UPDATE:

I decided to keep the Mazzei hooked up using the gang valve. Instead of the gang valve splitting one airline into two, I have the two lines joining into the one that leads into the suction port of the injector. One line comes from the co2 regulator and attaches to the gang valve. Since the co2 is only being released at about 4-5bps, it is a very small amount of gas at a very slow flow. Thus I have the gang valve opened all the way for the co2 line, and the injector still produces a fine mist. The other valve is used for air. If this valve were open all the way, the Mazzei would suck in too much air and create large bubbles and slow the flow of water through it. So, this valve is just cracked open ever so slightly. The injector can barely suck air through it, and most of the time it looked like the Mazzei wasn't pulling ANY air through it. A blast of air mist was only produced very 30 seconds or so. This wasn't enough for me, so I hooled an airpump to this valve. It helps push air through this tiny opening and keeps the mist it creates constant. So, a small stream of air and a small stream of co2 are being pushed into the gang valve and combined into one single line that feeds the Mazzei. I have the co2 at about 4-5bps. My drop checker reads a yellow-green, and I get a good, fine mist of co2 and air during the day, and a mist of just air at night. This really helps me worry less about adding too much co2 and suffocating my fish and shrimp. I also don't think that adding air in this manner outgasses any co2. Both lines feeding the Mazzei are under positive pressure and are not open to the outside. If I'm just fooling myself, somebody please let me know. This seems like the perfect method, but in real life things rarely are. However, I do really like being able to "shoot" a mist of air and co2 deep into the tank and plant beds. I can also see the current and flow patterns in my tank by watching how the mist moves around. It shows where and how fast the water is moving. I love it, but also think that it makes the water look slightly cloudy from a distance.

I did a big trim in the tank, and curiously I'm not seeing the massive pearling any more. Even from the plants I didn't trim, like the crypts. The moss and crypts used to pearl heavily (as well as every other plant) when I first started experimenting with the Mazzei, but over the past few days it has stopped. Maybe the plants were limited in something that was "unlocked" when I installed the Mazzei, and they grew vigorously for a few days and are now "all caught up", and now they are back to growing at a normal rate. I have no idea at all. I'm just guessing.

Please, I would love to hear other's observations of their plants right after installing a Mazzei. How did you set up the Mazzei? Did you witness abnormal pearling? Did it stay or go away after a few days/week?

Sorry for all the typing, but thanks for reading!

-Mike B-