Reef Octopus BH2000 trouble

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Sebastian91

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Chicago
I just purchased this particular HOB skimmer and after installing it, was amazed by the performance of it. Just now though, I turned off several things in order to do a water change and when I turned everything back on, the skimmer was not functioning properly...

There were BARELY any bubbles in the chamber and the pump is making some weird, humming/rattling noise that comes in waves
______------___________-------___________--------

Needless to say, without those bubbles, the skimmer is doing nothing. Nothing aside from putting a ton of micro bubbles in my tank...

Any advice on what could be wrong with a 3 day old HOB protein skimmer after a water change?

:banghead:
 
air in the pump....turn the pump on and place your finger on the air hose opening to close off air to the pump and watch the return chamber do not let it overflow when the water reaches within an inch of the top of the return chamber release the air hose...do this until all the air is out of motor and pump runs correctly should only take one time sometimes two. If this does not work it will be something else...let me know if this correct the issue if not we will go to the next step...
 
I did that, but the bubble issue remains. It didn't get anywhere close to overflowing before the return had the water directed back into the tank. I tried slightly covering it so get the water higher, but that didn't seem to make any difference. The noise stopped though! That's definitely a plus! Still minimal bubbles though =[
 
CUC?

I took apart the pump, but nothing looked abnormal as far as I can tell.
How is the impeller supposed to move? In a circular motion or something more jagged?

I also did the priming thing again, but still to no avail...
 
These pumps are finicky at first startup from the factory, I had the same problems as you, but they are great after they are dialed in after you get it running right you will need to adjust the cup up and down to get desired skimmate should look like coffee but I marked my cup with lines on the cup with a permanent marker where I know where to set cup for lighter or darker skimmate.
 
circular motion...But sometimes just taking it apart and reassembling it will fix the problem just do as you did the first time you set it up and it ran right and post results...after you reset it up reprime it and let it run a while a lot of time problems will work themselves out after running a few hrs just ensure the return chamber does not overflow....but if its running correctly when you prime it by stopping up the air tube the return chamber should rise and even over flow if not released.
 
Mine was great when it was first out of the box, but tell from it's glory and just frustrates me now.

The impeller in mine doesn't seem to want to move in a circular motion...
I'll try to set it up again, but I don't have all too much faith in it.
I'm emailing back and forth with someone from coralvue and they're blaming the thread tape I put on. Am I the only one that thinks that makes no sense?...
 
Also sometimes after water change the skimmer those that. since you found nothing wrong with pump just let it run and see what happens or you try dialing it up if it dials up then the skimmer is just doing its thing. Usually it don't just jump back in after water change.
 
forgot to ask did you use ro/di water or use chlorine remover with your water change because if you use chlorine remover the chemical in the remover will react with the skimmer and cause the problems similar to the one your having.
 
I just don't understand why the skimmer wouldn't just go straight back to what it did when I first put it in.

I used chlorine remover. Which chemical is it that reacts? I've only had tap water with the chlorine remover the whole time. That makes me wonder why it wouldn't alter the skimmer performance from the beginning...
Will the skimmer eventually get past this possible chemical problem?

Yeah, it's a saltwater tank
 
yes, it will work fine after about 1 day the chlorine remover will affect the skimmer and I believe that's your problem.
 
I'll wait it out then and report back tomorrow on if it's any better or exactly the same
Hopefully you're right...
 
i have had mine do the same thing after pulling it apart i just kept turning it on till it started flowing back in to the tank then shut it off, let the water equal out and turn it on i had to do this a couple times. bubbles would come out the intake when i shut it off.
 
let me see if I can explain this.....from the beginning the chlorine remover you added in prior water changes had time to filter out of system via carbon, filtration ect....when you did your water change earlier the amount of chlorine removal chemical you added caused the problems you are experiencing after you give it enough time for the chlorine removal chemicals to dissipate out of the system it will work as it did before....make sense...
 
I have even noticed and you will to if your skimmer is working great and you put your hand in the tank your skimmer will stop working as efficient. I think it has something to do with the oils on your skin but saying that, any type of chemicals or oils added to your tank from chlorine removal to medications and also placing you hand in the tank ect... will effect your skimming for a number of hrs. ect..
 
We had trouble with our same model HOB. Just finally let it run after set up and it found the sweet spot. Runs great. We have noticed after five months of pretty much constant use that the pump doesn't start right back up after shutting down for water changes. It made loud knocking noise and did not seem to be able to get primed again. The website suggested to blow into the rubber hose to get the impeller going. Tried that and it works every time. Final thought..... use ro/di water.
 
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