Octo Protein Skimmer Stand Review: ST-1, ST-2 and ST-3 Compared

Introduction

Most in-sump protein skimmers are specified with a recommended operating depth, and their performance depends heavily on hitting it. When the water in the sump is deeper than that range, the skimmer tends to overflow instead of building a stable foam head. The usual fixes are to change the skimmer, change the sump, or lower the water level with an adjustable baffle.

The Octo Protein Skimmer Stand takes a different route. It is a perforated acrylic platform that raises the skimmer inside the sump until the water around it sits at the depth the skimmer was designed for. Three sizes are available, ST-1, ST-2 and ST-3, covering compact skimmers through to large models.

Not every sump has an adjustable baffle, and even when one is fitted, some owners prefer to keep the water level as high as possible for added volume or because other equipment needs it that way. A stand leaves the water level where it is and corrects the mismatch at the skimmer itself.

Why Skimmer Operating Depth Matters

Matching a skimmer’s operating depth to the sump, or choosing a sump with an adjustable baffle for controlling water height, is the usual way to keep a skimmer working as intended. A stand is for the cases where that is not possible or not desirable: a skimmer already in service in a sump that runs deep, or a model on a wishlist that needs a lower water level than the current setup provides.

If a skimmer only needs one or two inches of lift, adjusting the water height in the sump is generally the better option where it can be done. For most skimmers sitting in water that is too deep, the three inch lift the stand offers is enough to bring them back into range.

Octo Skimmer Stand ST-1: The Compact Option

The ST-1 measures 11 by 7 inches, and it is likely the size most owners will reach for. It suits compact skimmers with internal pumps, along with smaller external pump models.

Like the other two sizes, the ST-1 uses the same adjustable legs, which can raise a skimmer by 3 inches, 3.8 inches or 4.5 inches depending on which notch the legs are locked into. That range covers the small corrections most deeper sumps require, without lifting the skimmer higher than it needs to sit.

Octo Skimmer Stand ST-2: The Mid-Sized Option

At 13 by 9 inches, the ST-2 is a good fit for smaller or mid-sized skimmers with external pumps, where the body and the pump need a wider footprint than the compact platform provides. On an Octo ELITE 150-INT it is a snug fit, with the rubber feet of both the skimmer and its pump sitting fully on the platform, which is exactly what you want from a lift of this kind.

Octo Skimmer Stand ST-3: The Largest Platform

The ST-3 is the biggest of the three at 17.7 by 11 inches, intended for larger skimmers that need all the room they can get.

For anyone running a full-size skimmer in a deep sump, the extra platform area matters because the skimmer body, pump and plumbing all need to sit on solid acrylic rather than overhang the edges. The trade-off is space: a platform this size needs a generous skimmer chamber and enough clearance to be lowered into place.

Shared Design Details: Legs, Feet and the Perforated Platform

All three stands are built the same way and differ only in platform size. Each leg has three notched slots and a nylon thumb screw. Height changes are a quarter turn on each thumb screw to loosen the grip, then the leg slides along its channel into the next notch before the screws are snugged up again. Each stand ships with the platform, the legs with their rubber feet, and a set of nylon thumb screws.

The rubber feet do more than protect the sump floor. They damp vibration from the skimmer, which helps keep running noise down, and they add grip so the platform does not slide around. Anyone who has used a stand without them knows how quickly a skimmer can drift out of position, and how messy a skimmer cup change becomes when it does.

The perforated platform is the other detail worth noting. The 5 mm, or 0.2 inch, holes let water pass through the acrylic, which helps prevent dead spots underneath the stand and stops bubbles and air from being trapped below it.

How to Choose the Right Size

Size selection comes down to three measurements. Start with the footprint of the skimmer itself, including the pump if it sits on the base. Then measure the skimmer section of the sump, since the platform has to fit inside it. Finally, check the clearance available to get the stand into that section, so it can be installed and lifted back out again without a struggle.

Getting those numbers right before ordering is the difference between a stand that drops straight in and one that has to be returned.

Buying Advice

The stand is a simple piece of equipment, and that is part of its appeal: there is nothing to maintain, nothing to plug in, and once the height is set it rarely needs to be touched again unless the skimmer or the sump changes.

It makes the most sense for two groups: owners whose sump water level is too deep for the skimmer they already own, and owners shopping for a skimmer that needs a shallower operating depth than their current setup allows. If a skimmer only needs one or two inches of correction and the sump water height can be adjusted, that route is usually simpler. Beyond that, a lift of three inches or more covers the majority of depth mismatches, and the adjustable legs let you fine-tune from there.

Conclusion

The Octo Protein Skimmer Stand is a straightforward answer to a common problem in the sump. Pick the size that matches the skimmer footprint and the space you have to work with, set the legs to the height your skimmer needs, and the skimmer can run at the depth it was designed for.