HELP with Reef Octopus sss-3000int

[Coralgurl]

Originally Posted by RDNanoGuy

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.

I checked and my gate valve is not closed, its a couple of turns open. +1 on the above, this is how I have mine set up. My water level is set to just under the gate valve. I don't get alot of microbubbles and what I do get is caught by the baffles in the sump and not an issue in the DT.

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by RDNanoGuy

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.

This is a great help, thanks... Also thanks to everyone so far with their help.

I will try what everyone has suggested. If there is anything new to add, please feel free to let me know. Thanks again all!!!

[Ryan-b]

I have the SRO 3000-int not the sss model not sure if there is that much of a difference but for the noise I added this to the output, no noise at all now

Its just a piece of electrical pvc, its not a perfect fit but it works. I think the size of the output is metric so I had to use the closest thing I could find. as the noise was driving me crazy as well.

[globaldesigns]

Gotta say this thing has been a pain for the past 4 months, hasn't really skimmed anything, now I have cyano, algae, etc. Never had any of this prior to this skimmer.

So I had setup as per you guys, It is noisy from water splashing, but I will ignore this for the time being. However I woke up last night about 4-5am to major water jets going off... This has happened in the previous months with fiddling with this thing, but again it happened. Basically it is like the pump goes into overdrive and is pumping much more water that before, thus overflowing and alot of water jetting out of the output. If I unplug the pump and replug it resumes normally.

I have lowered the water a bit more, so the sump level is covering about 50% of the water exhaust now. Thinking that the air injection isn't sufficient due to too high of water in the sump/skimmer body. What do you all think? The sump water level is about 1/4 inch above the bubble plate of the skimmer now.

Boy I am really starting to hate Reef Octopus!!! This skimmer sure isn't a set it and forget it model!

[Coralgurl]

That doesn't sound right at all. I will take some pics of mine toight for you and post. I've never experienced what you are having troubles with. I unplug mine for water changes, it starts up with no issues, never have to readjust.

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by Coralgurl

That doesn't sound right at all. I will take some pics of mine toight for you and post. I've never experienced what you are having troubles with. I unplug mine for water changes, it starts up with no issues, never have to readjust.

Thanks a bunch!!!

I think the pump is bad, but Jeremy @ coralvue says it can't be, that the technology in it will shut it down if not functioning optimally. He even sent a new impeller, said the magnet might have a dead spot, but this new impeller just did what the old one did.

There is foam producing right now... If this thing would just stay stable, then it would work. I think.

[phi delt reefer]

i dont have this skimmer but i had a similar "water jet" issue with mine.

Check the volute and air line. If its plugged at all the skimmer will suck in more water than its usual mix or water and air and cause the "water jet".

I found my volute was mucked up with acrylic shavings from the manufacturing processing. I had to shove a jewelers screw driver into the hole to clean up the shavings.

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by phi delt reefer

i dont have this skimmer but i had a similar "water jet" issue with mine.

Check the volute and air line. If its plugged at all the skimmer will suck in more water than its usual mix or water and air and cause the "water jet".

I found my volute was mucked up with acrylic shavings from the manufacturing processing. I had to shove a jewelers screw driver into the hole to clean up the shavings.

Already thought of that, thanks though... All is clean. But as you stated, I also had to previously clean out the innner air chamber of the venturi.

[KPG007]

I have the sss2000 model, and I had a similar issue when I first got it. I could not get the thing dialed in. First way too much skimmate, and it would over flow, I'd dial it back just a touch, then nothing, no skimmate. Everytime I'd empty the cup, I'd turn off the skimmer. After a few months of this I plugged the skimmer back in and it never started back up. I eventually got a new pump from the manufacturer and it was like night and day. The new pump was (and is) perfect. Easy to dial in, shuts down and starts up without issue, no problems. Get a new pump and your problems will be over.

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by KPG007

I have the sss2000 model, and I had a similar issue when I first got it. I could not get the thing dialed in. First way too much skimmate, and it would over flow, I'd dial it back just a touch, then nothing, no skimmate. Everytime I'd empty the cup, I'd turn off the skimmer. After a few months of this I plugged the skimmer back in and it never started back up. I eventually got a new pump from the manufacturer and it was like night and day. The new pump was (and is) perfect. Easy to dial in, shuts down and starts up without issue, no problems. Get a new pump and your problems will be over.

Thanks for posting this, I kept telling the manufacturer that I think the pump is bad, but they are stating that the pump would shut down if it was bad. I have sent another email to ask them again. I too think this pump is flakey!!!