MTC skimmer club!

Oh yes, this is happening. Just letting it cure now.

Extension added to the bottom and Beckett plumbed in.

a514fe9b6b67604682330b5f3e5489b1.jpg


7cce1981991032babe158c0908f9c2e2.jpg
 
Do you know what type of unions those are? (never mind, just read again)The barbed fitting is glued onto mine. Didn't realize it would be that way. Kinda like your setup better

What size thread is that on the outlet on the bottom?
Re-reading this and looks like I missed the last question there. Which threading are you wondering about?
 
I'm doing something wrong and will have to revisit the Beckett injector another time. I was only getting it to pull like 10scfh of air but the water flow through was well over 700gph.

Nice thing is I as able to swap back to the mazzei easily with all the unions I've been using. With the extension in place I now have a just over 40" skimmer which is exciting enough for me to be happy with tonight. Measurements so far have been spot on which I'm surprised about.

Just enough room to fit with the extension.
6d0b172d9b098615d675bb540fd2112e.jpg



Back to the 684 for now
a6092ab74048fe7f9a44d31de140f6b7.jpg
 
The extension hasn't effected pump to much. Looks like a drop of about 10gph or so and air draw still about 30scfh maybe a hair less. Hard to see as my air meter doesn't have that kind of granular resolution. Didn't have time to play with the Beckett as I was fooling around with my rodi system tonight. Always something to tinker with in this hobby if you want.

This mornings froth looks awesomely normal. Will have to try the 784 mazzie now that I have a 42" skimmer but still think a 48" or taller would match that injector better unless you liked a wetter skimmate which I prefer drier.

From this morning after last night's cleaning
221501d31f6d985ca469bf45224d5ec1.jpg
 
How big was the extension?
Only 5" lol

But maximized all the height I had there. Just a small enough gap to remove the cup. The quick change head doesn't need much room. And with the quick change head the skimmer was about 37.5" so figure now its about a 42" skimmer.
 
Haha, yes I understand. The more contact time you can get the better. Mine is in the boiler room so I had plenty of height to add a significant riser (well, replaced tube in may case actually).
 
I'm just glad its a sealed lid or my joists and floor above it would probably get a lot of moisture (or foam) and warp. It nicely fits between the joists in the basement.
 
I asked because my skimmer is becoming erratic. I have a MVX 36 powered with a Waveline 12000 DC.

I was running at full with the pump and had the gate valve dialed way back. I took it a part to do a preventive clean of the venturi. After putting it all back together at full power it drastically overflows with the gate valve fully open. I am now running at 6 with the valve fully open. Then all a sudden (after an on/off cycle) it will overflow on that setting and I have to dial it back and then later dial it back up (afetr the next on/off cycle). It cycles off any time the return is off and delays coming on for 2 minutes before coming on.

Any idea what is going on? Could I have broken something in the venturi?
 
Check, check, double check.

I think I found the problem. Looks like when I re-inserted the venturi, I put it in upside down.
 
I didn't mistake the direction of the flow, I just stupidly didn't check no make sure the venturi was correct :headwally:

Won't make that mistake again.
 
784 mazzei injector is now in place. And now that I have a flow meter in place I can validate it is infact pretty much 100gph more flow then the 684. FYI the model number = rated flow rate.

With the 684 mazzei I was pushing though about 280-290gph (290-300gph before extension). With the 784 mazzei in place its showing around 390gph flow rate.

f847d5d530b3084f68e3db67c0726b6f.jpg


But it's only pulling in like 2-4 more scfh. From 29-30 to 32-34scfh. The extra flow makes the top much more turbulent so the 784 just is not well balanced IMO. Maybe for a much taller skimmer. Unless you like a wet skimmate which this certainly produces more of compared to the 684.

Pretty much what I also observe with the life reef skimmers with the 978 stock or the 1078 some have put on. Lots of flow and more tubulent which makes what I seem to see more often is a wetter skimmate. I'm not saying that's wrong but not what I feel is beter. I know there's arguements for wet skimmate as well.

But back to lifereef skimmers for a second. It seems Jeff from lifereef must balance that large amount of flow by slamming it into the bottom of the skimmer into that litte cylinder to cut down somewhat on the turbulence up top and balances it out a little more again with the smaller neck. I always thought it was smaller just to fit it next to the intake. But now I'm thinking there's more to it then that. I still feel like the contact time is impacted by that design.

I'm still much happier with the design and performance of the MTC MVX over the lifereef and so happy I went this route. Both are good and both have great guys building them and just so happens they are both called Jeff. lol

I'll go ahead and let this run a few days as I don't feel like changing anything right now. But I want to try out the 584 mazzei next.
 
Last edited:
I know you're just tinkering around, but if in the end you wanted the higher water flow rate through the skimmer, you could try putting an air valve on the 784 and to restrict the air flow a little. You'll get finer bubbles (though less) from the mazzei.
 
I know you're just tinkering around, but if in the end you wanted the higher water flow rate through the skimmer, you could try putting an air valve on the 784 and to restrict the air flow a little. You'll get finer bubbles (though less) from the mazzei.
I've actually opened up the air intake a bit by using a 3/8" to 1/2" bushing and a 1/2" barb adapters and removed the stock 3/8" barb. Increased air draw by 1-2scfh. The bubble size is already pretty fine. It's the water flow with the 784 is just to much vs air draw IMO. I can reduce flow of course but then air draw goes down hand in hand. The 684 has nearly the same air draw but better balanced with the flow. 100gph seems to make a world of difference.
 
Back
Top