MTC skimmer club!

[mellotang]

Anyone have any tank pics to go along with their rave reviews of this skimmer?

I've had filthy tanks with nitrates through the roof and ETSS skimmers producing the same funky skimate which didn't mean the tank was now clean because of the skimmer. It meant the tank was a nitrate factory with filthy deep sand beds, too much rock, inadequate flow and grossly over fed. Any skimmer can produce skimate like that from a filthy tank.

 

[jason2459]

Anyone have any tank pics to go along with their rave reviews of this skimmer?

I've had filthy tanks with nitrates through the roof and ETSS skimmers producing the same funky skimate which didn't mean the tank was now clean because of the skimmer. It meant the tank was a nitrate factory with filthy deep sand beds, too much rock, inadequate flow and grossly over fed. Any skimmer can produce skimate like that from a filthy tank.

Will this do? This is not and don't ever plan to be TOTM. I'm much more into a mixed reef and unfortunately have had many fun events over many years but here's my current population that I started repopulating beginning of last year starting with the anemones.

Guess I didn't post this here. Short Video I took to show my placements of my maxspect gyres.



Here's that video embedded
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GWG9SXewi2U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[goreef170]

Anyone have any tank pics to go along with their rave reviews of this skimmer?

I've had filthy tanks with nitrates through the roof and ETSS skimmers producing the same funky skimate which didn't mean the tank was now clean because of the skimmer. It meant the tank was a nitrate factory with filthy deep sand beds, too much rock, inadequate flow and grossly over fed. Any skimmer can produce skimate like that from a filthy tank.

I have the MTC, MVX 34" tall. I run the mag 18. Its only been on line for about 10 days. I still think its still breaking in. I use to have a full blown reef, but about 6 months ago decided to go back to a FOWLR.

 

[ca1ore]

Seeing as the outlet is on the bottom of the skimmer, can you just run a tube up and over the edge into the sump or would you have to drill it at that height and let it run into it?

That's how I run mine. As long as the water level in the skimmer is higher than the top of the drain tube, you're fine.

 

[goreef170]

I have the MTC, MVX 34" tall. I run the mag 18. Its only been on line for about 10 days. I still think its still breaking in. I use to have a full blown reef, but about 6 months ago decided to go back to a FOWLR.

 

[goreef170]

Meant to send this pic...

 

[jason2459]

Anyone have any tank pics to go along with their rave reviews of this skimmer?

I've had filthy tanks with nitrates through the roof and ETSS skimmers producing the same funky skimate which didn't mean the tank was now clean because of the skimmer. It meant the tank was a nitrate factory with filthy deep sand beds, too much rock, inadequate flow and grossly over fed. Any skimmer can produce skimate like that from a filthy tank.

Also, FWIW ETSS are considered by many to also be a very good skimmer.

Keep context here. This thread is focused on the MTC Line of skimmers. Their beckett injectors included. There are other great skimmers out there like MRC, Lifereef, Aquac EV line, etc all which I would have no problem recommending for large tanks and have.

I posted my reasons I went with the MTC MVX and haven't hidden at all what my stocking and feeding habits are like. I also have a long running tank journal that you can look back on pretty much every piece of equipment I've had, successes, and failures even those purposefully created. I've got nothing to hide or lie about.

And I can say with out a doubt this MTC MVX skimmer I've got blows away every skimmer I've ever used. With same same kind of stocking and feeding habits.

 

[jason2459]

Just having some fun... lol

https://youtu.be/g8r3OqEaQG0
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g8r3OqEaQG0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

With the IR night vision its like you can see past some of the outer less dense bubbles and see more into the core of the thick denser bubbles and see it swirling all the way up.

And sounds weird but sometimes, ok a lot of times, I just love watching the fine bubbles swirling around.

 

[ca1ore]

Anyone have any tank pics to go along with their rave reviews of this skimmer?

 

[goreef170]

Awesome tank Simon ! Looks great !

