Octo NW skimmer to 40scfh Mod

[luke33]

I thought i'd open up a skimmer discussion thread about how to modify an octo nw200. This is the first version of the octo skimmer line. The newer models can be modded pretty similar but the fittings are already opened up.

The pump. You will need to modify the nw impeller by cutting off the top layer of nw. You then add 3 layers of flatback mesh into the impeller using 4 zip ties or fishing string of 15lb or more. You trim it nice and neat so its not going to rub on the volute cover. You want to cut the mesh the same size as the nw's.

 

[luke33]

The next thing you are going to do is take a 1/4" to a 3/8" hose barb and turn it into a new venturi. You want to drill a hole in this as close as you can to the volute cover. You want to push it in tight and glue it in place using crazy glue, super glue...etc. There needs to be a slit on one side of the barb and you face that slit facing the pump motor.

 

[luke33]

After this your pump is modded. You will want to measure the wattage and air pull of the pump. If you are over 65-70w you need to restrict teh waterflow using your original venturi. Just slide it on the outside of the pump input but pull off the original venturi hose. Your next mod you need to do is boar out the elbo that connects the pump output to the skimmer body. This is a huge restriction on the pump. You will take a dremel and boar out the elbo's inside as much as you can. This will allow more air flow and water flow. Be careful when doing this as you can dremel through and ruin your elbo. No worries if you do as a 3/4" pvc fittings with alot of teflon on them will work.

 

[luke33]

After this you hook the pump up to the skimmer and put it in your sump. All mods will be different wattage and air wise but this one pulled 40scfh for me. 40scfh on this skimmer is a bit to much. You want around 30-35scfh max as the skimmer handles that much air much better. When i say "handles the air" what i mean is the water line ends right at the beginning of the taper and the foam starts right at the transition. If you put 40scfh of air in the skimmer your water level is much lower than the transition. You will not get as good of performance like this. You can push as much air through the skimmer you want, but doing more than 35scfh is just not a good idea imo. Here's what 40scfh looks like in the octo nw200. If anyone is running one at 40scfh that doesn't have a water line down this far is not being truthful.

One problem you may run into is the standpipe is to high now. So cut an inch off at a time if need be.

 

[luke33]

Now here's how you recirc a octo nw 200. I took a different pump to do the recirc mod as i'm not much of an otp fan to be honest. I used a cheap odyssea wp1000. I took the paddlewheel impeller, and took a dremel to it until it was half the size it was. I then took 4 layers of flatback mesh attached with 4 zip ties. For the venturi i took a 3/4" male pvc fitting and drilled a hole and put a 3/8" hose barb id with a skit in it facing the pump motor. For a reducer in the pump its simple, just stick a piece of 3/4" pvc in it. That will give you 32scfh which is perfect for this skimmer body.

So now you need two 3/4" uniseals. Drill your first hole in the body.

Measure and drill your second hole.

Attach the pvc and unions and pop on the pump.

Then take your original pump input on the body and use that as your feed pump source. use a 3/4" male threaded with a 1/2" hose barb. Use alot of teflon tape on it for a good tight fit.

 

[luke33]

Now you have a recirculating skimmer pulling 32scfh of air. Quite an improvement from the stock recirc that runs 325bux and pulls 13scfh of air.

 

[luke33]

For a test and for fun because alot of people were asking me this question i had to test a sicce. So what does a sicce do on an octo nw200. Well, here's what a recirc'd meshmod looks like. Notice the water line i'm pointing to. @50scfh

 

[luke33]

I mounted the sicce upside down to see if i could run it external. You cannot : ) as it'll burn up your pump. You must do a cooling loop to run one external.

Anyhow, i then hooked up the sicce as a pw and wow, perfection. Its borderline to much air at 35scfh but its perfect. I also used a t on the input side of the pump and i'm feeding the skimmer 300gph through this. Its getting 100% raw water mixing with air this way.

Thats been running for 24hrs in my sump. A good amount of skimmate! Hope this helps out a few people.

Luke

 

[Adam Black]

For a test and for fun because alot of people were asking me this question i had to test a sicce. So what does a sicce do on an octo nw200. Well, here's what a recirc'd meshmod looks like. Notice the water line i'm pointing to. @50scfh

Thanks for the pics Luke, Helps alot when doing this. 1 question. What kind of skimmer is that in your last post? with the Scicce pump?Thanks again.

 

[luke33]

Its a octo vortex 200. I found it cheap, modded the crap out of it. Same exact dimensions as the nw200 except i turned the center into a bubble plate : P

http://www.reefoctopus.com.au/v2/pub/products.cfm?range=6321E155-4154-4CC3-8FE113E8BE25B51E

 

[amashun]

Looks great Luke, thanks for sharing. do you have any solution or recommendation for the external model?

 

[luke33]

Nothin i haven't mentioned to you. Boar out the elbo, 3 layers of mesh after removing the top layer and drilling a new air injector.

 

[amashun]

btw, Luke, what do you think about if i'm replacement my otp3000 pump to otp5000 pump on my DNW200? do you think i can draw more air?

 

[luke33]

Not sure. The 5000's aren't available around here. I would hope you could pull more air.

 

[amashun]

Thanks mate, i think i will give it a crack as the 1260 doesn't seem do better than the otp3000. will let you know how i go with it. Cheers, Adrian

 

[surf_buddy]

Thanks for posting this Luke... it's exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Skimmy]

wow, thanks for putting this here luke, i really miss this thread of yours that used to be at RC...well, it's still there, minus all your pics...lol
so very happy to see you post this.
f.y.i. people, luke is a master modder, and you wont get better instructions than this, not even from me

 

[luke33]

lol, thanks. I have alot of mods with pics. The cheapo via aqua skimmer mods, the odyssea skimmer mods, typhoon, MSX recirc....etc. Now i just run a cnc/octo pro 300 that pulls 75scfh at 57w with a pw....no mods : )

 

[surf_buddy]

wow, thanks for putting this here luke, i really miss this thread of yours that used to be at RC...well, it's still there, minus all your pics...lol
so very happy to see you post this.
f.y.i. people, luke is a master modder, and you wont get better instructions than this, not even from me

I was doing a search on modding my Octo 200NW, and I found this article on RC (without the pics of course), and I reconized the Luke's name. I hit him up to see if he would share his knowledge with me and the RF community, and in no time at all the info was here. I'm impressed and very thankful.

 

[Skimmy]

also, in case people havent figured it out, these modding instructions will work for the 110, and 150 as well as the 200