Octopus Hang On Back Skimmer Owners

[happyface888]

I would like some feed back on this skimmer please share what model you have and how do you like it? And also what mods have you done to it if you have. I would like togather some info about this skimmer since there arent that many reviews on it.

[Reefland]

Hi happyface888,

Looks like a CPR bak-pak to me? The CPR bak-paks aren't bad skimmers for smaller tanks. What are you using this on?

[zakkhan]

yeah i've seen the octopus at my lfs ... they seem very keen on selling me one, but i don't know how effective they are. obviously the lfs swears by them.

[tray262]

I have the big Octopus Skimmer, it's fab. I did go thru a pump tho. But it's running really well tho. That was the only problem I've had.

[happyface888]

Well I searched around on other forums for some info on this skimmer and came up empty handed. so I thought I'd share my experience with these hobs. Althought these skimmers resemble CPRS they are no where compared to them. The body of the skimmer is bigger, the intakes and outlets are different, the pumps a needlewheel and the collection cup is different. Here are the three models,

BH100F $150~Dimensions: 18" tall x 13" long x 3" deep


BH100 $100~Dimensions: 18" tall x 8" long x 3" deep


BH300 $135~Dimensions: 18" tall x 11" long x 3" deep


I own the BH100F and its on a 45gallon bow Front, the live stock is: Coral Beauty, Bicolor Blenny, 2 ocellaris clowns, six line wrasse and a yellow tail damsel and some zoas and shrooms. Before I got this skimmer I had a cpr bakpak and I have been using it for 7 years, and all I got was green tea. But before I swithced to the octopus hob I had doubts because I would hear people say its the same as a CPR BakPak but after using it there is no comparsion, my CPR never gave me brown stuff. So once I switched to this new skimmer right on the first day I started to get pee yellow skimmate which was pretty impressive. This skimmer has some bonus features a cpr doesnt have and for the price of a CPR BakPak I get more out of this. The pump is internal so you see one less pump floating around in your tank, a surface skimmer box comes in handy to skim off surface scum. And last it has a extra chamber for filtration media and a heather, getting this skimmer started may be tricky since it relies on a siphon just like a overflow box with the U tube. But once it gets started you wont have to worry about it, just like any hob these skimmers still produce micro bubbles. but there is a easy fix which is to get the cpr bubble trap.



I have been using it for 3 months and now every 3 days the outcome of the skimmate is brown and nasty,



For those wondering how big the BH100F is A friend of mine compared his remora to his own BH100F



This thing is a monster.

The BH100F skimmer would be a great alternative for those that are looking into getting a CPR BakPak, this skimmer cost the same amount as the cpr bakpak but comes with more features. The BH100 is 100 dollars is the true look alike as the CPR BakPak but this one also outpreforms it too. Koraltek from Reefcentral is using this one his 15gallon nano and its pulling nice skimmate aswell.

12 hours of skimming


30 hours of skimming


A fellow reefer used the BH100 on his 90 gallon and in 3 days hes gotten really nasty skimmate





There are others who have used this skimmer and have had good results from it. If you would like more information about this skimmer check out RC's octo hob thread
Reef Central Online Community - Octopus HOB Skimmer Owners
Part2
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

It has some good info on all the models shown above. I would highly recommend others to try it, you wont be dissappointed. Since I checked alot of forums and I never could find good information about it.

Locations to buy one of these
Aquacave.com
CustomAquatics.com
TheReefStop.com

The following is a user's review of the Octopus Hang on Back protein skimmers. This review was written in the hope that it might supply a bit of first-hand knowledge and experience to fellow reefers in the pursuit of assisting them to make informed purchasing decisions. Some Comments are based off personal opinions

[crazyatc]

Could you use the HB-100F as a refugium typr setup?

[happyface888]

I dont think it be possible to put sand in it, but you can use chaeto and some rock rubble in the last chamber. Some have done it but I have not tried it yet.