor Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northern VA Posts: 2,446	Ouch...90mm is $65 The id of the union is 90mm and the id of the pipe inside the union is 80mm.....so that means the union is a ___mm? __________________ Dan Don't rush art, you get bad art.

10/21/2006, 10:23 AM	#472
sickman Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boynton Beach FL Posts: 364	ok, so I have the DNW-200 (recirc) on a moderately heavy stocked 135. I'm seeing that it's having a hard time pushing the head of foam up and over the neck in to the cup. Would the 90 degree elbow mod from the pump to the skimmer take care of this? Or do I need to also widen the the water feed into the pump (otp-3000) and then replace the little air feed stick with something wider? __________________ Boynton Beach? Shipping old people around the world at half price. Current Tank Info: 135gallon mixed reef, octopus recirc skimmer, and tons of stuff!

10/22/2006, 08:29 AM	#473
Roland Jacques Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 2,848	sickman, Elbow is the first thing you should do. then sand transistions get rid of the sharp edges that envolves water flow after the impeller. the only think id would do before the impeller is the venturi mod taper the output side of the venturi all the way up to the air hole (on the short venturi only) see how you like it. that should increase your air up to form 9-11 to 18- 20 scfh. should be good also make sure sump stays at 10" deep. If you want more than that you'll have to do an impeller mod & air venturi... mesh or GG. mesh is easier. id try to stay away from this it can be little tricky. __________________ Roland

10/23/2006, 11:03 AM	#475
Lake75 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 158	Got the NW150 and did the gate valve mod same as the one sold by Marine Solutions. At first, I submerged the output under water surface and it was quiet. Then I read that this will cause backpressure on the skimmer, but after having tried to raise the output above water, I found the splashing sound was too much to bear. So I replaced the 90 degree elbow with a Tee according to other people's post. Now I can submerge the output w/o causing the backpressure (at least that's what I was told), but it still has a kind of trickling sound which is quite annoying. Other than using a filter sock, is there any good method to eliminate this?