We're NOT going back to the old way of tuning a protein skimmer! Testing the BRS 750XXL. | BRStv Investigates

[randyBRS]

This week, we finally test all of our skimmer performance experiments on a real reef tank to answer once and for all if Air =Horsepower!

But wait.... in the next experiment we'll finally find out which type of air flow (dry vs. wet) will remove the MOST organics!

 

[TheHarold]

This week, we finally test all of our skimmer performance experiments on a real reef tank to answer once and for all if Air =Horsepower!

But wait.... in the next experiment we'll finally find out which type of air flow (dry vs. wet) will remove the MOST organics!

Will you be showing everyone how to install the Red Sea reinforcement for the 750xxl?

 

[ppatches24]

Will you be showing everyone how to install the Red Sea reinforcement for the 750xxl?

I think this would be a great video to make. I don't have a RS750xxl but from a consumer's standpoint a company making a video to fix a product is up there is the super cool things a company would do for you. Like they care.

I know BRS cares and is definitely one of the reasons I have my tank. SO SO SO SO many hours of valuable content.

But back to the topic of the skimmer.

I run mine pretty wet at least more wet than dry. Very interested to see.

I don't care really how much is in the waste but I would be very interested in seeing that data be related to coral health.

 

[Titleist]

Is it me or is this entire thing missing a variable? Water height. While I can certainly get a wet skim on max I can also lower water height to move drier skim to the top.

What'd I'd like to see is some sort of analysis on CO2 reduction for those of us scrubbing CO2. Is it more effective to slow down the rate of scrubbed air for longer contact to remove more CO2 or is it better to go full throttle for high air flow when trying to reduce CO2?

 

[randyBRS]

Is it me or is this entire thing missing a variable? Water height. While I can certainly get a wet skim on max I can also lower water height to move drier skim to the top.

What'd I'd like to see is some sort of analysis on CO2 reduction for those of us scrubbing CO2. Is it more effective to slow down the rate of scrubbed air for longer contact to remove more CO2 or is it better to go full throttle for high air flow when trying to reduce CO2?

Great question! If we're talking about water height as it relates to sump water level, the recirculating skimmer is pretty much immune to sump operating depth because of its independent pump design. Since water is pumped into the skimmer with a seperate feed pump and air is controlled by a recirculating air pump, the recirculating style skimmer is unaffected by water operating depth. Check out THIS VIDEO that where we demonstrated that very comparison between the single pump and recirculating pump design.

If we're discussing water level inside the skimmer body, it is true that raising and lowering the water level inside the body can increase or decrease the rate at which we collect skimmate, but after seeing our testing results over the last handful of weeks I would argue that the skimmate collection rate doesn't accurately define "wetter" or "drier" skim.
What we've found in this series of testing skimmers is that the rate of air draw is really the driving force behind creating a true "wet" or "dry" skim.

It seems that wet vs dry skim is primarily related to the velocity of air injected into the skimmer where a slower air flow allows more time for the skimmate foam head to build and as such creates a very "dry" and organically rich foam head. Conversely to that, faster air flow and higher air velocity provides less time for that same foam head to develop and forces larger/wetter bubbles up the skimmer neck much faster (carrying with it more water content up and into the collection cup) which essentially defines a "wet" skim.

Now that we better understand the dynamics of the injected air velocity and how it affects the type of foam produced we can more accurately choose a "drier" or "wetter" skim, then use the water height adjustment (gate valve) to choose the rate we collect it into the cup. Whereas before, most would set their pump to one set speed (particularly applicable to a single speed AC pump) and only make adjustments to the water height in the body, which I would loosely equate to owning a high performance car but only driving it in the first three gears. There's just more potential for control within our skimmers that many of us haven't given a second thought to (including myself until now)!

 

[Titleist]

Jaaaah! Yes I did watch the first video and completely ignored the fact you were using a recirculating skimmer. You did very clearly discuss that. Sorry man.

So you're convinced then that if you crank air but lower water the skim content, even though collected slower due to lower bubble height, skim is wetter when eventually collected than lower air and higher height.

I've got a non rec 200 and I'm gonna go check this out. I've been over skimming for a while now as I currently have some algae I'm dealing with but I need to see this work..

Would be cool if you can think of a way to test the CO2 scrubbing effectiveness thing though. I recirculate that as well and get pretty good longevity out of that method but I don't get the boost into "ideal" range that I'd like. I'd like to make things more difficult by trying to tune both uses of a skimmer at the same time if they'd correlate.

Other than pH readings can you think of a conclusive way to test airflow rate on this function?