MTC skimmer club!

[jason2459]

And its just breaking in so should get a bit better over time. So far being dryer and getting the same volume as a wetter skimmate I'd say thats better.

 

[azjohnny]

Every skimmer I've had in the past will overflow when ever I have tried LRS Reef or Fish frenzy

I have had the same reaction to LRS food with my Life Reef, the opposite to feeding Mysis. I have learned to not feed past a certain amount, but that was also before I started using an ATS which has been online for about 2 weeks

 

[jason2459]

I stopped feeding PE Mysis a long while ago due to its oils shutting down my skimmers like you just the opposite reaction of the LRS foods. Plus my fish seemed to like the smaller hikari mysis which is a lot less oily.

 

[jason2459]

Just over the gallon mark this morning. It's keeping on pace of producing around 3 cups per day running pretty dry. I can't get a picture of the foam anymore as the collection cup is completely coated now. I'll take some pictures tonight and clean the collection cup out. I haven't hooked up the swabbie neck cleaner yet. To busy with other stuff to mess with it. I'm thinking now I may not add it on until the end of playing around with the different venturi's, plumbing, and pumps. Gorilla tape still covering the hole.

 

[jason2459]

Quick pic

 

[jason2459]

Some cool stats

Aquamaxx Em 300
Air draw: ~38-40 scfh
Watts: rated 27watts actual: 31.38watts
Skimmate produced: ~1 cup dry/day and ~3cups wet/day

Mag18 as return pump w/ ~12' head height
Watts: rated 150watts actual: 71.18watts
Flow: rated 1500gph@0 head actual: ~750gph@12' head pressure

Mag18 with MVX stock venturi
Air draw: ~12-14 scfh
Watts: rated 150watts actual: 62.96watts
Skimmate produced: ~3 cups dry/day


It is only its first week running but its so far producing probably just over double the skimmate at slightly under double the power consumption. Also, well under half the air draw which tells me its processing more water and allowing more efficient contact time. Which is probably as mentioned above why its more stable when feeding that LRS.

This also tells me that venturi is putting more pressure on the pump then the 12' of head height it was working against as a return pump.

Thats impressive.


Everything caked in dry skimmate. Its not looking wet at all. I would say dryer then the dry skimmate I was running with the EM300

 

[ksed]

Would be interesting to see what happens when you put the Waveline online.
Don't wait to long. Lol

 

[jason2459]

Would be interesting to see what happens when you put the Waveline online.
Don't wait to long. Lol

Yeah I'm interested too since it's supposed to handle more head pressure.

But remember I have a whole other venturi to test out too with the mazzei 784.

 

[jason2459]

Speaking of which I'll probably switch the mazzei at the next cleaning. I'm getting the new 784 ready now.

I noticed Jeff sealed the mazzei threads with what looks like silicon

so I did the same. I got some spears 3/4" female threaded unions as I found out unions of different brands didn't thread well with the spears union.

Used the silicon like pipe thread paste.

Now I can easily interchange them via the union connection. Which ever one I end up liking best I'll probably get a second so I can swap them for cleaning.

 

[azjohnny]

With my Life Reef I got a Mazzei 979 and later upgraded to a 1078, not sure if it improved the performance, but I did notice more air

 

[jason2459]

With my Life Reef I got a Mazzei 979 and later upgraded to a 1078, not sure if it improved the performance, but I did notice more air

I'm thinking with the increased flow rate it will require a stronger pump which is where I'm hoping the waveline will shine with the 23' head pressure rating along with higher flow rate vs the 16' rating of the mag18.

 

[ksed]

I would also try and see what the Waveline would do on the stock Venturi . Just for the sake of seeing what the difference between the two pumps would be.

 

[jason2459]

Both pumps and both venturis will be combined. Also going to see if using 1" plumbing to the venturi will make a difference

 

[jason2459]

I've got the plumbing ready for the waveline when that time comes. The output is 1.25" so that has to be stepped down to 3/4" at some point. The mag18 is perfect with 3/4 is its output.

I have a 1.25 to 1" reducer to go on the pump to a 1" barb. Then I got a 1" barb to 3/4" threaded female to the 3/4" pvc to the venturi.

Picture may help

 

[jason2459]

I love this skimmer

Tonight will be 3 days and the skimmate level in the davy jones is right at 1/2 gallon. Will check again tonight and imagine it will be slightly over that mark again producing around that 3 cups per day dry.

I also checked the killawatt and dwyer and its still averaging just over 62watts and 12-14 scfh.

I think I'll clean out the cup tonight and swap to the 784 venturi.

 

[jason2459]

Alright


Stock venturi with mag18
Killowatt still says just over 62 watts average

Dwyer still says a solid 12
Bounces between 10 and just touching 14

3 days since cleaning and can't see a thing through the collection cup

And just over 1/2 gallon or around 3 cups per day

And now for the 784 mazzei injector swap

I made sure to take out the ball and spring but I noticed Jeff from MTC used this little o-ring that had a bigger opening then what came with the 784 so I used the oring that came with the 684 stock venturi

684 back and 784 front with easy swap union setup

I turned the skimmer on and the collection cup started filling up. I had to open up the gate valve a bit as the 784 is the gph rating along with the model # as is 684gph.

I got excited and hooked up the Dwyer.

Kind of anti climatic. Its reading a solid 14/15. Bouncing up to 16.

So, more air draw and definitely more flow. Will let this run for another week monitoring the killawatt and the skimmate production. I imagine the watts used will go up. Will also see if the slight increase in air and water flow effects how the skimmer handles LRS fish frenzy.

 

[jason2459]

There are more microbubbles in the skimmer sump section. Bubble size in the skimmer seems the same size but whiter which would indicate the more air draw. If they were an issue I would point the inside fittings the air comes out of up more. Sump bubnle trap is catching them so I don't care.

Pictures just don't seem to show it well.

 

[ksed]

Nice

 

[jason2459]

As expected so far it's drawing more energy at around 65.7 watts. Still more head pressure then when it was running as a return in my basement sump closet but less head pressure then the 684 venturi which lines up with allowing more water flow through with the 784.

 

[ca1ore]

Here is my MTC. ~74 inch tall dual mazzei Venturi skimmer. I have had it for roughly a year and it has been the best skimmer I have ever run hands down!!!

Did Jeff make this for you as a custom model? I have the same unit, with a custom, longer main body; curious whether MTC now makes it as a standard model.