HELP with Reef Octopus sss-3000int
 

So I got a Reef Octopus sss-3000int from Concept Last November, to this day I have not been able to get any consistant foam production out of this thing.

Tried recommended water depths, changing them, adding a water outlet muffler as it is noisy with water splashing, taking it off... Moving it in the sump, turning it... Bashing my head against a wall.

Coralvue, sent me a new impeller, but no change... Anyone have any experience with these? Otherwise I will be removing from system and putting my old Hydor in, as it does work.

You all are my last resort... Jeremy @ coralvue didn't even respond to my last email 2 weeks ago, so I think he has given up on me. Concept will test for me, but I want one last ditch effort before I take this piece of crap to them.

Thanks for any/all info that can be offered.

Have you checked out the Reef Specialty forum on RC. They are big retailers of Coralvue and a lot of people post questions and answers on there. I have an XP-5000 Int and it's only been in my new tank for a week so I don't have much to compare it's production against.

I have the same skimmer but the 5000. I did raise mine for water level, but dropped it back down again, found if i turn the skimmer so the out water is pushed to the side of the sump, it deals with the noise. As for foam production, mine doesn't constantly overflow into the cup, as it seems to do this as needed, but it is always foaming. I don't have a heavy bioload in the tank so what I see seems acceptable to me. This skimmer hasn't given me any grief at all, but hopefully Concept will be able to help determine what is going on.

Is your gate valve closed so much that the output water rockets out of the skimmer? I have to use a muffler, which I think is causing problems, but if I don't use it, then I can't quite it down either, as the force of the water is huge, splashing everywhere. Just another problem on top of no foam.

I have had the 1000SSS and my current one is the new diablo series.

With my 1000SSS my gate valve was almost all the way closed. With my Diablo it is also almost all the way closed and I had to install an elbow on the end of the output as the water was shooting out making a lot of noise.

Not sure if any of this will help.

I have put a nylon filter sock on the end of the output, it has completely stopped the splashing and I didn't notice change in the foam head. I'm still dialing it in though so YMMV.

I'll check the gate valve when I get home. It does shoot out water, but I don't find it noisy or annoying but its not in my living space either. When the skimmer is turned so the output is towards the middle of my sump, I find its noisy, but I've got it angled to bounce of the side of the sump and it definitely helps.

I have the Reef Octopus Diablo DCS 250 Internal 10". The thing skims like mad but it can be fussy if you don't set it up per spec. Once it's dialed in it's set and forget. You mentioned you made a muffler. This is probably your issue.

just thinking if you have to turn gate valve down so it is shooting out maybe put the skimmer deeper then the water level internally will be higher and u wont have to turn it down as much and it is a bit harder to pull air down through water column so slightly less air less noise and make a bigger air filter ie muffler but just thinking

If the water is shooting out its not set up right. Open the gate valve all the way and drop the skimmer so the output is 3/4 under the waters surface. Take off the cup. Open the air restrictor all the way then close the gate valve until the foam is just about to spill over the top of the skimmer body. Then put the cup back on. If you are getting micro bubbles escaping the reaction chamber, close the air restrictor a little bit and adjust the gate to keep the foam head at the same level.

Also let the skimmer run for an hour after each change. Skimmers don't like constant fiddling. A properly sized skimmer will not produce skimmate constantly. It will produce only when there is enough DOC's for the foam head to reach the top of the neck. After the levels of DOC's in the water column fall past a certain point the skimmate will stop flowing into the cup until the levels of DOC's rise again. If your skimmer is skimming constantly it is too small for you bioload.

Hope that helps.