Skimmer size debate!!??

[Michael43]

A very reputable vendor on here told me to undersized my skimmer so the tank can have nutrients. I have always thought to oversize the skimmer especially with a lot of fish and sps. I ask because I'm ordering my new DT tomorrow which will be really just sps and fish. Volume with sump will be say 260-280 gallons after rock and minimum sand. I'm trying to choose my skimmer. I plan for a good amount of fish. Does the majority say to oversize it? My thought right now are for a aquamaxx Q5 rated for 300g with heavy bioload. I can save $200 doing the size below which is rated for 240g with heavy load. Love to hear how you guys skimmers are rated against your volume. Thanks for the help

 

[bif24701]

a very reputable vender on here told me to undersized my skimmer do the tank can have nutrients. I have always thought to oversize the skimmer especially with a lot of fish and sps. I ask because I'm ordering my new DT tomorrow which will be really just sps and fish. Volume with sump will be say 260-280 gallons after rock and minimum sand. I'm trying to choose my skimmer. I plan for a good amount of fish. Does the majority say to oversize it? My thought right now are for a aquamaxx Q5 rated for 300g with heavy bioload. I can save $200 doing the size below which is rated for 240g with heavy load. Love to hear how you guys skimmers are rated against your volume. Thanks for the help

Skimmers nowadays are rated pretty close to actual. The thing is if your skimmer is in fact to large it may not perform well. Also if you have other nutrient export systems then you may not need an over sized skimmer.

I have a SRO-5000 on my 180 display, 300g total water. Took a while to build up any nutrient, actually still trying. So my skimmer isn't very consistent only because bioload is really low for this size skimmer.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I need to state that I suffer from Tim the Toolman Taylor syndrome....bigger is always better. I ran an MRC 3 on a 90 gallon tank, and it was the best skimmer I owned....if you could put up with the noise. I don't believe my tank ever suffered from being too clean. JMTC

 

[spspirate]

IMO it's all about nutrient export. You got to find that balance. If I were to load up on fish then I would have to load up on exporting nutrients. I do agree that having available nutrients and balanced parameters is key but how you get there is the question.So I like his idea having available nutrients but you need to stay in that "window" of nutrients without having issues. So undersizing the skimmer could be a good idea for you.

 

[Michael43]

I will be setting up a fugium in the sump as well but that, skimmer and a gfo/gac reactor are my only plans for filtration. I like simple. Maybe a uv

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Every tank is different and skimmer size is dependant on nutrient input and fish stock. I have 400 gallons with three separate tanks and two large skimmers. I have estimated 60 fish which most are not large at all and feed a lot. Skimmers never stop producing. I want very low readable nutrients while feeding heavy. That's my sweet spot. A tank with few fish may need a small skimmer though. That won't work for me...
Bubble king 300 I think it is, and a euro reef 4' tall with two large ehiem needlewheels and three mazzei injectors.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Also depends on your overall goal, for color, growth and stocking.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I personally use on my large system a skimmer that is almost 2x more skimming power, but I feed automatically and by hand for my gorgs. I need the extra nutrient export. On my lps system, I have a skimmer about the rated size. I do more water changes on that system and do not mind a bit of nutrients.

I do agree that skimmer is best based on what you are planning on having in your system and maintenance of that system. If you are a bit lazy on maintenance (as I am on my large tank) then get a larger skimmer. If you are planning on sps (which I did have in my large system when first started it), then get a larger skimmer. If you can keep up with other ways of exporting nutrients and want a bit more nutrients, then you can have a rated skimmer.

Really depends on the tank and needs of you and the animals. IMO get what you can afford, but get the best you can afford. Do not save a buck to then spend it later. Most of us change what we are keeping as time goes on. Better to have good long lasting equipment.

 

[nolaron]

I agree with the above. On my mixed reef, I started running way too clean. I was previously running carbon/gfo/chaeto and doing big weekly water changes. It all caught up with me and corals started declining (LPS first and then SPS). Now I'm mostly SPS, removed my carbon/gfo and only run my skimmer/chaeto while feeding heavy and I STILL can't get nutrients up. I just started the Aquaforest program (without the probiotics because I'm already ULNS) and if I can't start getting some nitrates from that then I will start dosing nitrates. I have a large bio load too.

