sherm71tank
Premium Member
Anyone take the ball part out of the beckett?
Optimized Beckett
- Thread starter Waylander
- Start date
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
I thought about it, but I think it is there to create turbulence and make smaller bubbles. However, I did think about making it rougher somehow, in order to create smaller bubbles. Maybe like coating it in epoxy and rolling it in sand.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I took it out to see. The ball restricts flow a lot. Really increased the amount of flow and turbulance when I took it out. Maybe with the smaller holes and smaller pump it would work?
jimmyj7090
aka John K
this sounds like a great mod to me,
Overall it sounds like this makes a beckett work better/just as well, with a smaller pump/less pump pressure/less electricity for the same performance?
Couple of questions?
I tried to keep track, but I didn't get a clear sense of the specifics on what seems to be the best; location of holes, number of holes, and size of holes?
I'm working with a PM bullet 2 (which doesn't burp to begin with),
I would be interesed in doing a semi controlled experiment if anyone had any suggestions -
ie, run standard beckett for a week, then run modded beckett for a week (with the same pump) and measure volume and subjectively describe quality/density, of the skimmate?
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Overall it sounds like this makes a beckett work better/just as well, with a smaller pump/less pump pressure/less electricity for the same performance?
Couple of questions?
I tried to keep track, but I didn't get a clear sense of the specifics on what seems to be the best; location of holes, number of holes, and size of holes?
I'm working with a PM bullet 2 (which doesn't burp to begin with),
I would be interesed in doing a semi controlled experiment if anyone had any suggestions -
ie, run standard beckett for a week, then run modded beckett for a week (with the same pump) and measure volume and subjectively describe quality/density, of the skimmate?
Any thoughts or suggestions?
sherm71tank
Premium Member
The beckett necks down and restricts flow just before the holes like a venturi already. I'm not sure what adding the ball achieves but it does have a large impact on the flow rate of the pump. I'm now thinking of making the water flow hole even smaller just before the air holes to get a greater pressure difference.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I have mine all glued up and drilled. I used a 3/32 drill and there are 30 holes. I could have gotten a few more but thats what I get for not having my coffee first. I get it fired up shortly.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
LOL.. I'm feeling better? The first run with 30 holes was disappointing. It performed better with the stock 4 holes. I added 15 more.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I'm still not impressed with it. I have to restrict the flow to 45 SCFH to attain uniform small bubble size, just like a standard beckett. I'll let it run for a while, put a standard beckett in and compare with the same restricition. I was not able to pull the 100SCFH with it wide open as I am with the standard beckett.
-Jonathan- I should be able to get out of here by 1:00 today if you want help with your skimmer give me a call.
-Jonathan- I should be able to get out of here by 1:00 today if you want help with your skimmer give me a call.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
Read into this what you want to. I ran the modded beckett with 45 3/32 holes in it restricted to right at 50 SCFH and was getting good bubble size and a nice skimmate forming. I replaced it with a non modded beckett and did not adjust anything else. The bubble size was much larger and the reaction tube more turbulent. I know I wasn't impressed but after seeing the difference in bubble size and turbulence I'm calling it a success and will be using the modded version instead. Thanks Waylander!
jimmyj7090
aka John K
hey, sherman
small world, I think I e-bayed a spare beckett from you last night after reading this thread.
Assuming that was you, can I make it two and have you ship them together? I'll Pay-pal you the $ diff tonight if that's OK?
jk
small world, I think I e-bayed a spare beckett from you last night after reading this thread.
Assuming that was you, can I make it two and have you ship them together? I'll Pay-pal you the $ diff tonight if that's OK?
jk
sherm71tank
Premium Member
jimmyj7090, PM'ed you.
Loving the results of my first modded beckett so far. Let it run all day and settle in. I'm getting about 65 SCFH of air through it now and nice bubble size, not all of them are micro-size but small. I'm going to try one more with 5/64 hole size and see how many holes I can get in it.
Loving the results of my first modded beckett so far. Let it run all day and settle in. I'm getting about 65 SCFH of air through it now and nice bubble size, not all of them are micro-size but small. I'm going to try one more with 5/64 hole size and see how many holes I can get in it.
Waylander
New member
Sorry, I haven't been keeping up - added another tank and been setting it up.
Just some general and casual observations since I run 3 at home and have another 9 running at friends homes....
It is more dramatic on the lower powered (magdrive or similar).
There is a noticeable difference bubble size on PCX 40s and 55s.
I did play with beckett height and the mod seems a little more finicky about back pressure if it set too low.
I am seeing 'clearer' water across the board. (anyone have a lux-meter? Should be an increase in deeper light?????)
They seem to skim amazing amounts compared to pre-mod and then slack off after about a week which would makes sense with the change of size in bubble/effieciency. Skimmate seems to be lighter in color after a while (week) but there seems to more 'sludge' in the bottom of the container....(pulling finer particulates???? - hence improved clarity???)
As noted by sherm - more stable and less turbulence.
I look forward to more people commenting after they have run them for a week or so...just in case I'm biased.
Just some general and casual observations since I run 3 at home and have another 9 running at friends homes....
It is more dramatic on the lower powered (magdrive or similar).
There is a noticeable difference bubble size on PCX 40s and 55s.
I did play with beckett height and the mod seems a little more finicky about back pressure if it set too low.
I am seeing 'clearer' water across the board. (anyone have a lux-meter? Should be an increase in deeper light?????)
They seem to skim amazing amounts compared to pre-mod and then slack off after about a week which would makes sense with the change of size in bubble/effieciency. Skimmate seems to be lighter in color after a while (week) but there seems to more 'sludge' in the bottom of the container....(pulling finer particulates???? - hence improved clarity???)
As noted by sherm - more stable and less turbulence.
I look forward to more people commenting after they have run them for a week or so...just in case I'm biased.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
My ORP went up 20 points since I've been using it. Don't know if it's because of the mod, but it is a happy coincidence.
HippieSmell
Occupy Reef Central
I used loctite.
sherm71tank
Premium Member
I'm just using weld-on 16. No problem Bill! Lets get some more testing done! I havent had a chance to drill the 5/64 yet (just got home from work) but I'm about to get started on it. The first one I did is making some very nice foam and a surprisingly dry skimmate. I can post pics if anyone is intersted in seeing them.
