Did the mesh mod today.

[Covey]

I've sold tons of people on the Reef Octo. Included in the pitch is usally "un-moded there great but do some simple mods and they can outskim almost anything". Well I hadn't done any of the serious mods so I shouldn't be talking out my....

Anyway the RC mod crowd happen to source the PF4 mesh that the new ATI skimmer is using and it took off in a rather long thread.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=966407&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

After trying a few less than successful materials, bio-foam, Quickie grill scrubber. I bit the bullet and spent $2.50 on the good mesh from Magvi.

Like the thread title says this stuff rocks!

Its pulling the amount of air my old beckett did on half the wattage and chops it finer than the needlewheel did.

Here is the test bucket with a little skim thrown in.


There is like a 2" foam head across the diameter of the 5G bucket!

So how does it skim? Stock I skim with the water level 2" below the rim of the cup. Moded the water level is now below the bottom of the union. The neck diameter is 3.5" and the water line is now over 7.5". The mod dropped the water level 5"!




Great mod. Would be great to do on any needlewheel especial the ones that could use little help in the air deptment like the Reef Octo or the ASMs.

Even the Deltec/H&S would get finer bubbles and slightly more air.

 

[got2lb]

Hmmmm, Suppose this would work good on my sedra 3500 on my ASM G2?

Do you have any of the mesh left?

 

[Covey]

Magvi sent me a 8.5"X11" sheet. I used enough to cut two impeller sized disk. So I still have plenty.

It would work great on the ASM.

 

[waverz]

How about a Ocean Runner 2700?

 

[Covey]

ANY mag drive pump. Needlewheel no matter the type and even stock paddle style impellers can be moded.

Check out the thread. People have moded the octo pumps, ocean runners, sedras, gen-x, MAG drives, eheims, aqua-bees, Coralife NW, max-jet, even that one guy the mesh moded a Dart.

 

[leeweber85]

Covey you need to help me mod my NW200. I tried increasing the size of the venturi and it basically stopped making bubbles. I had to add an airvalve to restrict the air input. I guess I don't really know what I'm doing when it comes to modding these things.

 

[Covey]

Other than trim the o-ring and do the mesh mod mine Octo is basically stock.

Where is Jesup? I would be glad to help.

Here is where to get the mesh.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/4323
the PF4A

Its $28 a roll but thats for 2 yards of the stuff. That would be enough to mod every skimmer in GIRS.

I got the mesh from a RC member but I don't know if he has anymore.

Might be a good idea for one of us to buy the roll and split it up.

 

[Covey]

Also if you follow the thread the new "Yellow mesh" has come up basically the same product use in home constrution to help the under side of siding breath.

The mod gurus are still testing the yellow mesh but I checked the dealer list and there is a dealer that sells the "yellow mesh" in CR.

Might be worth it for a CR local stop by to ask for a sample...

 

[Covey]

So is it worth it?

Same tank
Same bio-mass
Same feedings
Same appox. water level

Before

After

This thing is skimming a couple shades darker now and yielding the same volume.

 

[got2lb]

Yummeee! Looks nice and thick!

Do you have any links for the yellow stuff you're talking about? Is it supposed to work as good as the stuff you used?

 

[leeweber85]

Hey covey, Jesup is east of waterloo about 20 minutes. I'd love to meet up with you sometime to get my skimmer functioning better. If your ever in the area shout me a holla. Or maybe I could meet you at your place sometime.

 

[Covey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9000850#post9000850 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by got2lb
Yummeee! Looks nice and thick!

Do you have any links for the yellow stuff you're talking about? Is it supposed to work as good as the stuff you used?

If you follow the main mesh mod thread its called "House Slicker 10" I think some of the mesh gurus are still testing it. I think the PF4 will still be better but I bought it up because the yellow mesh had a Dealer in CR and a few people had gotten free samples from them nationwide.

 

[Covey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9000899#post9000899 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by leeweber85
Hey covey, Jesup is east of waterloo about 20 minutes. I'd love to meet up with you sometime to get my skimmer functioning better. If your ever in the area shout me a holla. Or maybe I could meet you at your place sometime.

That is a bit of a drive but unless you really carved it up I am sure it is fixable.

If you post pics I am sure we can work out the kinks.

 

[leeweber85]

I have it working about normal. I just figured you might be able to tweak it, and maybe do some of the other neat mods.

 

[Covey]

Got 2lb's the aquaeco link up top would be best for the party. I saw a link to a pond supply place that sold it by the foot but I can't find it now.

FYI to anyone considering it I would order at least a sq. ft. per pump to play with it. You need multipule layers per pump.

 

[musty baby]

If no one else has, I'm just going to go ahead and buy a length of the PF4 from aquatic ecosystems.

 

[compjtc]

Did any of you guys end up ordering any mesh? I'm looking for enough to do a pump....