rdang
Reefing newb
i just got the bh100F and not sure how to prime it, can anyone explain this to me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:frustrat:
how do i prime the skimmer?
- Thread starter rdang
- Start date
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
You shouldn't have to prime anything. Just make sure the skimmer is full of water. If the pump isn't starting when you plug it in, blow into the airline connected to the pump.
rdang
Reefing newb
no, it starts and pushes all of the water out of its chamber. I have to keep the hoses connected to each other or the siphon mechanic fails and then there is no water for the pump.
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
Can you take a pic of how you have it setup?
rdang
Reefing newb
See how i have one of the clear ones connected to the blue, ande the other one is in the black air controlling thingy?
bjohanson1234
.........
I just found this
http://www.coralvue.com/pdfs/siphon instructions.pdf
And This
http://www.coralvue.com/pdfs/bh100f diagram.pdf
It says to turn the valve off before you separate the two hoses. But it doesnt look like you have a valve. Maybe try taking the blue tube out of the white fitting at the top of the 90. The hose might be holding open a valve inside of it and it might close when the hose is taken out.
Brian
http://www.coralvue.com/pdfs/siphon instructions.pdf
And This
http://www.coralvue.com/pdfs/bh100f diagram.pdf
It says to turn the valve off before you separate the two hoses. But it doesnt look like you have a valve. Maybe try taking the blue tube out of the white fitting at the top of the 90. The hose might be holding open a valve inside of it and it might close when the hose is taken out.
Brian
rdang
Reefing newb
I just tried it and the blue tube wont come out and i dont want to pull really hard because i feel like im going to break it! Maybe i need a valve
thanx for the links, but i did already see those and they confuse me. When i disconnect the blue one like it says the pump just starts pumping all the water out of where it is sitting until it pumps dry........
Last edited:
bjohanson1234
.........
Does a little plastic ring move when you try to pull the blue tube out? Try holding that in when you pull the tube out. If it is the kind of connector that I'm thinking of, it is kind of like those finger traps. Or else, try getting a small air line valve and just closing it when it is done priming.
Brian
Brian
rdang
Reefing newb
ok, that worked in that the tube came out, but it drained again so i guess i need a valve. know where i can get one of those? :D
bjohanson1234
.........
LFS
Aquarium Air Control Kits for Air Stones, Decorations, & Ornaments
put that between the blue and clear tube open it up then after it is primed, close it and remove the clear tube from the end of the valve. It should work.
Not sure why they didnt include a valve or anything. I would actually email octo and ask them for clearer instructions. Theres gotta be a way to make what you have work.
Brian
Aquarium Air Control Kits for Air Stones, Decorations, & Ornaments
put that between the blue and clear tube open it up then after it is primed, close it and remove the clear tube from the end of the valve. It should work.
Not sure why they didnt include a valve or anything. I would actually email octo and ask them for clearer instructions. Theres gotta be a way to make what you have work.
Brian
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
Where is the 2nd clear airline coming from that you connected to the blue line? 1 goes to the pump, where does that other 1 come from?
You need a shut off on the blue line.
http://www.waterfilterstore.net/ppsv040808w.asp
You need a shut off on the blue line.
http://www.waterfilterstore.net/ppsv040808w.asp
Last edited:
rdang
Reefing newb
thank you!
JustOneMore23
Reefing newb
I know this post is about 5 days old (well the last reply), but I'm having the same issues with my BH100F in that I did not get a valve and I can't get the siphon started on the skimmer.
Did you end up using a valve like in the link from Drs Foster and Smith? If so, did you put that on the blue tubing and did it work?
I'm pretty frustrated with mine right now, so just wondering how to get the darn thing working.
Thanks!
Did you end up using a valve like in the link from Drs Foster and Smith? If so, did you put that on the blue tubing and did it work?
I'm pretty frustrated with mine right now, so just wondering how to get the darn thing working.
Thanks!
beano
habitual reefer
ok old post sorry just found it.
the place where you plug the blue tube into should have a valve right on top. it turns 90 degrees.
1- make sure the chamber is full of water and plug the skimmer in
2-plug in the blue tube and turn the knob/vavle so that that it points at the blue tube, this means the valve is open.
3-suck (make sure you have a bucket close so when you suck up nasty water you can puke into the bucket and not on your floor)
4-when you see water sucking up into the blue tube turn the knob/valve 90 degrees, closing the valve and creating a syphon
5, 6-stop sucking, puke
7- un-fingertrap the blue tube
8- have a beer
wouldnt it be nice if octopus sent some instructions? i went 2 full days running before i realized i wasnt syphoning.
the place where you plug the blue tube into should have a valve right on top. it turns 90 degrees.
