Is my skimmer too big?

[Jasongtr]

I have a 65/70 gallon fish only (for the moment) tank, there are 8 fish in it.

I have a clarisea 3000 filter roller and about to start using an algae reactor.

My skimmer is a red sea rsk300, the problem im getting is the skim is always light in colour and very wet, i cleaned it thoroughly recently and its now a fair bit quieter but still skims the same, there was some darker sludge in the cup lid and on the neck cleaner.

I recently watched the brs video where they suggest too big a skimmer is worse than too small, the picture shows the foam head height, i have to run it that high to even get the skim i cutrently see.

Its not even like i dont have nutients as my nitrate sits around 30 currently and was recently approaching 40.

Ive tried having it at three different water levels in the sump and it currently sits right at the factory recommend height, even tried a valve to regulate the air intake.

It's essentially a big airstone right now for all the good its doing

Do i need a smaller skimmer?

 

[ryanjohn1]

Looks fine

 

[Jasongtr]

Looks fine

Clearly its not though is it, every skimmer video ive ever seen shows the slow bubbling of a foam head gently overflowing into the collection cup, this is a wet pot of boiling water effect

 

[Dbichler]

Looks like it needs to be raised a little bit the bubbles are still really small close to the collection cup.

 

[Jasongtr]

Looks like it needs to be raised a little bit the bubbles are still really small close to the collection cup.

Had it a bit lower, had it a bit higher nothing I've done in any combination of skimmer height, air flow dialing the water control in makes any difference, according to red sea this skimmer is suitable for 900 litres fish only, im about a quarter of that and ive got a fleece roller hence the title is the skimmer too big

 

[Dbichler]

More likely is lack of nutrients due to roller. Not much left to skim. It does have some color to it so it is taking out something. Depends on you if you want to continue to use it but I doubt that a different skimmer will change anything.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I have the same skimmer. Set the outside water height to the sticker on the control rod adjuster. From there turn the control rod adjuster all the way down. then slowly turn up the adjuster until you get bubbles at the bottom of the cup. If you skim is too light still turn it down until you are happy a bit at a time. For dark skim it may be days that very little is collected. I run a roller filter also on a 40g

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

Also you can clean the motor and the cup, but not the skimmer body reaction chamber itself or you will be starting from scratch

 

[Jasongtr]

I have the same skimmer. Set the outside water height to the sticker on the control rod adjuster. From there turn the control rod adjuster all the way down. then slowly turn up the adjuster until you get bubbles at the bottom of the cup. If you skim is too light still turn it down until you are happy a bit at a time. For dark skim it may be days that very little is collected. I run a roller filter also on a 40g

Hard to picture but the level is bang on, if i turn the control rod down nothing is collected

 

[peterhos]

LOL I have asked the same question for 20 years now about skimmers. I also have the Red Sea 300 In a 6 month old tank with a dozen zoa, five fish and a few SPS corals. I am now getting a couple of inches of wet dark green liquid from the skimmer every 2 days. I have now learned to adjust the skimmer last of everything when switching return pump and roller mat off and on. Then let more water into the skimmer until you get those bubbles overflowing gently into the cup… at the moment my skimmer and roller mat are both working, but slowly. Keep going with constant adjustments …you’ll get there!

 

[Jasongtr]

More likely is lack of nutrients due to roller. Not much left to skim. It does have some color to it so it is taking out something. Depends on you if you want to continue to use it but I doubt that a different skimmer will change anything.

Nitrates are 32, phosphates .29 its got nutrients

 

[Jasongtr]

LOL I have asked the same question for 20 years now about skimmers. I also have the Red Sea 300 In a 6 month old tank with a dozen zoa, five fish and a few SPS corals. I am now getting a couple of inches of wet dark green liquid from the skimmer every 2 days. I have now learned to adjust the skimmer last of everything when switching return pump and roller mat off and on. Then let more water into the skimmer until you get those bubbles overflowing gently into the cup… at the moment my skimmer and roller mat are both working, but slowly. Keep going with constant adjustments …you’ll get there!

Its a pain in the **** then .... lol

 

[peterhos]

Also, in due course, if you are happy with parameters but think you are overskimming, put the skimmer on a timer, skim at night maybe, and have a quieter tank during the daytime.

 

[Jasongtr]

Also you can clean the motor and the cup, but not the skimmer body reaction chamber itself or you will be starting from scratch

Cleaned the entire thing but only with water no cleaning agents or vinegar etc were used on anything

 

[Jasongtr]

Also, in due course, if you are happy with parameters but think you are overskimming, put the skimmer on a timer, skim at night maybe, and have a quieter tank during the daytime.

Not happy with the parameters, algae reactor will be turned on this week when the chaeto arrives, so theyll be even less for it take out

 

[Mark Goode]

Is it new?

 

[Jasongtr]

Is it new?

No, bought it used a while ago and its been in this tank for just over 2 months

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think its fine and you might be overthinking it.
A 2 month old tank doesn't have much to pull out yet, be patient.
With the bubbles so high, it looks like you are wet skimming. Dry skimming will get darker skimmate.
I've always used oversized skimmers.
BRS is not the king of reef, they are a store trying to encourage you to buy more stuff.

 

[Mark Goode]

No, bought it used a while ago and its been in this tank for just over 2 months

Okay. It was just a thought - my RS skimmer took a while to break in, but that doesn't sound like your problem.

 

[Jasongtr]

I think its fine and you might be overthinking it.
A 2 month old tank doesn't have much to pull out yet, be patient.
With the bubbles so high, it looks like you are wet skimming. Dry skimming will get darker skimmate.rom the
I've always used oversized skimmers.
BRS is not the king of reef, they are a store trying to encourage you to buy more stuff.

Im very new to this and i get the fact brs try and sell stuff but theyd make more money trying to convince people to buy a larger rather than a smaller skimmer.

The tank is only 2 months old granted, the rocks are taken from another tank so are about 8 months old, but maybe ive missed an important thing but surely the bioload and nutrients come fromthe livestock and feeding which will be the same on day 1 as day 1000