mazzei recommendation?

[fishface]

i was wondering if someone can recommend what size mazzei and a particular pump for a simple closed loop. tank is a 75g...

for a pump, it needs to be an external as i have no sump. i'd like to keep as much of the equipment out of the tank and i'd like it to be as quiet as possible.

i've been reading a fair amount and have talked to the folks at ryan herco and mazzei but seems like the more i look into this, the more confusing it gets!

can anyone help me cut to the chase on this, i would greatly appreciate your help.

darryl

 

[helgymatt]

Its hard to cut to the chase because people have had mixed results with mazzeis.

If you really want a mazzei either use a 384 or 584 and use a high pressure pump (good head pressure). If you don't already have a high pressure pump, you will find they are expensive!

You may be better off using a needle wheel pump - they are much, much cheaper. I tried the mazzei 384 because I already had an iwaki wmd-40rlt. I had problems with the misting with CO2 off, debris getting clogged in the mazzei inlet (small snails), and painful tuning. I gave up and went back to a inline reactor. Much cheaper and simpler to run IMO. CO2 now stays steady all the time without any worries about the thing getting clogged. I should also add that I thought the mist all over the tank was rather distracting

The high pressure pumps are also very expensive to run, they draw a LOT of watts. You looking at least $20-30 a month just in electricity for that pump!

 

[inkslinger]

I had email them :
Thank you for contacting Mazzei Injector Company, LLC. We should have an injector model that will work well for your application. You don’t mention how much CO2 you want to inject, but typically it is a very small amount for applications such as yours. If this is the case, you can use a ½” Model 384 injector installed in a bypass assembly and “tune” the water flow rate to meet your needs. This would allow you to use the same injector with the Mag 5 now, and a different pump in the future.
That's a 384 model P {there are 2 models in 384 one is a P the other is a X I think the X has a bigger port hold} the 1/2 inch is the the size that I'm using for my inline an i am running a Mag 5 500gph pump right now, I'm going to upgrade my pump to a BlueLine 55 HD an use a 3/4 inch line so i have to email them again to ask what Model would I need for a High Pressure pump?

 

[fishface]

either use a 384 or 584

thanks for the info. why not a 484 just outta curiosity?

also, the reason i was looking at the mazzei is because someone on a local forum was using one and they said it brought their co2 levels up so fast and it only ran about 15 minutes at a time and only 3 times a day.

at the moment i'm running a DIY reactor with an inline heater which is very nice but it seems like it may be nowhere near as efficient.

 

[fishface]

inkslinger, is a mag 5 the same as a Danner Mag-Drive 500?

 

[helgymatt]

thanks for the info. why not a 484 just outta curiosity?

also, the reason i was looking at the mazzei is because someone on a local forum was using one and they said it brought their co2 levels up so fast and it only ran about 15 minutes at a time and only 3 times a day.

at the moment i'm running a DIY reactor with an inline heater which is very nice but it seems like it may be nowhere near as efficient.

Not the case at all for me. I had mine running all day at the same rate as I did with an inline reactor. The purpose of the mazzei is to provide mist so the the plants can absorb CO2 more efficiently - with it running only 15 minutes 3 times a day, what is the point? I guess its still a method for CO2 injection

I would be really skeptical about the 3x 15 minute thing
Matt

 

[fishface]

really huh? not more efficient? well then there doesn't really seem like there's much reason to use the mazzei then. wouldn't it would be alot more simple and cost efficient to just get a manifold to split CO2 output between a reactor and diffuser to get the same effect as a mazzei?

Not the case at all for me. I had mine running all day at the same rate as I did with an inline reactor. The purpose of the mazzei is to provide mist so the the plants can absorb CO2 more efficiently - with it running only 15 minutes 3 times a day, what is the point? I guess its still a method for CO2 injection

I would be really skeptical about the 3x 15 minute thing
Matt

 

[helgymatt]

really huh? not more efficient? well then there doesn't really seem like there's much reason to use the mazzei then. wouldn't it would be alot more simple and cost efficient to just get a manifold to split CO2 output between a reactor and diffuser to get the same effect as a mazzei?

Well, it didn't seem more efficient for me. I think others may say it is more efficient and the pH drop is fast, but I just didn't have a lot of luck with mine. Read over the posts in this forum and you will know what I am talking about. There are several in depth threads and others who have had the same problems as me.
http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquat...61-mazzei-issues-sub-optimal-performance.html
http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquatic-plant-fertilization/4632-mazzei-uv-placement.html

If I were you, I would use a needle wheel. Like shown here by Orlando...Comparing External Pumps . These can be used in place of a mazzei. They chop the CO2 into a fine mist just like the mazzei does

Matt

 

[Gerryd]

Hi Fishface,

Yes a Mag 500 is the same as the Danner Mag Drive 500......

A mazzei is very good for LARGER tanks such as my 180, as I also had a sump which caused off-gassing of c02.

As long as you don't have a sump, a mag 500 and a DIY reactor like Tom's design or the AM1000 should work very well for your size tank.

Easy to setup and use.

I agree with Matt, that using ANY c02 diffusion method for 15 minutes 3x a day, doesn't sound that efficient at all. How would you ever get STABLE levels of c02 doing that?

Hope this helps.

 

[fishface]

thanks for the input guys...definitely will rethink....and rethink this one out thoroughly.