overskimming?

[1guydude]

Im sure the topic has been brought up before. Can u over skim? Can ur gigantic over rater 500g skimmer on a 100g tank really that bad? Do u over skim? Under skim maybe? Plz share ur feeding habits and skimmer beliefs or personal expierences.
Thxs
-d

 

[smoknreefr]

interested myself tagging along running a aqua-c ev 2000 with a mag 18 " rated for 500-2000gal " on a 300 gal system feed every day three cubes mysis then every other day coralfrenzy 1tsp c-balance daily........ think it really depends on your bio load

 

[1guydude]

i agree key is that balance...im about to call u btw lol

 

[bradreef]

oversized is fine within reason. simply if a skimmer is way too big it won't be as effective. the skimmer has to collect proteins to create a foam head. there is a ballance between flow bubbles and contact time for a skimmer to be the most effective.

 

[Mark2]

I think it's better to have an oversized skimmer than undersized. over skimming shouldn't be a problem if you're doing regular water changes. Those small trace elements that are skimmed should be replenished easily.

 

[eww]

Devin, Here is some reading from when I asked the same thing a while back. It got a little crazy so take it for what it's worth. If nothing else it should be entertainment.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f124/can-you-over-skim-tank-54729/

 

[Boomer]

Can u over skim?

No, but lets deal with reality. You would not use a 500 gal skimmer on a 10 gal tank.

 

[1guydude]

i know but u would use it on a 50g if it was all u had! Right?
I like the comment about the skimmer being over rated and just skimming in consistantly kinda off and on.

 

[itche_scratche]

I like 1 size up. If 100 Gal, i prefer 120-150Gal or so Skimmer. Make sure include sump volume also

 

[mojoreef]

Just how manufactures even rate skimmers is all kind of smoke and mirrors anyway. Skimmers HAVE to be rated based on your bioload, a 200 gallon tank with 5 three inch fish is the same as a 30 gallon tank with the same size fish..So???? You also need to keep in mind how much junk/food you throw in the tank also.

In my humble opinion you can not over skim a tank, most of what swims or hangs out in the water column (besides fish) are usually from the dark side: Protozoans, parasites, detritus and so on. So the more of that you get rid of the better off you are. Also adding more airation to system is Never a bad thing.

Mojo

 

[Skimmy]

jesus... are we re-hashing this again??

its simple people....
it depends upon your livestock/system...
do you have softies that want more poo??
do you have sps that want less poo??
do you have a ton of fish making a ton of poo?
do you have minimal fish and minimal poo??
do you have a piece of shyte skimmer because your cheap??
did you put a skimmer with 3000lph air injection on a 50g?

so how you can throw a blanket statement out there like "you cant overskim" just doesnt wash..

what you guys are trying to actually say is that you cant skim more nutrients than are available to skim,
but what you fail to address is how this effects the livestock,
and if some livestock are not getting what they need because it is being removed by the skimmer,
then IMO, you are over skimming.

for example,
i modify the lighting and filtration to accomodate the main theme of livestock in my system,
as do most people...
you wouldnt do this unless there were innapropriate levels of lighting or filtration, going in both directions.

GRANTED, in most scenarios, people are cheap, and there isnt enough lighting or filtration,
usually the problem isnt the other way around.
most systems would never suffer from over skimming...
only a system very minimally stocked with waste producers, yet has a massive BK skimmer on it,
and also stocked with soft corals that like more waste would suffer from over skimming.
.....but that doesnt mean it cant happen.

 

[1guydude]

lol so skimmy says no but its possible kinda like jumping to the moon possible>?

 

[Skimmy]

is there a particular skimmer your trying to use on a system that you are questioning??
or is this just general inquiry?

 

[1guydude]

just general discussion... im running a 120cone and a 150bmk on my 90g system now though.

 

[1guydude]

kinda testing

 

[Skimmy]

NOT overskimming...

 

[pandora32]

I have to agree with skimmy. I took his advice about air draw and bubble contact time, and i got a skimz skimmer. I have a mixed reef and my skimmer "says" 800g sps. I have a 265g total system volume, feed heavy, 4 tangs including a 12+" naso, counting my tangs, i have 18a fish. This skimmer is just right for MY system but may be to small/big for someone elses. IMO

 

[mojoreef]

so how you can throw a blanket statement out there like "you cant overskim" just doesnt wash..

what you guys are trying to actually say is that you cant skim more nutrients than are available to skim,
but what you fail to address is how this effects the livestock,
and if some livestock are not getting what they need because it is being removed by the skimmer,
then IMO, you are over skimming.

Not really skimmy. If you look at any reef tank set up your going to find a few things that are common through out. One is that most all have LR and if you do so it is going to be constantly producing bacterial flock/detritus, also if you have a reef tank you are going to be feeding the fish (if you have 1 fish or 10) considering that they only take 10% of what they eat into their matrix that leaves 90% of what you feed as detritus and similar. Your skimmer, no matter if it is crappy or fantastic is only going to remove what is in the water column that happens to pass through it, and then only what it happens to capture in any form (dissolved, particulate and so on). Now if you want to take it any further then you can look to both dissolved and particulate nutrients being discharged from your sand and so on.

You can never guarantee that a coral or critter is getting everything it needs in regards to food/detritus no matter what or how much you feed, their are to many other factors that can come into play, so all you can really do is increase or decrease the odds. Regardless tough argument to make.


Mojo