brass scoop intake or mushroom intake?

I have been dealing with wakemakers in installing my own ballast system. They are pretty impressive from talking to them with alot of knowledge. They show just a basic raw water intake that appears to mount flush against the bottom of theboat but on some nautiques that I have looked at has the brass scoop on them. My question is does it matter what kind of intake I use with my jabsco pumps? They also tell me to use just 1" plumbing. I'm wondering if 1 1/4" would be better as far as filling my bags up quicker or would I not notice that much difference? Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm just making sure that I do things right the first time.

Jabsco is self priming so there is no need for a scoop style intake. If you were using an areator type pump you would need a scoop to help prim the pump.

I used the stock scoop and a 1 1/4" mushroom on my SAN ballast install. I will still get some push by (water pushed by ballast puppy) from the scoop intake even with the green impellars.

Scott, do you have two intakes? not sure how you have a scoop and a mushroom. again, no need for a scoop with impeller style pumps...

aerators = scoop
impellers = mushroom

Do not use scoop on aerators. If you design your system right you will not need it to prime. The pumps just need to below waterline. Using a scoop you will need to add some sort of valve to the system. Without a valve the scoop will force fill the ballast system. On my last two boats mushroom type worked great and I never have issues with priming.

lakerat34 quote: "I'm wondering if 1 1/4" would be better as far as filling my bags up quicker or would I not notice that much difference?"

You do not need to go with anything larger than 1". We use 1" ballast hose with the Jabsco ballast puppy pumps because it is easy to install and that is how Mastercraft, MB, Supra, and Moomba all plumb their systems. Using 3/4" hose would give you around the same flow rate.

Thanks for the props lakerat34. I will put a star next to Jason's name. He is the man when it comes to Wakeboard Ballast.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm just making sure that I do the install right the first time. If anyone has any great suggestions on my install for my 04 air nautique 211 or even good pics to give me ideas would be great as well.