1- make sure the chamber is full of water and plug the skimmer in
2-plug in the blue tube and turn the knob/vavle so that that it points at the blue tube, this means the valve is open.
3-suck (make sure you have a bucket close so when you suck up nasty water you can puke into the bucket and not on your floor)
4-when you see water sucking up into the blue tube turn the knob/valve 90 degrees, closing the valve and creating a syphon
5, 6-stop sucking, puke
7- un-fingertrap the blue tube
8- have a beer
wouldnt it be nice if octopus sent some instructions? i went 2 full days running before i realized i wasnt syphoning.
rdang
Reefing newb
yeah reef octopus,your company is so epic but there are no instructions and the skimmer is missing a valve. WTF?
JustOneMore23
Reefing newb
Thanks for the help, beano. I did not receive a valve with my skimmer, so i'm having trouble getting the siphon to start. I did more reading online and other people that did not get a valve were able to start the siphon by sucking on the airline, though it took 20-30 mouthfuls of water to do so. So, I will try that when i get home from work. Something to look forward to!
Would it work if I covered the blue tube with my finger while sucking on the clear tube, then reconnected after the siphon started? And just to make sure I'm doing it right, I should be using the clear tube that connects to the blue one to start the siphon manually? Or should I use the one that goes to the silencer? I guess it doesn't matter, but what should be connected while I'm trying to manually start the siphon?
Would it work if I covered the blue tube with my finger while sucking on the clear tube, then reconnected after the siphon started? And just to make sure I'm doing it right, I should be using the clear tube that connects to the blue one to start the siphon manually? Or should I use the one that goes to the silencer? I guess it doesn't matter, but what should be connected while I'm trying to manually start the siphon?
Last edited:
rdang
Reefing newb
you can also plug and unplug the pump while the blue is connected to clear. Takes about 5 times but thatll get her goin
beano
habitual reefer
its hard to give you directions without the valve. where does your blue tube stick into? just a 90 degree elbow? the clear tube should be just for the silencer and shouldnt have anything to do with the syphon although i see how it might be useful to create suction...
JustOneMore23
Reefing newb
My blue tube sticks down into where the valve should go and then goes from there into a clear tube. I have 2 clear tubes sticking out of the pump. The other goes to the silencer.
I'm at work now, or I'd take a picture. I will tonight and post it.
I'm at work now, or I'd take a picture. I will tonight and post it.
JustOneMore23
Reefing newb
I still don't have mine working....and I'm ready to just buy a different skimmer at this point.
Here are the pics of my intake and the first chamber of the skimmer:
water level before turning the pump on
water level after the pump is on
I've tried manually starting the siphon, holding my fingers over the holes in the silencer, and switching out the blue tubing for regular airline and putting an air control valve on the end while plugging the pump in (the valve wouldn't fit on the blue tubing). I don't have the valve that is "supposed" to come with the skimmer, though the company has told others that they didn't need it.
I get bubbles in the 2nd chamber when the pump is on, though the water level in the first chamber stays right above the pump intake (see the last pic above). I assume the water level should be higher if the siphon was working.
What am I doing wrong? What can I do to get this thing working? I'm really frustrated and I don't understand why I can't get mine to work.
The top of my overflow box (over the intake) is maybe 1/4" below the water line. Is this a problem? I read some people had to shorten the intake. I can just not fill the tank up as much to fix this.
Help?!
Here are the pics of my intake and the first chamber of the skimmer:
water level before turning the pump on
water level after the pump is on
I've tried manually starting the siphon, holding my fingers over the holes in the silencer, and switching out the blue tubing for regular airline and putting an air control valve on the end while plugging the pump in (the valve wouldn't fit on the blue tubing). I don't have the valve that is "supposed" to come with the skimmer, though the company has told others that they didn't need it.
I get bubbles in the 2nd chamber when the pump is on, though the water level in the first chamber stays right above the pump intake (see the last pic above). I assume the water level should be higher if the siphon was working.
What am I doing wrong? What can I do to get this thing working? I'm really frustrated and I don't understand why I can't get mine to work.
The top of my overflow box (over the intake) is maybe 1/4" below the water line. Is this a problem? I read some people had to shorten the intake. I can just not fill the tank up as much to fix this.
Help?!
Last edited:
