MTC skimmer club!

[jason2459]

Took a quick reading of the air draw of the mag1800 and stock venturi setup on the mtx.

Its steadily getting between 14-16 scfh air draw. This shouldn't change as it breaks in. I don't plan to touch anything for a couple weeks. I don't expect it to be broke in before that.

I have a feeling the sweet spot on this will be getting the pump and venturi combo that will get at least 20scfh.

Which is odd for someone coming from needle wheel skimmers and experiencing over double that kind of air draw.

[jason2459]

I definitely need to get that neck cleaner moved over tonight as there's that little hole on top already. There's already a nice thick foam head moving its way up.



Water level right at the flange



I have a video uploading now and will post once it's done.

[jason2459]

Video done

http://youtu.be/VhHGtrLpedc

[dcmartinpc]

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!!! Oddly enough it stopped producing a foam head a little over a week ago and wouldn't foam up the neck. So I called Jeff and spoke with him. He asked for some pics. And I came home to this I guess I was just impatient or MTC has the best customer service ever and can fix skimmers psychically through the phone!! Either way, I've never been a happier customer. Great company and great product.

It is skimming 2 well stocked tanks. A 225 and a 150 with common sump. Around 400 gallon system volume.

Please excuse the mess, just swapped the sump and I haven't finished cleaning up all the wires and old plumbing.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jason2459]

Thats an awesome skimmer dcmartinpc! Thanks for the pics and video.

[azjohnny]

Originally Posted by jason2459

Video done

http://youtu.be/VhHGtrLpedc

Nice video. You might not want to use the metal hose clamps for under water. Marine Depot does carry the plastic style if your LFS doesn't have any

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by azjohnny

Nice video. You might not want to use the metal hose clamps for under water. Marine Depot does carry the plastic style if your LFS doesn't have any

Yep, totally agree. Its just temporary as I had them. Their at least all 300 stainless.

[jason2459]

Ok, I'm so looking forward to trying out the waveline and possibly be proved wrong about the mag18 being underpowered for this skimmer.

I'm pretty darn impressed with what this skimmer is doing only a few days into it with the mag18. I checked the air draw again and its right about 14scfh.

Crazy what so little air draw can do with enough contact time.


Almost half gallon pulled so far since it was able to raise the foam head up the neck. I think 2 days worth now. Not bad for just breaking in.

[LowHangingFruit]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I definitely need to get that neck cleaner moved over tonight as there's that little hole on top already. There's already a nice thick foam head moving its way up.



Water level right at the flange



I have a video uploading now and will post once it's done.

Which neck cleaner works on these skimmers?

[jason2459]

I've got a swabbie from Avast Marine I'll be placing on top.

You can buy the DIY and just need a center hole drilled out.

http://www.avastmarine.com/products/swabbie-kit

You can even get the extra long for those with the external 48" and bigger with long necks. I believe ca1ore has this for his

http://www.avastmarine.com/products/...ng-shaft-wiper


I haven't had time to mount it yet so stuck a piece of gorilla tape over the hole Jeff drilled for it.

[ksed]

Nice

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by ksed

Nice

YES! lol


I'm excited and feel I can watch the skimmer running all day. To me it seems like the bubbles being created are smaller then what I've seen with my previous skimmers.

Nice fast swirling around the bottom and about half way up there's some turbulence but still a general swirling direction.

[LowHangingFruit]

Any micro bubble issues?

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by LowHangingFruit

Any micro bubble issues?

Yes but only in that sump section. Bubble trap has been working to stop them from going though and hitting the return pump.

You can see in the video I posted above periodic swirling down of the bubbles through the skimmers drain.

If it was an issue I can adjust the two tips that the air/water enters into the skimmers body to point up more. Right now they are both facing straight forward.

[jason2459]

So, June 2nd I turn it on and set the water level initially just over half way up the body as seen by the ring in the video and by June 3 the water level had risen to what seems to be the perfect height right at the flange.


June 3rd starting to get the foam head up to the lip of the collection cup.

Originally Posted by jason2459

I definitely need to get that neck cleaner moved over tonight as there's that little hole on top already. There's already a nice thick foam head moving its way up.



Water level right at the flange



I have a video uploading now and will post once it's done.

And now just 3 days later...its like its been in my system for years.

[jason2459]

The MTC MVX has passed the LRS test. Every skimmer I've had in the past will overflow when ever I have tried LRS Reef or Fish frenzy.

I got some and thawed out a good sized chunk last night. The skimmer didn't react differently at all. It didn't overflow or flatten out its foam production.

[ksed]

Interesting. I am sure it has something to do with the air/water ratio

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by ksed

Interesting. I am sure it has something to do with the air/water ratio

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking. With the needle wheel skimmers I've used the air draw has been well over 30scfh on all of them. Much more air draw and less water passing through.

[jjvanb]

How does the volume and consistency/color of the skimmate compare to the output of your previous skimmer?

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by jjvanb

How does the volume and consistency/color of the skimmate compare to the output of your previous skimmer?

It looks pretty similar
My em300


I was getting just over a cup a day running dry I think. I have to search better in my tank journal thread.

But found this showing I was getting around 3 cups per day running wetter into the davy jones.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...php?p=24084275


So far though this has been a dryer skimmate and got just over 1/2 gallon in around 3 days. So around that 3 cups per day again but not near as wet. If that makes sense.

[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