 

[goreef170]

Just having some fun... lol

https://youtu.be/g8r3OqEaQG0
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g8r3OqEaQG0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

With the IR night vision its like you can see past some of the outer less dense bubbles and see more into the core of the thick denser bubbles and see it swirling all the way up.

And sounds weird but sometimes, ok a lot of times, I just love watching the fine bubbles swirling around.

Cool video Jason :thumbsup:

 

[hkgar]

Jason,
I have a couple of question and first thank you for the advice from experience you share with us.

I have an MVX 36 with a Waveline 12000 (not Apex ready). Them pump is in the sump but the skimmer is external. Would
performance of the skimmer be improved is it was raised up off the floor so the base would as if it was higher in the sump. The sump depth is 12".

Is the performance of an Apex ready Waveline different from the no Apex?

 

[jason2459]

Jason,
I have a couple of question and first thank you for the advice from experience you share with us.

I have an MVX 36 with a Waveline 12000 (not Apex ready). Them pump is in the sump but the skimmer is external. Would
performance of the skimmer be improved is it was raised up off the floor so the base would as if it was higher in the sump. The sump depth is 12".

Is the performance of an Apex ready Waveline different from the no Apex?

First, yes the performance was increased from the original to the Apex ready version. The Apex ready version not only got a new controller that's supposed to run cooler but there's a new prop that swaps out the original. IF I remember right the original rated head height was like 19'. The Apex ready version with the new controller and new prop is around 23'.

Being the skimmer is external I still think raising the skimmer pump would help slightly but can't say for sure as I haven't tested it but that would be my guess.

 

[jason2459]

This did not work at all. [emoji1]

Having one mazzei injector on top of the other just caused the top one to push water out the air intake. If this were to work I would imagine a pretty powerful pump would have to be used if possible.


But I'm about ready to put this into service and see what happens. Dual 484x injectors.

 

[jason2459]

Will see how this performs. Flow is down quite a bit. I had to close the gate valve several turns to get the water level up and the waveline at 100% is now only pulling 144 watts and the pump is raised up so is running in about 7" of water which it was pulling 150watts at 100% before.

Air draw though is now up slightly. I need to get another bushing and barb adapter but each with the 1/2" tubing on the injectors are pulling between 14 and 16 scfh. So, say about 30scfh total now!

Less flow + more air = ???

Will see what happens with production.

 

[got2lb]

Have you ever tried hooking up an air pump into the air intake to force more air through the mazzei injectors?

 

[jason2459]

Have you ever tried hooking up an air pump into the air intake to force more air through the mazzei injectors?

Would have to be a pretty darn powerful airpump and even then I don't think that will work out so well but I could be wrong. I think if the air is forced in it wouldn't mix properly with the water and create larger air bubbles. The mazzei has a great and simple design with how it uses the flow to pull in just the right amount of air for that flow rate and these little veins inside that mixes the air into the water extremely well and creates very fine air bubbles. Finer/smaller then what my previous needle wheels were creating IMO. Which I also believe along with the finer bubbles the taller longer dwell time is much more efficient at producing skimmate even at lower air draw then a needle wheel skimmer.

 

[jason2459]

Oh and FYI, dual 1/2" tubes drawing air is not even close to quite. lol

Using the original tubing would be much better if noise is a concern.

 

[jason2459]

So far I'm unsure of what's happening. Seems like now there's not enough flow.

Before there would be quite a bit of turbulence towards the top of the skimmer where the water is moving back down against the bubbles and not swirling as much anymore.

Now the turbulance starts much further down in the skimmer. Seems to cause the foam to break up quickly up top. Will clean the collection cup out tonight, drain the collection bucket, and let it run for three days to get production numbers.

 

[jason2459]

And so far unimpressed. Usually by morning the whole collection cup is full of foam. It also seems like a wet foam or not as "sticky" as it normally is. So could be draining down and not sticking to the sides as well. I'll give it the rest of the day.

I also noticed my pH did not reach near as high as it normally does so it seems like its not mixing the air in nearly as well or something.

I took this screen shot yesterday evening.