Octopus BH-100 Questions

[clancaster23]

Does anyone use the Octopus BH-100? I had a couple questions regarding it. I just got mine today and it's set up and running. First is, the first two columns, mainly the first one, are filled with microbubbles. They get less and less as they reach the fourth chamber but I still have larger bubbles coming out of the outlet pipe. Not microbubbles but alrger ones. Will this clear up as it breaks is?

Second is about the large white "o-ring" that comes wrapped around the collection cup. Is the ring just supposed to stay around the cup? I can't see how this will prevent water from coming out from inside the skimmer but it is there. Also, does anyone use the blue sponge and if so, where do you use it at?

Is there any way to adjust the flow or is it just automatic? My other skimmer, you have a knob to turn to adjust how much water you want running through it.

I've already got about a half a cup of yellow stuff so glad to see it's working.

 

[BL1]

Does anyone use the Octopus BH-100? I had a couple questions regarding it. I just got mine today and it's set up and running. First is, the first two columns, mainly the first one, are filled with microbubbles. They get less and less as they reach the fourth chamber but I still have larger bubbles coming out of the outlet pipe. Not microbubbles but alrger ones. Will this clear up as it breaks is?
It never cleared up when I had mine. I had to put a filter sock at the end of the outlet pipe to break up all those bubbles as they exited the skimmer.

Second is about the large white "o-ring" that comes wrapped around the collection cup. Is the ring just supposed to stay around the cup? I can't see how this will prevent water from coming out from inside the skimmer but it is there. Also, does anyone use the blue sponge and if so, where do you use it at?
As far as I know, that o-ring is there to help keep the cup in place as well as keeping water from escaping there. IMO it never really did anything. I never used the blue sponge, it's supposed to go on the outlet pipe to keep those bubbles out of your tank. It never worked for me so I removed it and used the filter socks.

Is there any way to adjust the flow or is it just automatic? My other skimmer, you have a knob to turn to adjust how much water you want running through it.
There's no way to adjust the flow with these skimmers. Instead, you raise or lower the collection cup to adjust your skimmate levels.

I've already got about a half a cup of yellow stuff so glad to see it's working.

^^ Your answers are in red^^

 

[AmberSunrise]

I have 2 of them for my tanks the BH-100SS and the BH-100 I actually bought the SS model from BL1 ^^^^ haha

Not sure which one you have but my ss model does not give me any microbubbles at all now although it did for about the first week. It should break in and go away though so no worries it just takes time. The water empties from above the water column like a water fall.

The regular model is different, it actually empties the water into the tank using an elbow pipe so the bubbles are larger, I never did get micro bubbles with this one at all.

The problem I seem to have as it breaks in though is the water level is higher and I can barely put the collection cup in before the water floods over and fills it up.

I put a piece of tape over the hole that connects the 2 chambers near the top to slow down the water flowing and that seems to have helped some.

The oring I believe is just to help provide an air tight seal so that it doesnt drip over not really very effective.

I also threw away the extra blue sponge it would be nothing but a trap for garbage that would mess up your chemistry.

 

[clancaster23]

Thanks for the answers BL1.

I have the regular BH-100. Not the ss. As for teh bubbles, it's not a terrible lot flowing into the tank but there are some. I would say there are more larger bubbles than micro bubbles. What about the black sponge that came with it that was placed at the bottom of the fourth chamber right at the end of the outlet pipe? Should I continue using that one? I can see bubbles in and around that sponge and I think that's where the larger ones are coming from. I don't have the blue one in there at all. Also, I have the cup about half way in the skimmer and I don't have anything coming out of the overflow hole right now although I did at first. Right now I have maybe less than a half a cup of yellow skimmate in the cup. If I wanted to raise it, I would get the more darker stuff and less water correct?

 

[AmberSunrise]

Yes I leave the black sponge in the chamber. You really shouldnt have any water in the cup it should just be foamy bubbles that tumble over the edge sometimes they are white, yellow or greenish colored.

After a few days you will see some thick slimy liquid but you shouldnt have standing water in the cup.

If you do you need to raise it.

Like I said that non SS model is giving me grief with the skimmer cup filling up with water I have had it about 2 weeks. It does seem to be getting a little better but again I am unable to put the cup all the way in the chamber, only barely in, so I had to cover that hole with tape because it was literally just blowing through there like a jet.

The larger bubbles are perfectly fine though they are normal.