Skimmer usage is it possible to over skim.

J

jerryclunsford

I have read in a few places that protein skimmers are actually being overused.
I have read on another forum that they recommend skimmers rated at several times the tanks volume.
What is it overuse or skim the *$&^ out of it.
I have a 65 gallon tank and am considering a Reef Octopus Classic 300 or up to Classic 2000 HOB.
I don't have enough height in sump area to go in sump and sump is almost full when pump is off so can't really go external.
 
Like everything else in life it depends. In the case of a heavily stocked tank with a ton of feeding and a few nutrient sensitive corals the more skimming the better. In the case of a tank with lower feeding, other nutrient export, and coral that likes more nutrients in the water you might not want to skim at all. My Biocube runs better without a skimmer, but it's an oddity in some ways.
 
I used to skim but over the last 6+ months I've ran skimmer less. Since then my sps is more colorful and seeing a lot more growth. I also don't do water changes and run sand less with all man made rocks.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
Just a couple pics
Selling a frags of these if interested.
7b25ed23f88cbc53f6a0861378a8d542.jpg
alt="">

0d197551d98845712e838194a89f2d2a.jpg
alt="">

9738f6e8d1e6b6d933a7fe6bd11d0bb0.jpg
alt="">

9e1036b56d2319bcdcf6f19a643218e7.jpg
alt="">


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
@Eckolancer wrote:
I used to skim but over the last 6+ months I've ran skimmer less. Since then my sps is more colorful and seeing a lot more growth. I also don't do water changes and run sand less with all man made rocks. said:
So I guess you are in the category that thinks you can skim too much. This is supported by your corals increased growth and better color.
I too don't think that you have to skim every tiny bit of nutrient out. My tank is just coming out of the uglies and the lack of skimming does not seem to have hurt any.
I suppose I could get the classic 300 it has 2 chambers and 2 pumps, with it I can adjust my skimming more.
Right now you could say that I am not really skimming. I have an old Lee counter current skimmer and the air block is toast so it is not producing much.
I have turkey wing clams, jewel box clams and lot of small feather dusters, small sponges and a filter feeding sea cucumber these are all doing well.
As well as three LPS corals that came on my live rock. The 2 or 3 different SPS colonies that hitch hiked in are also doing OK. I have not gotten any phyto to feed them so I do not expect to much from them.
I suppose you could say that my tank is heavily stocked with 2 Occ Clowns, 2 Pajama Cardinals, and recently a Yellow Tang (yes I know a 65 is small for a Tang, however he appears happy and healthy)
Click to expand...
 
With those corals other than the dos a bigger skimmer may hurt them as most of the others prefer a little dirtier water. Maybe your tank has to much phosphates or nitrates? What's all your other levels at temp, alk, cal, mag, ect...? If things are doing good why change anything?


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
Skimmers are a nutrient export. Many people with smaller tanks rely on WC to do the job and don't use skimmers. Others put their skimmers on timers and only skim at night. Really depends on what you want to do to reduce/maintain nutrient levels.

Skimmers can be a great insurance policy. If you have a spawn event the skimmer will kick into high gear and help clean the water. My anemones have spawned and kicked the skimmer into over drive. Waking up to the sound of the skimmer belching is a true joy.
 
@Eckolancer wrote:
If things are doing good why change anything? said:
Well the Lee skimmer is in tank. While it is growing coralline algae well now, it is still an eye sore.
Right now I have some extra cash to buy a better skimmer.
I suppose I could pull the skimmer all together. It has been in the tank over a month and not produced a cup full yet.
I guess I'm just used to it, been told I needed one from the start and have had one (if you want to call that one) since I started.

While I only had a tank for around 4 years I have learned some
I know Protein skimmers are a device for nutrient export. Dissolved proteins coat the exterior of the air bubbles and the bubbles foam up, out of the tank and into a collection cup removing them from the system before they can be broken down into nitrates. (Short non technical explanation)
Click to expand...
 
@Eckolancer wrote:
I used to skim but over the last 6+ months I've ran skimmer less. Since then my sps is more colorful and seeing a lot more growth. I also don't do water changes and run sand less with all man made rocks. Sent from pay phone in the airport. said:
Your tank looks really good, what are you doing for nutrient export if you are not doing wcs and don't use a skimmer?. I would think at some point that would create an issue?. Do you think maybe the corals are somehow consuming all those nutrients?, was just wondering how this works, as from my point of view eventually this could be a problem if nutrients in > nutrients out.
Click to expand...
 
@Oscarmk wrote:
[I]@Eckolancer wrote:[/I][quote="I used to skim but over the last 6+ months I've ran skimmer less. Since then my sps is more colorful and seeing a lot more growth. I also don't do water changes and run sand less with all man made rocks. Sent from pay phone in the airport. said:
Your tank looks really good, what are you doing for nutrient export if you are not doing wcs and don't use a skimmer?. I would think at some point that would create an issue?. Do you think maybe the corals are somehow consuming all those nutrients?, was just wondering how this works, as from my point of view eventually this could be a problem if nutrients in > nutrients out."]


My guess is that the corals are eating them. I have recently started using macro algae. It is not doing well as its slowly dying and shrinking. I'm guessing that the corals are hungrier than the algae.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
Click to expand...
 
You were probably removing so much of the nutrients that the algae in the corals did not have much to feed on. If you reduced skimming more your macro might do better.
Do you show any nitrates in your water test?
 
Not sure how I could reduce it more without a skimmer. My nitrates I have to dose to keep them above 0. I dose stump remover weekly to bring them up to about 20 and by the end of the week they are back to 0. My phosphates are always about .008 to .015 depending on what I feed for the week.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
Have you looked at vertex skimmers I used to use them and they are built a lot stronger than reef octopus.


Sent from pay phone in the airport.
 
I ordered a Jebao CP25 Cross Flow unit. Jebao's rip off of the Maxspect Gyre.
It should be here Thursday June 23rd.
I will let y'all know how it does.

At least now the Chinese are ripping off the Chinese.
What is funny is Communists acting like capitalist and throwing a fit about copy write infringement.
I thought they weren't supposed to go in for that kind of thing, especially when it is another Chinese company.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top