New Skimmer

[Stircrazy]

Hey Steve buddy. I dont really know of a site that shows how to build it. If you need more pics then I have in here let me know. I believe thier are two basic ways to do it. The way I did and then to maybe just use tubing and drill a bunch of holes.

Mike

I guess I am not understanding which way the water flows. does it spill over the raised edge of the ring or does it flow between the ring and the inner wall of the skimmer tube? maybe a couple close ups looking strait down would show it better.. once I understand which way it flows I am sure I will kick myself for not getting it sooner

Steve

 

[reeffan]

If you havent gotten the mazzies yet let me know I have a few of them, pumps to. I am going to do another major modification on this one. I find myself remembering the pain of venturi skimmers and I am not a fan of the neddle wheel anymore.

Mike[/QUOTE]

Mike,

I've been followinng this thread fer a few months now and wondering what you don't like about the needle wheel. So are you just using mazzei injector now? Just wondering

reeffan

 

[mojoreef]

Hey Mike, what is your problem w/ the needle wheels? Are you having problems w/ those mazzei's?

Mazzies are working fine Tom, they jut need to be cleaned every 2nd to third day, so its a do that or make a self cleaning set up for them. The neddle wheels suck and make the pumps even less gutsy (is that a word) then they are to start with. If you ask me with the pumps on their and the mazzies I would have expected more bubbles.

Ok steve here is the concept. thier is a gutter that is glued about a 1/2 inch below the top of the skimmer neck, it extends about a 1/4 inch out from the neck and then the outside wall goes up about a 1/4 inch passed the top of the skimmer neck. The it has a top on it that extends to the inside edge of the neck tube. the top has 4 holes where the drip manifold puts water into the gutter. the water level rises up in the gutter until ti reaches the top of the skimmer neck and then overflows down the inside of the neck tube. let me know if you need some pics.

Jon I am using both the mazzies and the neddle wheels. The mazzies need to much maintence, unless I build a self cleaning device. and the needle wheels just suck when it comes to what kind of air they can handle until they crap out. Also thier is the question of how long will they last concidering they are so much heavier then a normal impeller.


mike

 

[reeffan]

Hey Mike, i think i have a DIY device for your mazzei that you might wanna consider. I made one for my Beckett as a silenser but also to keep the beckett clean. I will take some picsture today and post it so you can take a look at it

reeffan

 

[Stircrazy]

Ok steve here is the concept. thier is a gutter that is glued about a 1/2 inch below the top of the skimmer neck, it extends about a 1/4 inch out from the neck and then the outside wall goes up about a 1/4 inch passed the top of the skimmer neck. The it has a top on it that extends to the inside edge of the neck tube. the top has 4 holes where the drip manifold puts water into the gutter. the water level rises up in the gutter until ti reaches the top of the skimmer neck and then overflows down the inside of the neck tube. let me know if you need some pics.

mike

Thanks Mike, from what I am understanding is that it is just a tray that fills up and overflows into the skimmer neck. a couple pics of your top one would be helpful. I did a sketch of what I am understanding the working let me know if I got it or I am out to lunch.

I am filling a tank with salt water in my garage over the next couple weeks as I am going to be testing the performance of a Beckett against a mazzei and against a part I found that might work for a venturi. if this part works it will not be susceptible to plugging, will be able to draw up to twice as much air (or more) as a mazzei 685 and only costs 5 bucks CDN. I will let you know how it turns out.

Steve

 

[big t]

Hey Mike, I have something for you to try. Your pumps don't need mazzies to inject air into them, in fact the mazzies are probably putting way too much air into your pumps making them 'wimpy.' Can you possibly connect rodi tubing to the mazzies? If you can I would try putting a little valve (john guest) on each one and then fine tuning the amount of air that is going into the pumps. If you cannot do this, just wait till I get back (coming right up!) and I will help you reconfigure it w/ needle wheels set up properly, before you give up on them.

The way I found this out was for whatever reason I decided to try putting a valve on my intake pipe. I then turned down the air and it was pretty amazing how much it kicked that pumps ass into gear! So we need to try that before you give up the needle wheels.

 

[mojoreef]

Close Steve

 

[mojoreef]

Come on now Tom I hope you dont think I am that dumb, lol All the mazzies have tubing and valves on each of the (4). I have the valves adjusted to where they will allow the most air with out failing. Now dont get me wrong I am getting foam and a decent amount of it. I have pulled close to 10 gallons of skimate out already. The problem is maintaining the venturis, they buld up on salt creep every cople of days, to clean them I just squirt some SW donw the tube. To fix this all I would have to do is install a drip system to drip water down teh tubes constant, that would stop the build up.
Over all I want more foam, I am a foam junkie, lol. To me 4 neddle wheel pumps are not giving me enough bang for the buck. I thinnk its time to go back to the old school and get this thing in the butt.


