Downdraft w/ Beckett

[bayoupr]

I seen a thread awhile back on a ETSS 600 which was modified with a Beckett. Well I had an old MRC which I took the Beckett off and modified my 600XR. The MRC Beckett tube slipped right into the Bio-Ball chamber. No work at all. Here is a couple of pictures for anyone interested in doing the same.

 

[bernie lyons]

beckett

beckett

I seen a thread awhile back on a ETSS 600 which was modified with a Beckett. Well I had an old MRC which I took the Beckett off and modified my 600XR. The MRC Beckett tube slipped right into the Bio-Ball chamber. No work at all. Here is a couple of pictures for anyone interested in doing the same.

which way skims better ?

 

[bayoupr]

Not sure yet. I did this a few hours ago and already making a nice foam head. The bubbles are much smaller and more dense with the beckett running through the bio balls.

 

[bernie lyons]

beckett

beckett

Not sure yet. I did this a few hours ago and already making a nice foam head. The bubbles are much smaller and more dense with the beckett running through the bio balls.

sorry, are you running the beckett and the bioballs together or just the beckett on it's own ?

 

[bayoupr]

Running both together.

 

[j tavares]

yeah nice but what about overall cost compared to needlewheel overtime , are you considering that or is that not a consideration, just curious not critizing or anythinhg I am just weighing all the options out there ,Thanks.

 

[bayoupr]

Had several needle wheel skimmers. Not much difference running 120 watts verses 40-50watts. I have been a needle wheel lover until I went to a downdraft. Then I incorporated a beckett injecter in my skimmer which so far has been working great since about 11:00am this morning. If 80-90 watts on my elect bill makes or breaks me then I shouldn't be running a reef tank.

 

[bernie lyons]

skimmers

skimmers

Had several needle wheel skimmers. Not much difference running 120 watts verses 40-50watts. I have been a needle wheel lover until I went to a downdraft. Then I incorporated a beckett injecter in my skimmer which so far has been working great since about 11:00am this morning. If 80-90 watts on my elect bill makes or breaks me then I shouldn't be running a reef tank.

Unfortuntely , alot of people have "jumped" on the band wagon about pinwheel and or cone skimmers. They are told that these so-called latest designs are much better than downdraft or beckett designs...which ofcourse there are not ! However , cost of such designs have come down at the expense of lousy craftmanship, because they are made in china and on the other side of the equation, german made products are way too expensive for what you get. I've owned top line Deltec and H&S pinwheel skimmers which were capable of skimming tanks from 1500 - 3000 gallons.These skimmers did perform well at an purchase price of an "arm and a leg"...we are talking literally thousands of dollars here !
However, I've compared these to an MTC HSA-3000 dual beckett skimmer and the difference was amazing on how the beckett kept my large reef(packed with fish & corals) cleaner ! The cost of my beckett was WELL below the cost of my pinwheels even with a power hungry pump , it still justified keeping the beckett because of reducing my (cost) sweat equity into keeping my tank clean .

 

[bayoupr]

Unfortuntely , alot of people have "jumped" on the band wagon about pinwheel and or cone skimmers. They are told that these so-called latest designs are much better than downdraft or beckett designs...which ofcourse there are not ! However , cost of such designs have come down at the expense of lousy craftmanship, because they are made in china and on the other side of the equation, german made products are way too expensive for what you get. I've owned top line Deltec and H&S pinwheel skimmers which were capable of skimming tanks from 1500 - 3000 gallons.These skimmers did perform well at an purchase price of an "arm and a leg"...we are talking literally thousands of dollars here !
However, I've compared these to an MTC HSA-3000 dual beckett skimmer and the difference was amazing on how the beckett kept my large reef(packed with fish & corals) cleaner ! The cost of my beckett was WELL below the cost of my pinwheels even with a power hungry pump , it still justified keeping the beckett because of reducing my (cost) sweat equity into keeping my tank clean .

+1

 

[Tigé21v]

Bayoupr, if that plumbing on the wall is any indication, I'd love to see a pic or two of your fish room.

 

[bayoupr]

Running a little over 24hrs and looking good. Big improvement.

 

[bernie lyons]

beckett mod

beckett mod

Running a little over 24hrs and looking good. Big improvement.

good job my friend, your plumbing is very nicely organized in the fish room !
I wonder if taking out the bioballs if you lose anything for skimming ?
what are your thoughts?

 

[bayoupr]

I am going to let it run like this for a week and when I return from offshore I will try it without the bio balls.

 

[bayoupr]

bernie lyons, ran it for a couple of hours without the bio-balls and it had a more dense foam with the bio-balls. Dropped them back in.

 

[keithhays]

I wish I could rig something like that on my ev-400.

 

[bernie lyons]

bioballs

bioballs

bernie lyons, ran it for a couple of hours without the bio-balls and it had a more dense foam with the bio-balls. Dropped them back in.

thanks , very interesting experiment ... makes me think of an idea for another skimmer ! Good stuff my friend !

 

[bernie lyons]

beckett

beckett

bernie lyons, ran it for a couple of hours without the bio-balls and it had a more dense foam with the bio-balls. Dropped them back in.

What is the diameter of the downdraft tube?

 

[ca1ore]

However, I've compared these to an MTC HSA-3000 dual beckett skimmer and the difference was amazing on how the beckett kept my large reef(packed with fish & corals) cleaner ! The cost of my beckett was WELL below the cost of my pinwheels even with a power hungry pump , it still justified keeping the beckett because of reducing my (cost) sweat equity into keeping my tank clean .

The MTC skimmers are great skimmers. Used the HSA-1000 for years. About my only complaint was that the head unit was a pain to remove and clean.

 

[steve9]

I run a DC10000 on a etss1000 copy with a beckett mode
it pulls 90 watts.
I have run a beckett modded ETSS with and without bioballs
and the best way is to ditch the bioballs and raise the water level
to the cup area.
If you have a short beckett and a big pump then you may
prefer bioballs but a tall etss like the 1000 works better without
them.
This makes a very stable head that never crashes and is very
easy to use.
It helpes if you put a DWYER air meter on your beckett and
use it in the 30 -36 range.
The greatest beckett ever was a BARR and the DWYER was a
great add on they made available.

 

[bayoupr]

What is the diameter of the downdraft tube?

2.5" ID.

If you have a short beckett and a big pump then you may
prefer bioballs but a tall etss like the 1000 works better without
them.

I got a ETSS 600 with a 23" tall tower. I had my air turned down to 50 scfh but I may tune it down to 40.