MRC Club

[p4ck37p1mp]

RGibson,

I believe so, it is listed in the specs I posted according to MarineDepot.

ezhoops,

I have mine adjusted to where the water is at the top of the lower reaction chamber, the bubbles break at the top of the neck in the collection cup, I would guess my gate valve is about half closed but I've adjusted it a lot so I can't be sure. I'm getting a yellow/brown/green liquid with little chunks of funk, about a half gallon so far. Mine is very new so it is still getting adjusted, breaking in, etc. I'm investing in the WC2 to prevent pulling too much out, auto shutoff.

 

[cmhollis]

I just called MDM (www.mdminc.com - maker of Sequence pumps), and I was told that the Wahoo does have a Baldor motor. Here is the contact information:

MDM Incorporated
325 Karen Lane
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
800-447-8342 (Toll Free)
719-634-8202 (Phone)
719-634-8317 (Fax)

Mike

 

[p4ck37p1mp]

So Baldor is a good thing? I'm not a pump geek, but I know I can't take this Mag24 anymore. That looks like the pump I'll get if it will be quieter than this jet engine/garbage disposal sounding 6 degrees of heat adding monster. :mixed:

 

[cmhollis]

Baldor makes a great motor, so yes, that is a good thing. I have 3 Sequence pumps, all with Baldor motors, and all very quiet.

 

[light10977]

I just bought the wc-4 and pcx55. I wanted to have the auto shutoff and a better pump than the mag 12 for my mr1, with plans of upgrading to a mr2 or maybe a mr3 later

 

[ezhoops]

Yeah, again I almost ran my pump dry. pulled about 5 gals in roughly 4hrs. I'm still tweaking.

I don't understand my air valve adjusting? I know the basic concept is to allow air in so it can mix with the water and thus produce bubbles and skimmate. But how much air should I be letting in?

I started with the air wide open and slowly close it but don't really know why I'm doing this?

How much air do I want in what section?

Sorry guys, I'm a newbie to REAL skimmers

 

[Ereefic]

Set your water level (with the air off) about 2" above the black box. Open your airvalve 1 full turn at a time, waiting like a minute between turns. Continue to open the airvalve until the bubbles start to get larger, then back off the air just a tuch to get back to the bubble size before they started getting bigger. Let the skimmer run like that for a few hours. Don't put your hands in the tank or feed or do anything that would collapse the foam head. Then adjust the water height via the gate valve until you get the desired skimmate. Make an adjustment and give it time to settle down. Of course, keep an eye on it durning this process, and an auto shutoff waste container will come in handy. HTH

 

[cmhollis]

Hoops,

First, shut the air completely off, and set your water level. Per Andy's skimmer instructions on his website, I believe you want the static water level about 2-3" above the box. Then adjust your air valves to set your bubble level. Personally, I adjust the air so that the bubble level is about 4-6" below the collection cup. This gives me a very dry skimmate.

 

[steve68]

& i like it wet

 

[Ereefic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7009968#post7009968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by steve68
LOL 290 wats to run my skimmer is not bad at all
this is really what i ment.
:beer:

How much skimmate is that about and how long does it take you to get that?

 

[ezhoops]

Ok I will continue to tweak in the morn, thanks guys

 

[OceanNwisconsin]

i ve just upgraded my whole system and i soaked/washed my skimmer in viniger water. and now i have it hooked to a pcx 70 and i was wondering how long before i should freak out because its not skimming... its been hooked up since sunday 3-19..

almost all the water in the new system is new.

 

[steve68]

Ereefic that is about 5 days worth, i run it wet & clean the neck every day, i have found that a clean neck makes for better skimate. i feed heavy but only cuz i know the skimmer kicks A.. !

 

[sellout007]

First Im glad Ive found this therad! I was sad that MRC didnt have its own forum on RC like many other manufacturers do. Anywho thanks already to steve68 and Ereefic for the help they have given me through some PM's.

