Octopus 110 ??

[byrdman81]

I bought a reef Octo 110 from a reefer on here. Got my tank running today and was curious about a half moon notch right before the collection cup. I got bubbles coming up the neck and water us coming out thus notch. Is thus normal or suppose to be there?

[E36328i]

I don't remember there ever being a notch in the top just before the collection cup in all the Octopus 110s I've ever seen. Maybe you could post a pic for clarification?

[byrdman81]

Ill try before I head to work but it's dark under there right now. Don't have a light yet

[byrdman81]

You can't see it in this pic but it's under that first black ring.

[Porcupinepuffer]

Sounds like it shouldn't be there at all. The skimmate you're trying to produce would just leak out that area, thus re-entering the tank. Try and get a better picture of this. Does it seem like it may have been broken there accidentally? or does it look like a very smooth, and perfectly made cut that should, perhaps, be there for some reason?

[byrdman81]

It looks smooth. No cracks or anything around it. I'll get a better pic in the morning when I get home from work.

[mallorieGgator]

I have that exact skimmer and NO water should be coming out of any hole in the side. Mine has no holes. The only holes it has are in the top of the skimmer cup lid.

[byrdman81]

Weird. I'm not sure how it got there. I pm the original owner about it. I guess I'll turn it off tomorrow and silicone it closed.

[byrdman81]

here is the notch I'm talking about.

[elmatth1]

Hey, I don't remember that hole being there. Did something happen in transit? Regardless, that shouldn't affect the way the skimmer works as it's on the outside of the top of the skimmer collection cup. There is an inner baffle if I remember correctly that directs the skimmate down into the cup, so skimmate shouldn't come out of that hole at all. If you can silicone it closed, that would probably work. Just make sure the silicone is dry before you put the lid on it. It sounds though as if you are running the skimmer way too wet and the water is flowing into the collection cup and out of that hole. Try lowering the water level in the collection cup tube so that the water is not flowing into the collection cup. You want the skimmate to work up a foam and eventually it will push it's way up over the top and into the collection cup. The skimmer should only be in about 8-9 inches of water though. If it's in more, make a stand for it to sit on so that it's only under that amount of water. I made a stand out of PVC and egg crate when it was in my sump and it worked great.

[elmatth1]

Are there holes in the top of the lid to the collection cup? If not, then that hole would be the air hole and it's necessary for the skimmer to work right. I'm just brainstorming here, because I really don't recall that hole being there, but it's been a while since i payed that close of attention to it.

[Porcupinepuffer]

Originally Posted by elmatth1

Regardless, that shouldn't affect the way the skimmer works as it's on the outside of the top of the skimmer collection cup.

If you look at both his pictures, from what I can see, and what he says, it's not at the top of the collection cup. It's at the top section BEFORE the collection cup sits on top of it. It does look like a properly done knotch. I can't see that happening from damaging in shipping. This stuff tends to wants to crack, and break in ugly ways.

[byrdman81]

Yeah thats the upper body of the skimmer where the collection cup sits on top of. I siliconed it so we shall see what happens. Thanks for the replies guys. Ill keep you all posted.

[lilredwuck]

He probably made the notch so that if something happened, clogged air line, etc, the skimmer collection cup wouldn't overflow, the extra water would come out the notch. That is what I can come up with. DUCT TAPE IT LOL.

[byrdman81]

It seems to be like an overflow of some sort. I siliconed it and just trying to fine tune the skimmer. Seems like the silicone will work.

[Porcupinepuffer]

Originally Posted by byrdman81

It seems to be like an overflow of some sort. I siliconed it and just trying to fine tune the skimmer. Seems like the silicone will work.

If it doesn't work since silicone and acrylic don't bond well, you could try posting in DIY thread for some acrylic opinions and tips. Depending on how handy you are, I'd get a small piece of acrylic of similar thickness, and shape it, bend it, grind it to the exact piece that's missing. Once I would be satisfied the piece I made is a perfect fit, I'd glue it with methylene chloride, and then it's permanently bonded. You'd need a jackhammer to break it back off.

[allsps40]

Yeah it is an overflow. The strange design of the 2nd gen Octo NW is an anti overflow. Remove the silicon and just lower the water level. I found that the stock water level tube it to long and need to be cut sorter by 1 inch. Here is mine


12 hours of skimming in stock form and you can see the water level between the cup and funnel

the arrow is my water line above it is all bubbles

1 of the mods I did

There is a good thread in here on moding the Octo skimmers do a search and check it out. After moding mine it skims way better. I played around with a few venturi design and an using a modified/ drilled out stock one now.