Wet or Dry skimming? There's more to it than simply adjusting the gate valve! | BRStv Investigates

[randyBRS]

When you think of wet or dry skimming, do you just picture the consistency of the skimmate collected in the skimmer collection cup?

Is there a way you can have more control over getting wetter or drier skimmate?

Today, we test out if changing the air draw speed of your skimmer is the best way to finally get the skimmate you desire...and when all is said and done with our BRStv Investigates Protein Skimmers, you just might change the way you tune your skimmer forever!

 

[Westside Guy]

Thanks for the great video. I am confused on one point regarding adjusting the air draw adjustment. I have a Red Sea RSK-300 and unless I totally overlooked it the RSK-300 didn't come with the option of connecting a tube to control the air draw Like you showed at the end of your video. Please clarify.

 

[randyBRS]

Thanks for the great video. I am confused on one point regarding adjusting the air draw adjustment. I have a Red Sea RSK-300 and unless I totally overlooked it the RSK-300 didn't come with the option of connecting a tube to control the air draw Like you showed at the end of your video. Please clarify.

Thanks!

That’s correct, those skimmers do not come with an air adjustment or connections to tie one in. We added those components in order to demonstrate the affect of reducing the air draw on a skinner with a single pump and single pump speed. I would guess that we’d find similar results with other single pump AC skimmers. That’s not to say you can’t adjust them, I just probably would avoid adjusting down to the levels we did.

 

[Westside Guy]

Thanks!

That’s correct, those skimmers do not come with an air adjustment or connections to tie one in. We added those components in order to demonstrate the affect of reducing the air draw on a skinner with a single pump and single pump speed. I would guess that we’d find similar results with other single pump AC skimmers. That’s not to say you can’t adjust them, I just probably would avoid adjusting down to the levels we did.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[robbyg]

I liked the video but the results seemed very unclear.
I think you missed an important step that might be added to the next video.
I would take all the material out of the skimmers and put each into 500ml beaker. Then let them dry out thoroughly in the sun over several days until your left with a dry solid organic substance at the bottom. Weigh each beaker and subtract the beakers empty weight and see how many grams of organics have been skimmed out of the water. I suspect that wet skimming is going to produce a lot less organics.

Some people will rightfully say that some Ammonia and other liquid substances may evaporate out with the water. I would argue that the extra salt that will be left behind from the wet skim will actually skew the results the other way. So if the dry skim is the winner IMHO it is probably even better than the results indicate.

 

[GregDaKeg]

Thanks for the great video. I am confused on one point regarding adjusting the air draw adjustment. I have a Red Sea RSK-300 and unless I totally overlooked it the RSK-300 didn't come with the option of connecting a tube to control the air draw Like you showed at the end of your video. Please clarify.

I put the drain valve on the intake (just to test) it seems to work alot better now.

 

[Westside Guy]

I put the drain valve on the intake (just to test) it seems to work alot better now.

Can you post some closeup shots?

 

[GregDaKeg]

Can you post some closeup shots?

 

[X-37B]

Awesome video as always from you guys.
For me its to many adjustments.
Have you ever done a video on tunze dc skimmers.
I plug mine in turn it on set the dc dial to 30% and it skims with no adjustment needed.
Gets a very thick nasty colored cup.
Turn it off clean the cup every week. Turn it back on and repeat.
They are as close to set and forget that you can get from a skimmer.
I feed 4 times a day and never turn it off.
Very stable repeatable results.
Love it.

 

[Westside Guy]

What did you use to plug the opening on the side of the collection cup that the drain hose had been originally connected to?

 

[randyBRS]

Smart use of the included valve!

 

[GregDaKeg]

Smart use of the included valve!

Thanks Randy. Hook me up with another one! Lol.
My new tank/skimmer/lights/and rock from BRS. Great customer service.