The Life Reef Skimmer Club

[cmaxwell39]

Joined the club this past week.

Got in a VS3-36 with the stock injector and the Mazzie injector (I want to experiment a little bit), as well as the 8" collection cup. I am powering it with the vectra M1.

Right after unboxing



All put together before going in sump



Started up and running... After ~15 min





And finally after 5 days, starting to get it dialed in...



Would love any input from you lifereef experts.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

Joined the club this past week.

Got in a VS3-36 with the stock injector and the Mazzie injector (I want to experiment a little bit), as well as the 8" collection cup. I am powering it with the vectra M1.

Right after unboxing

View attachment 356267

All put together before going in sump

View attachment 356268

Started up and running... After ~15 min

View attachment 356269

View attachment 356270

And finally after 5 days, starting to get it dialed in...

View attachment 356271

Would love any input from you lifereef experts.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looking good. All you have to do is adjust to get a dryer or wet skim depending on what u like. Wait till u try the mazzei. I am very happy with my lifereef since upgrading to the mazzei. I could never get it to skim consistently with the stock ventury.

 

[cmaxwell39]

Thanks. I am going to adjust slightly for a slightly wetter skim.

I will probably give the stock injector a month or so to see what it will do. Seems to sometimes produce very large bubbles which will rocket up through the bubble column and shake the whole body of the skimmer. Hoping that will settle down some as the skimmer continues to break in.

On another note, with the vectra turned all the way up with the stock injector, the skimmer was pulling ~30 scfh of air. I turned the vectra down to where 9 lights out of 12 on the controller are lit up and it settled in pulling ~24 scfh. Seems like I should have plenty of adjustment with this combination.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skinsncanes]

Thanks. I am going to adjust slightly for a slightly wetter skim.

I will probably give the stock injector a month or so to see what it will do. Seems to sometimes produce very large bubbles which will rocket up through the bubble column and shake the whole body of the skimmer. Hoping that will settle down some as the skimmer continues to break in.

On another note, with the vectra turned all the way up with the stock injector, the skimmer was pulling ~30 scfh of air. I turned the vectra down to where 9 lights out of 12 on the controller are lit up and it settled in pulling ~24 scfh. Seems like I should have plenty of adjustment with this combination.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How did you calculate/measure how much air it's pulling?

I run my 36 inch with a L1 always at 100 percent. I've never really gotten that nice dark brown skimmate. I have life reef overflows with two sponges and then a filter pad. I just figured I catch and remove most waste before the skimmer.


I was debating trying the mazzei. Do you guys get it from Jeff or can you order it from other places?




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

How did you calculate/measure how much air it's pulling?

I run my 36 inch with a L1 always at 100 percent. I've never really gotten that nice dark brown skimmate. I have life reef overflows with two sponges and then a filter pad. I just figured I catch and remove most waste before the skimmer.


I was debating trying the mazzei. Do you guys get it from Jeff or can you order it from other places?




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I ordered mine through ebay. I got one with a higher flow jeff sells the 978 I got the 1078 for about $65 shipped and have been extremely happy with it. I run my 24 inch skimmer with a Jecod DCT 6000 at 80%.

 

[skinsncanes]

The Life Reef Skimmer Club

I ordered mine through ebay. I got one with a higher flow jeff sells the 978 I got the 1078 for about $65 shipped and have been extremely happy with it. I run my 24 inch skimmer with a Jecod DCT 6000 at 80%.

How would I know if I needs to run less than 100? I thought more air was better to make more bubbles and you just adjust the valve

Thanks I'll look up the 1078. Is his correct? There's a few different 1077. https://www.amazon.com/Mazzei-1078-03-PP-Authorized-Distributor-Injectors/dp/B014JWS67S


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[cmaxwell39]

I used a Dwyer air flow meter that I borrowed from a friend. I have read on this thread that the sweet spot for these skimmers seems to be 19-22 scfh. Figured I would turn the vectra down a little to get closer to that range.

Too much air will make it really hard to skim dry, and will make the foam head unstable ime. I may try to push it a little harder eventually, but wanted to start in a proven range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cmaxwell39]

Also, I bought my mazzei from Jeff when I purchased the skimmer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skinsncanes]

I used a Dwyer air flow meter that I borrowed from a friend. I have read on this thread that the sweet spot for these skimmers seems to be 19-22 scfh. Figured I would turn the vectra down a little to get closer to that range.