Mike

 

[Scooterman]

Needle Wheel?Mike, my turbo floater required an external water supply or pump because the needle wheel on the pump only breaks up the air water making all the fine bubbles, without the external pump the production is useless. Air is also injected with a tube right between the needle wheel & the entrance way to the skimmer tube. I was just wondering if this is how yours is working & still not producing the expected amount of air bubbles to water?

 

[big t]

What I meant was helping you build a new plumbing setup that dosn't have mazzies on it, that would never need cleaning. I never ever have to mess w/ my skimmer, except to clean it 1 time a week (skimmer neck)

 

[DonW]

Mike,
I'm with Tom, if your going to keep the monster on-line you need bigger air inlet hole. Mine is 3/8, the only time it has plugged is when it sucked in a fly. The Mazzie's are cool but they are just not made for the salty enviroment.

Don

 

[mojoreef]

the inlet is a 1/2 inch don

 

[DonW]

the inlet is a 1/2 inch don

Can you run them outside so they dont suck in the salty air. I assume that they are mostly closed and the valve is plugging not the 1/2 tube??

Don

 

[Stircrazy]

Close Steve

how is the water suposed to flow in that drawing?

Steve

 

[mojoreef]

Needle Wheel?Mike, my turbo floater required an external water supply or pump because the needle wheel on the pump only breaks up the air water making all the fine bubbles

yea same here scott I have the water coming in from an ampmaster 2700. the needle wheels are purely for chopping and air introduction.

Air is also injected with a tube right between the needle wheel & the entrance way to the skimmer tube. I was just wondering if this is how yours is working & still not producing the expected amount of air bubbles to water?

yea I have a mazzie on each of the needle wheels and mags.

Steve on the top of the skimmer cup is a lawn sprinkler manifold that has 4 drip out lets, On top of the gutter I drilled four holes and the pipes from the drip system slide in. they drip until the gutter is full and then it overflows onto the neck walls. The reason I put the top on was so the dirty skimate stayed out if it and also to create kind of a tension so the water in the gutter would come out all at once and evenly.


Mike

 

[Stircrazy]

Steve on the top of the skimmer cup is a lawn sprinkler manifold that has 4 drip out lets, On top of the gutter I drilled four holes and the pipes from the drip system slide in. they drip until the gutter is full and then it overflows onto the neck walls. The reason I put the top on was so the dirty skimate stayed out if it and also to create kind of a tension so the water in the gutter would come out all at once and evenly.


Mike

Ok, so the lowwer gutter, how is that different from the top one? aside from it not having a drip manifold.

Steve

 

[Scooterman]

Cleaned my skimmer tonight, it is running about as good as new. The problem I see is, I think it should actually have twice as much bubbles as it is producing. I tried a small air pump but it had little effect, so my next purchase will be the biggest baddest air pump I can get. I think I will need to retro a new inlet air line to make this work but I think it is like installing a turbo charger, forcing more air in rather relying on the suction. I think the needle wheel will work just as effectively with twice the air I don't think the pump is nearly under pressure or strain.

 

[mojoreef]

Steve the lower gutter on the next level of the skimer is just like a catch. It takes water that comes down the inner wall of the neck and transfers it to the outside of the thicker tube.

Scott I got the needle wheel to the point to where it cant handle anymore air. Still need more air lol!!!!!!!. The air pumpI have coming pushes 6 cfm (that equal to 6 of the deltec 1004's) now were talking mojo type bubble mass!!!!!!!!!!!!



Mike

 

[ROWAUSA]

mojoreef, while you're at it, have you ever given any thought to inject air via a compressor instead of the venturi sucking in air?

 

[RedEyeReef]

Steve the lower gutter on the next level of the skimer is just like a catch. It takes water that comes down the inner wall of the neck and transfers it to the outside of the thicker tube.

Scott I got the needle wheel to the point to where it cant handle anymore air. Still need more air lol!!!!!!!. The air pumpI have coming pushes 6 cfm (that equal to 6 of the deltec 1004's) now were talking mojo type bubble mass!!!!!!!!!!!!



Mike

Mike, every concidered a Red Dragon pump. The stats on air intake is impressive.