# super reef octopus 1000 int protein skimmer advice



## garwood (Oct 27, 2012)

i have salt water in my tank. ya! I have to say it took over 2 days to make enough water. anyway everything is up and running. I just set up my skimmer.Reef octopus 1000int. I built a stand so it sat in 5 3/4" of water but ended up raising it so the skimmer sits now in 5 1/4" water. when i first started it it was overflowing like crazy and the gate valve did nothin, raising it helped. I then took out the riser that connects the out elbow to the gatevalve/ exit port and added a piece so that the gate valve connects directly to elbow. This put the bottom of the exit port at water level.. It now seems to be controllable and i have the dial in middle position so can adjust either way. anyone have this model. this is a new tank and the skimmer is collecting tons of white foam in the cup now. the foam is not dirty just lots of it. can anybody give me an idea of how it should be on initial setup in a new tank. i have it just draining back into the sump through the drainage port


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

My suggestion is that you dial down the skimmer to a more "dry" skimmate. Right now there really shouldn't be anything in the tank to skim since there are no inhabitants. If you do want to skim just dial the bubbles back to the point where your skimmer cup is filled in 3-4 days.

You might have to adjust the height of the skimmer again to do this.


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## garwood (Oct 27, 2012)

altcharacter said:


> My suggestion is that you dial down the skimmer to a more "dry" skimmate. Right now there really shouldn't be anything in the tank to skim since there are no inhabitants. If you do want to skim just dial the bubbles back to the point where your skimmer cup is filled in 3-4 days.
> 
> You might have to adjust the height of the skimmer again to do this.


ok thanks i added a couple of layers of eggcrate to raise it another 1/2". wont be able to raise it anymore cause top of pump is at 1/4" below water. but it did make a world of difference. also unable to adjust gate valve lower cause it now connected(touching) elbow for outlet...the bubbles are sitting just at the level where the ring that holds the silencer is. . the valve is right down.. very little foam is making it to the cup now, but still a little does. will it become more adjustable as it breaks in.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Yes, as it breaks in you will notice that it will be harder to get those bubbles up into the collection cup. Once it breaks in then you can lower the skimmer back down deeper into the water.


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## garwood (Oct 27, 2012)

altcharacter said:


> Yes, as it breaks in you will notice that it will be harder to get those bubbles up into the collection cup. Once it breaks in then you can lower the skimmer back down deeper into the water.


ok i get ya. just after i left the last post i looked over and the bubbles were rising into cup again albeit at a slower rate. its dialed right down and not making difference. so ill just let it run as is with overflow tube into sump and wait for the bubbles to receed back over time. Thanks for the help its been driving me nuts all night. i heard it was touchy unit and i knew there is a breakin period for a couple of weeks but its my first skimmer....cheers


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