Now...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7025068#post7025068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ereefic
Set your water level (with the air off) about 2" above the black box. Open your airvalve 1 full turn at a time, waiting like a minute between turns. Continue to open the airvalve until the bubbles start to get larger, then back off the air just a tuch to get back to the bubble size before they started getting bigger. Let the skimmer run like that for a few hours. Don't put your hands in the tank or feed or do anything that would collapse the foam head. Then adjust the water height via the gate valve until you get the desired skimmate. Make an adjustment and give it time to settle down. Of course, keep an eye on it durning this process, and an auto shutoff waste container will come in handy. HTH

So do I not want my air valve completely open? I was under the impression that I wanted the air valve completely open. Can a few people chime in on this and explain it to me a bit more?

I do have some large bubbles in the neck of my skimmer. Is this a bad thing?



Ive had the skimmer up and running for about 5 days. I cleaned it 2 days ago so these pictures are 2 days worth of gunk.


This is with the flash which makes the skimmate look darker then it is.

This is without the flash. Better representation of the color.

I cleaned the top rim of the skimmer yesterday as well. Also taken with the flash.

I mention the flash, because I wonder what others are using when they take pictures. Is their skimmate really that dark in person??? Or are they using the flash?

 

[sellout007]

Here are some photos of how I have my skimmer set up. The gatevalve and the rest of the plumbing. Please let me know if I should change anything....


Top view of how I have things set up...

This is the return pipe from the skimmer. It runs on an angle goind downwards tot he sump.

Here you can see how the pipe is angled...

Here you can see how I have the final steps of the return going into the sump. The final elbow is lowered into the water about an inch or so to keep the splashing noise down. The pipe on the left is my drain from my tank. The one on the right is the skimmer return.

 

[Ereefic]

You want the smallest bubbles on top of the water line, and I don't think the air all the way open will give you that. Although it may depend on the pump your using too. You may want to play around with the air a little and see what it does to your bubble size, but you may need to adjust your water level then. BUT, if your tank is good and your happy with what your getting, keep on keepin on.

I'm pulling about 3/4-1 gal. a day, kinda like your 2nd and 3rd pic with lots of particulate in the collection cup. Yours looks good to me.

The best way to learn how to tune these skimmers is messing with them and paying attention to what there doing.

 

[Ereefic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7027669#post7027669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by OceanNwisconsin
i ve just upgraded my whole system and i soaked/washed my skimmer in viniger water. and now i have it hooked to a pcx 70 and i was wondering how long before i should freak out because its not skimming... its been hooked up since sunday 3-19..

almost all the water in the new system is new.

With the new plumbing, it can take a little while. I'll give you a call tomorrow and swing by.

 

[sellout007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7028182#post7028182 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ereefic
You want the smallest bubbles on top of the water line, and I don't think the air all the way open will give you that. Although it may depend on the pump your using too. You may want to play around with the air a little and see what it does to your bubble size, but you may need to adjust your water level then. BUT, if your tank is good and your happy with what your getting, keep on keepin on.

I'm pulling about 3/4-1 gal. a day, kinda like your 2nd and 3rd pic with lots of particulate in the collection cup. Yours looks good to me.

The best way to learn how to tune these skimmers is messing with them and paying attention to what there doing.

After I posted my stuff, I went down and messed around with it and now I understand what you mean. You want tiny bubbles right where the water line is. I have my big bubbles higher up after they have worked their way up the skimmer neck. Ill tinker with it (its fun) and see what I can do with it.

I am using a PCX40 right now, but its way to noisey, and was thinking about using a dart and slapping on a gate valve to restrict the flow or wait to see how those new sequence pumps work out. After having my dart, I dont think I can use any other pump after knowing how quiet that thing is.

Doest he plumbing look ok to you? I noticed alot of people use a T fitting right after the gatevalve and run PVC up high. I just used a 90. Willt his affect the performance?

 

[Ereefic]

The output plumbing looks fine, as long as your water level in the skimmer is stable, and it should be because your output is not submerged.

 

[Sebea]

I just bought a used MR-2, and I am wondering if my panworld 100PX (790 GPH, pressure rated) is adequate for the skimmer. My system will be about 150 gallons, BB sps only, and I have an H&S A110-200 that I will run along side the MR-2. My plan is to run the H&S for wet skimmate, and the MR-2 for dry.

I would like to avoid buying a new pump, so please tell me if the panworld is ok for the MR-2. Thanks.