On my new build coming up when I move I'll be running an oversized skimmer with no chaeto. I'll probably add a couple more fish. I'm hoping between adding to the bio load and removing the chaeto on the new system I'll find the sweet spot.

 

[reefwiser]

Skimmers only remove 30% of TOC no matter how over sized you make them. Just as your bacterial filtration will only be maintained by the amount of food source they have in the water of your tank. It is best to get one that will turn over the your tank water volume at the same rate as your sump so that you are processing all the water thru your skimmer. It is best to add amino acid's to feed your corals than relying on an under sized skimmer to do so. It is better to be in control than out of control.

 

[dankreef]

I've found what others have stated. It just depends on how many fish you have versus your water levels. On my new tank I was 0 N&P so I cut the skimmer all together to build up some. Then I turned it back on and it ripped everything out of water. So now I'm trying a 12 on and 12 hours off with skimmer. You just have to find the right spot to have levels you like to keep.

 

[madweazl]

Skimmers only remove 30% of TOC no matter how over sized you make them. Just as your bacterial filtration will only be maintained by the amount of food source they have in the water of your tank. It is best to get one that will turn over the your tank water volume at the same rate as your sump so that you are processing all the water thru your skimmer. It is best to add amino acid's to feed your corals than relying on an under sized skimmer to do so. It is better to be in control than out of control.

Can you provide some more information on the subject in bold (or point me in the right direction)? Currently, my skimmer (Bubble Magus Curve 5) will be working well and then just all but stop pulling skimmate for an extended period (up to roughly half a day). I'm trying to isolate what may be causing this (the skimmer is finicky to tune but the current settings seem to perform best, that is, when it performs).

 

[dankreef]

Water level or neutrient level in water will change your skimmers out put

 

[madweazl]

Water level or neutrient level in water will change your skimmers out put

The water level is constant. The nutrient level I'm sure is not; though we feed three times a day, the amount does change to some degree and the amount of macro algae present in the refugium changes as well.

 

[bif24701]

Every tank is different and skimmer size is dependant on nutrient input and fish stock. I have 400 gallons with three separate tanks and two large skimmers. I have estimated 60 fish which most are not large at all and feed a lot. Skimmers never stop producing. I want very low readable nutrients while feeding heavy. That's my sweet spot. A tank with few fish may need a small skimmer though. That won't work for me...
Bubble king 300 I think it is, and a euro reef 4' tall with two large ehiem needlewheels and three mazzei injectors.

Geeeebus, how efficient is that thing?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I dose 50+ ml of vinegar and 50+ ml of vodka a day which seems to help keep it running well. I feed a LOT of food. I get maybe five gallons of skim every two or three weeks just from the euro reef. The bk skimmer runs to a drain so I am not sure how much I get. Plus I run the bk dry and the euro reef wet. I feed about a 1/4 cup of frozen food thawed daily.

 

[dankreef]

The water level is constant. The nutrient level I'm sure is not; though we feed three times a day, the amount does change to some degree and the amount of macro algae present in the refugium changes as well.

Everyone has their own ways so there's no wrong way but I don't like algae personally because it's a Variable to me on how much it's taking out more over time and what time (dark ? Who knows) when it grows . I like to just have water changes and or going for export so it's always the same.

 

[reefwiser]

Can you provide some more information on the subject in bold (or point me in the right direction)? Currently, my skimmer (Bubble Magus Curve 5) will be working well and then just all but stop pulling skimmate for an extended period (up to roughly half a day). I'm trying to isolate what may be causing this (the skimmer is finicky to tune but the current settings seem to perform best, that is, when it performs).

Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance by Ken S. Feldman, Kelly M. Maers
Elemental Analysis of Skimmate: What Does a Protein Skimmer Actually Remove from Aquarium Water? by Ken S. Feldman

 

[Bps619]

I have a vertex 180i on my 120 gallon sps tank. I feed 5 times a day and my corals look nice. High export and fat butt fish

 

[madweazl]

Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance by Ken S. Feldman, Kelly M. Maers
Elemental Analysis of Skimmate: What Does a Protein Skimmer Actually Remove from Aquarium Water? by Ken S. Feldman

Thanks. Second link was a good read and suggests that 30% is even on the high side of reality.