Mariette
Valuable Member
This seems, like so much else in this hobby, a controversial topic in that ppl disagree if it’s a thing or not. So...is it? What do u think? Found older threads. Hoping for a fresh perspective:)
Over skimming a thing?
- Thread starter Mariette
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I am new to reefing and just getting my system up and cycling so sorry if this is a dumb question...but what is "over skimming"? im having an issue now, after adding my dry rock aqua scape (approx. 110lbs) my skimmer is on over drive and producing a constant wet skim that I had to adjust for by making a taller stand so I could control it.
Hemmdog
10K Club member
Wet skimming is over skimming. Good call raising your skimmer, how is it doing now?
Fiesty
Active Member
One thing running a saltwater reef tank has tought me, IMHO, is to always work the middle ground.
"Should i run an oversized skimmer or go skimmerless?" Why choose, just run a light skim. "Should I dose either kalk or 2 part?" Why not do what i do and dose both. At a medium rate ...... of course. "Should i run UV 100 % or not at all?" I run my uv on only part of the return water to my tank. I think that should explains my stance, lol. But the short answer for a reef tank with corals is yes, u can overskim. Fish only, probably not and skim away but i dont actaully have personal experience here. Only with reef.
"Should i run an oversized skimmer or go skimmerless?" Why choose, just run a light skim. "Should I dose either kalk or 2 part?" Why not do what i do and dose both. At a medium rate ...... of course. "Should i run UV 100 % or not at all?" I run my uv on only part of the return water to my tank. I think that should explains my stance, lol. But the short answer for a reef tank with corals is yes, u can overskim. Fish only, probably not and skim away but i dont actaully have personal experience here. Only with reef.
So since I have raised the skimmer, literally right to the bubble baffle (about 4" deep) its balanced out as of now...with the gate slightly past half open. It was running stable at recommended elevation for several days since I started the system, so i'm thinking the rock from the aqua scape had some bad things in it?
...I do have to close the gate slightly periodically so the skim is at the top of the neck so I think that means its balancing out. I'm thinking once I adjust the gate to "almost closed" and not able to get the foam to the top of the neck would be a good sign that I could move it back down to normal height and open the gate back up again??
stacksoner
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If one "wet skims" and can easily fill a 5 gallon bucket with transparent green water, is this an example of pointless overskimming?
Hemmdog
10K Club member
Sounds like it.
I wouldn't say wet skimming is overskimming as overskimming traditionally referenced removal of trace elements and such which wasn't really found to be the case exactly. Wet skimming will remove more organics and do it faster but take more of the aquarium water with it, if that is a concern. No reef was amazing or garbage based off how wet or dry the skimmate is though. Most seem to skim dry because it's more satisfying to see, which is fine, doesn't seem to really matter.
However overskimming can also be used to describe getting a skimmer drastically oversized for the tank, and this isn't a good thing. If the neck size is very large for the bioload it takes a long time to develop a foam head, then it will skim nice for a while and die back down. If you adjust the level higher during this time then you get an overflowing skimmer. These situations the huge skimmer is performing worse than an appropriate sized skimmer.
However overskimming can also be used to describe getting a skimmer drastically oversized for the tank, and this isn't a good thing. If the neck size is very large for the bioload it takes a long time to develop a foam head, then it will skim nice for a while and die back down. If you adjust the level higher during this time then you get an overflowing skimmer. These situations the huge skimmer is performing worse than an appropriate sized skimmer.
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