Skimmer size in relation to running clarisea filter roller mat

Calvin · Mar 16, 2022

Needing some help here. Originally I set up a Reef Octopus regal 250-INT skimmer, but since I have (as of Feb 28th) changed from filter socks to a clarisea SK-5000 gen3 and no matter what I do as far as tuning the skimmer gives me good results with the skimate. It barely produ es anything. So I was just wondering if anyone else has had this experience with running a roller mat has had this experience as well. Even when I open the bypass it barely skims.

I guess basically what my question is, do I need to downsize the skimmer to get it to actually start pulling nitrates out and getting skimmate again.

My stocking is pretty decent. I have a waterbox reef 220.6 and have 18 fish in there now and I'm going to be adding 4 more fish once they are done with qt. So I have to feed pretty heavy and frequently.

Thanks in advance!

Brucealmighty · Mar 16, 2022

I have had the same experience with my skimmer, after the installation of my bubble magus fleece roller the skimmer activity was halved or more, if you are getting zero skimmate in the cup then it might be worth checking that the skimmer is in deep enough water, I had to move my skimmer to a deeper compartment in my sump to get it to work better, then I had zero phosphate and nitrates readings and caused a new headache, so I lifted the fleece roller a notch or 2 and it then causes the float switch to be activated less often and gives the roll a bit more life too at just under 2 months, hope that helps somewhat.

Calvin · Mar 17, 2022

Brucealmighty said:
I have had the same experience with my skimmer, after the installation of my bubble magus fleece roller the skimmer activity was halved or more, if you are getting zero skimmate in the cup then it might be worth checking that the skimmer is in deep enough water, I had to move my skimmer to a deeper compartment in my sump to get it to work better, then I had zero phosphate and nitrates readings and caused a new headache, so I lifted the fleece roller a notch or 2 and it then causes the float switch to be activated less often and gives the roll a bit more life too at just under 2 months, hope that helps somewhat.

I do get skimmate but barely anymore. And as far as the depth goes I couldn't have done it better myself the water height is actually right at the the depth that reef octopus recommends for my sump (7-8 1/2") and it sitting at 8". And for the fleece roller I have it at the highest notches it can go. No matter what I do with the skimmer it just produces what would be comparable to a rolling boil with the bubbles. And never skims consistently throughout the day. Only in the afternoon time and night. But nitrates just stay exactly where they are never change unfortunately. I'm honestly at a loss. Lol

Calvin · Mar 17, 2022

Well upon fiddling with it I think I finally figured it out. I think she wants to run full speed like a mustang in an open field with limited air via a ball valve. But we'll see if it keeps it up or ends up falling flat on its face again.

Brucealmighty · Mar 18, 2022

Sounds like a plan, hope it works, I will add that my skimmer was already broke in so maybe that made a difference, I have a C5 on a 725 litre tank but I did a rough calculation and when I got the skimmer I went with the 500 litre per hour, so I guess that is also making a difference with its operating because mine is on full wack, gate fully open, it seems we have to take another variable into account and that's just like dna everyone's tank runs different.

Calvin · Mar 18, 2022

Brucealmighty said:
Sounds like a plan, hope it works, I will add that my skimmer was already broke in so maybe that made a difference, I have a C5 on a 725 litre tank but I did a rough calculation and when I got the skimmer I went with the 500 litre per hour, so I guess that is also making a difference with its operating because mine is on full wack, gate fully open, it seems we have to take another variable into account and that's just like dna everyone's tank runs different.

Yeah I agree. That's what makes this hobby difficult at times is that what worked for o e person probably isn't going to work for the next. And the weirdest part about the skimmer is that I had it up and running for probably se where around 2-4 months and everything was working great had it tuned properly and everything. Well long story short I ended up with diatoms and was told to use microbacter clean ( not realizing I was depleting all nitrates and phosphates with that), they wouldn't go away until one day some one told me you need nitrates and phosphates in order to chat the diatoms. So I turned of the skimmer for 5-6 months and fed moderately as my fish stocking wasn't too heavy at the time and started getting rid of the diatoms. Well they finally disappeared and I decided to finally turn the skimmer on again (this was well before the clatisea being installed) and ever since that just never would skim properly it seemed. But hopefully with the ball valve to control air it will solve my issues with it.

On a side note I got to looking at my skimmer online and on brs it says it's rated for a 250 gallon with heavy fish stocking an bio load but upon looking at reef octopus website they say 300 gallons (which I know in this hobby 50 gallons isn't much) so now questioning if my ser has been oversized the whole time. That would suck because they are not cheap! And they've gone up since I bought mine last year by almost $100! Lol. Gotta love inflation!