Too much air will make it really hard to skim dry, and will make the foam head unstable ime. I may try to push it a little harder eventually, but wanted to start in a proven range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting...I had no idea. I'll have to see if I can get an air flow meter. But if you had a m1 and the same size as me then I guess my L1 needs to be turned down. I'll give it a try I just always thought more would be better.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

How would I know if I needs to run less than 100? I thought more air was better to make more bubbles and you just adjust the valve

Thanks I'll look up the 1078. Is his correct? There's a few different 1077. https://www.amazon.com/Mazzei-1078-03-PP-Authorized-Distributor-Injectors/dp/B014JWS67S


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes that is the one. You will need to go to home depot ang get some pvc so that you can connect to your pump. I just found that it skimmed better at that setting. I took the ventury with me to home depot and found that a 1" 90 degree elbow with a threaded end to a 1" coupler with one threaded end and a smooth end on the other side and atached a reducer to 3/4" and screwed a 3/4" barb on it. Ill see if I can attach a pic.

 

[skinsncanes]

Yes that is the one. You will need to go to home depot ang get some pvc so that you can connect to your pump. I just found that it skimmed better at that setting. I took the ventury with me to home depot and found that a 1" 90 degree elbow with a threaded end to a 1" coupler with one threaded end and a smooth end on the other side and atached a reducer to 3/4" and screwed a 3/4" barb on it. Ill see if I can attach a pic.

Yea a pic would be great. I've got plenty of ova fittings after replumbing my system several times. Why a 3/4 reducer? Do you just inout with 3/4? My pump and inputs were always an inch from Jeff on my 36 inch


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

Yes that is the one. You will need to go to home depot ang get some pvc so that you can connect to your pump. I just found that it skimmed better at that setting. I took the ventury with me to home depot and found that a 1" 90 degree elbow with a threaded end to a 1" coupler with one threaded end and a smooth end on the other side and atached a reducer to 3/4" and screwed a 3/4" barb on it. Ill see if I can attach a pic.

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

Yea a pic would be great. I've got plenty of ova fittings after replumbing my system several times. Why a 3/4 reducer? Do you just inout with 3/4? My pump and inputs were always an inch from Jeff on my 36 inch


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I only had 3/4 inch tubing. I will eventually change to the 1" tubing. The 3/4" is only for the pump.

 

[skinsncanes]

I turned my pump down, worth trying. I've even hooked my Blueline 70 up to the skimmer thinking the giant pumps that handle head pressure better would work better. Heck I had an M1 and assumed it was too small. I'll try getting a mazzei and running the pump at lower speeds


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

I turned my pump down, worth trying. I've even hooked my Blueline 70 up to the skimmer thinking the giant pumps that handle head pressure better would work better. Heck I had an M1 and assumed it was too small. I'll try getting a mazzei and running the pump at lower speeds


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I noticed that the changes would be noticed after about a day. Here is a video of mine.

https://youtu.be/ue2xBdipkfc

 

[jason2459]

I used a Dwyer air flow meter that I borrowed from a friend. I have read on this thread that the sweet spot for these skimmers seems to be 19-22 scfh. Figured I would turn the vectra down a little to get closer to that range.

Too much air will make it really hard to skim dry, and will make the foam head unstable ime. I may try to push it a little harder eventually, but wanted to start in a proven range.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I found pushing to get that higher airflow ends up pushing to much water flow through. Need a taller skimmer to take advantage of the higher air and water flow. 36" seems great around that 20scsfh mark for sure.

I'm pulling about 6-8 cups of skimmate (not wet) now at around 21-22scfh with a 36" skimmer, swabbie neck cleaner, and very small amounts of ozone. Plus of course feeding a LOT of food to feed that kind of production.

I can't imagine how much water flow is going through at 30+scfh. Get a 72" skimmer and that would be awesome.

 

[EvMiBo]

I've had my lifereef offline for a while. I decided to (for the most part) start over completely after a catastrophic power outage last fall. New sand, some old rock cleaned very well, new rock, redid plumbing, new sump, still working on re-doing some electronics, etc... Anyways, got the 30" LR back online today.

New setup is coming along nicely. I have 7 fish now, and rocks are maturing, diatom stage is receding. I feed my fish often, around 3 times a day, usually what they can eat within a couple minutes, sometimes too much.

Skimmer is still performing well and is very consistent, which is one of the biggest advantages to these skimmers.

 

[Damontoy]

Need help with Lifereef Skimmer

Need help with Lifereef Skimmer

It's not making bubbles. Tried 2 different pumps. Fills with water but no bubbles? Please advise if you are able.

 

[Pablos RSM 450]

It's not making bubbles. Tried 2 different pumps. Fills with water but no bubbles? Please advise if you are able.

Any pictures or video? I believe my issues were due to a defective stock venturi. Check the air inlet for clogs.

 

[FastUno]

Any efficient replacement pump for the MagDrive 9.5 electric guzzler @ 93Watts?