Help: Deltec MCE 300

[wastememphis]

Does anyone in URS own a Deltec MCE 300? I've had one for about a year and never figured out how to get it running correctly on my 34gallon Solana. I'm looking for advice from anyone who's used one to help me get it running, the stock skimmer hasn't been doing a good job.

My initial thoughts on why it wasn't working is that I had the skimmer hanging on the back of the tank and the water level in the chamber, which the skimmer pulls water from, is lower than the display tank water level. This makes the pump work "harder" to pull water into the skimmer and it never seemed to work unless I closed the air inlet. I've contacted deltec in the past and they suspected an air leak in the system but I haven't been able to find one, using their methods to check. I don't want to run the skimmer on the side/front of the tank becuase of how that will look. I know the skimmer works becuase I've let my friend use it on his 75gallon tank as a hang on and it was producing a good foam head after an hour or so.

Any help is appreciated! (I don't think I want to raise the water level in my solana too much incase of an overflow when the skimmer is turned off).

Here is my build thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1635483

Here is a review of the skimmer in question (via EZ Company):
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=963923

 

[5380]

Almost need a video to see how it's running? Can you modify the intake to go into the main tank inconspicuously?

 

[wastememphis]

I can try adjusting the intake tube to do that... I'll see if I can get a clear tube this weekend and take a video. I figured it would be hard to fix through this but I've run into dead ends on my own.

 

[Johnny C]

A friend loaned me that skimmer awhile back and to be honest I had nothing but issues, which was surprising to me considering that it's a Deltec. Which chamber do you have the intake installed on? I know that the MCE-300 is very sensitive to water fluctuations. Pictures would help a lot.

 

[wastememphis]

I had it in the 2nd chamber of my solana the last time I tried to get it to work. I also have the Tunze Osmolator to contorl water levels in the back chambers, so they're pretty constant. When I have free time I will try the skimmer again on the front of the tank to see if it works and I'll snap some pictures of what it looks like. Any advice is appreciated.