Need help setting up new HOB Octopus BH-100 skimmer! :(

[gemini9]

I just got my protein skimmer today and I'm having trouble here. I cannot figure out how to properly set this up and it didn't come with a manual. Except a piece of paper describing the parts list. Worthless!! I don't know if I've got it hooked up or set up correctly and I really need some help here. I've got TONS of microbubbles all over the place so something has to be wrong. First question, the intake, is it supposed to be completely submerged? And what about the outtake on the other side... the tube that has the sponges on it that drops the water back into the aquarium... is it supposed to be completely submerged? The collection cup on the top, how far down into the skimmer am I supposed to place it? There's a small hole on the left side, is it supposed to be above that hole? And what about that white o-ring on the collection box... what do I do with it??? I really have no idea what I'm doing here.... and to be honest, I don't think I even LIKE this skimmer. It's big, bulky, takes up allot of tank room, causes micro bubbles and it's ugly and noisy.

Is the intake on the right supposed to be submerged?

Is the outlet tube supposed to be completely submerged?

Is the entire skimmer supposed to be full of water?
What do I do with that white o-ring?
How far down into the skimmer is the collection cup supposed to be?

What's up with these horrible microbubbles when I turn it on???

 

[MrDJeep123]

Here is a picture to help compare.

The clear cup where the circular sponge surrounds can be raised and lower to decrease bubbles. The sponge is supposed to help absorb them. The collection cup can be raised and lowered as well to help determine how much you want to skim.

As for the skimmer itself, it is a GREAT skimmer. I actually wish I still had mine. Although, the pump on mine was very different.

 

[gemini9]

Ok so about the microbubbles, should the sponges be raised to eliminate them? What if I completely remove it altogether?

 

[booth2010]

If you remove the sponge (if I'm not mistaken) you will have thousands of microbubbles. The sponge is there to help get rid of then

 

[KevinK1]

I've had the same skimmer for a little over a year now and love it. I eventually removed both sponges: the round ones on the return as well as the rectangular one inside the skimmer. Once broken in the micro bubbles went away and I was happy not to have the big round sponges visible in my tank. I have my intake so its not completely submerged so I can take advantage of the surface skimming. The only downside to that is when I do a water change I have to turn the skimmer of since the water level will fall below it. My collection cup is about half way down an I use the O ring in combination with the screw to keep it in place. My return is submerged, but close to the surface so the bubbles dissipate quickly.

 

[gemini9]

Good info kevin. Thanks! This collection cup is filling up within a 3-4 hour time frame with water that needs to be emptied. 3 hours is rather quick. Does this mean there's allot of gunk in my tank? Should I raise the collection cup so it doesn't fill up so fast? If so, how far should I raise it? It seems if I raise it up any, then the foam doesn't go up into the cup, but if I lower it any amount, it fills up too quick. Any tips?

The reason I'm asking is I"m afraid the collection cup is going to overflow. Once the collection cup is full of water, do I need to empty it immediately? Or will it continue to stay level and automatically drain out before it gets too full? I just don't want water all over my floor lol

 

[booth2010]

Protein skimmers can take a week or 2 to break in. The you raise the cup it will do a dryer skim which is fine. I try to keep the bubbles at the bottom on the collection cup which leaves about 3" for the foam to raise which gives a good skim not too wet or dry.

 

[ritter6788]

This collection cup is filling up within a 3-4 hour time frame with water that needs to be emptied. 3 hours is rather quick. Does this mean there's allot of gunk in my tank? Should I raise the collection cup so it doesn't fill up so fast? If so, how far should I raise it? It seems if I raise it up any, then the foam doesn't go up into the cup, but if I lower it any amount, it fills up too quick. Any tips?

The reason I'm asking is I"m afraid the collection cup is going to overflow. Once the collection cup is full of water, do I need to empty it immediately? Or will it continue to stay level and automatically drain out before it gets too full? I just don't want water all over my floor lol

Raise the cup up until it doesn't fill up with clear water anymore. I may take days or weeks to get skimmate depending on your break in time and bioload. Your skimmate should be thick and dark, not clear water.

 

[gemini9]

A couple weeks? Wow. It's foaming clear/white foam. Or... well it was anyway. When I emptied the collection cup it stopped foaming clear up the tube and now it's stopping half way. Are these things normally this picky?

 

[ritter6788]

A couple weeks? Wow. It's foaming clear/white foam. Or... well it was anyway. When I emptied the collection cup it stopped foaming clear up the tube and now it's stopping half way. Are these things normally this picky?

Shouldn't take a couple weeks unless it's not broke in at all. They can take a bit to find the sweet spot. Just keep moving the cup until you find a spot you like.

 

[gemini9]

Are there any kinds of additives/media I can add to this skimmer?

 

[MrDJeep123]

Are there any kinds of additives/media I can add to this skimmer?

No! Don't add additives to the skimmer. It will go bazoonkers. Media isn't needed.

 

[gemini9]

Lol ok then. No carbon in the skimmer. Gotcha.

 

[KevinK1]

Sometimes when I add Seachem's ReefPlus my skimmer foams quicker and I have to raise it. I clean mine 1-2 times per week and normally after I put it back on at the same height and it appears the foam isn’t reaching the collection cup, but by the next morning it is. I would recommend raising it to a setting that doesn’t fill immediately, then check it tomorrow morning. My guess you will have some skimmate in there. If not, lower it 1†and then follow the same process.


As mentioned I removed the sponge in there and I have experimented with adding a bag of Seachem’s Purigen in replace of it to trap bubbles but also get the added benefit of the resin. It didn’t appear to cause me any issues but I added a fluval to run the Purigen and GFO along with some mechanical filtration (I clean it weekly) so it has since been removed from my protein skimmer. While I have no experience with the product, I am curious about adding Orca Laboratories Nitra-Guard Bio-Cubes in that same spot as they recommend running an air stone with the product (I figured you could get the same benefit from the air bubbles in the return).

 

[gemini9]

I did actually raise it a little last night. Didnt see anything in collection cup this morning

 

[wambo]

I've had the same skimmer for a little over a year now and love it. I eventually removed both sponges: the round ones on the return as well as the rectangular one inside the skimmer. Once broken in the micro bubbles went away and I was happy not to have the big round sponges visible in my tank. I have my intake so its not completely submerged so I can take advantage of the surface skimming. The only downside to that is when I do a water change I have to turn the skimmer of since the water level will fall below it. My collection cup is about half way down an I use the O ring in combination with the screw to keep it in place. My return is submerged, but close to the surface so the bubbles dissipate quickly.

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Hi Kevin if you take a two weeks vacation and want to continue to use this BH100 skimmer, what do you do with the collection cup? Did you configure with a hose to drain to a bucket?