Skimmer for 42g Cadlights

[jdpeters]

i have a 2.5 year old 42g lightly stocked mix reef with 2 small fish. Incredibly small bio load. I got my RO classic 110 int broken in and running but it's not very effective. It's rated for a heavy bio load 90 or light 130~ if I remember correctly.
I believe I have it tuned it but it's pulling only a little bit and the skimmate is a dirty tan color.
Is that mostly due to my low bio load and it being rated for a much larger aquarium at least twice the volume of mine? It is pulling but am I wasting my time? Should I plan on increasing my fish load and feedings or just run it as it is?
I know this topic has been beat to hell but I'm still learning. After close to 3 years of reef keeping I recently became more passionate about husbandry and learning to do things more in line with what works.
Let me know what you guys think.
Should I consider to trade down to a more appropriate skimmer?

 

[FartyParty]

I run the reef octopus 110 on a 50 gallon cube on external mode off a manifold. The skimmate it pulls is so thick, it rivals any human diaper I’ve seen. And having been through diapers of two young children, I now refer to this process as “changing the tank diaper”. I would refer to my tanks bio load as heavy.

 

[jdpeters]

External mode meaning it's not in the sump?

 

[jdpeters]

I might try feeding heavy and seeing what it does. I'm testing for 0 nitrate and phosphate currently but have hair algae so I don't want to add to it but now I'm curious

 

[jdpeters]

Anyone else want to weigh in?

 

[FartyParty]

External mode meaning it's not in the sump?

Correct, it’s plumbed with a 1” tube from the manifold and drains directly back into the sump via another 1” tube. The recirculating valve is set to “high”. I really need to do a build thread one of these days.