Can you ever have to much skimmer

[snake1]

I'm in the process of building a 60 cube and I'm wondering if I can avoid filter socks by using a larger skimmer and a powerhead to keep the sumps detritus in suspension and then sucked up by the skimmer. Can you ever have to much skimmer and why? My guess is to always have the cleanest water for sps, so it just so happens I own a huge skimmer and can make this fit and work is there any harm or foul. It sounds crazy but the skimmer I have in mind is one for a 200 gallon heavy load, I plan on a heavy sps dominant tank. I plan on only keeping small fish wrasses and chromis or anthias. Please I'm open to your suggestions thanks

 

[jaylensdad06]

That would Def be considered over kill...but I don't see y not...when there is nothing to skim it won't skim and when there is it will....probly not the most efficient way to keep the water clean but Def no harm....and Def will keep the tank oxegenated and easier to keep a higher ph

 

[JonezNReef]

+1
I think it will work. I had a 120g skimmer on a 40g B and didn't feed the tank as much and often as a anthias is usually fed.

 

[Reefpilot11]

My skimmer was down for about 3 weeks and in that time my sps have never looked better. Granted I did stop vodka dosing in that timeframe too and haven't started it again since having it back online.

 

[BobbyV]

My skimmer was down for about 3 weeks and in that time my sps have never looked better. Granted I did stop vodka dosing in that timeframe too and haven't started it again since having it back online.

I stopped Vodka dosing and my SPS and general tank health has improved.

I have a 300DD with a 40 gallon refugium dedicated for Chaeto and 6 Bio Pure Media blocks. Chaeto does work if you can grow enough of it.

Running a SRO 5000 INT with two 2.5 inch neck extenders. Which transforms the bubble contact area to a SRO 6000 INT. The Bubble Blaster pumps have been incredibly reliable.

I do not run GFO.

I run a cup of ROX 0.8 once a month

Phosphates are .05

PH 8.35 - 8.40

No algae in the display tank of any kind.

BRS Reef Savers Rocks (Pukani always leached phosphates for years.)

Helpful video on skimming performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX_I2Bot1J0

 

[snake1]

I stopped Vodka dosing and my SPS and general tank health has improved.

I have a 300DD with a 40 gallon refugium dedicated for Chaeto and 6 Bio Pure Media blocks. Chaeto does work if you can grow enough of it.

Running a SRO 5000 INT with two 2.5 inch neck extenders. Which transforms the bubble contact area to a SRO 6000 INT. The Bubble Blaster pumps have been incredibly reliable.

I do not run GFO.

I run a cup of ROX 0.8 once a month

Phosphates are .05

PH 8.35 - 8.40

No algae in the display tank of any kind.

BRS Reef Savers Rocks (Pukani always leached phosphates for years.)

Helpful video on skimming performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX_I2Bot1J0

Nice video it makes sense. Thanks Bobby

 

[snake1]

I stopped Vodka dosing and my SPS and general tank health has improved.

I have a 300DD with a 40 gallon refugium dedicated for Chaeto and 6 Bio Pure Media blocks. Chaeto does work if you can grow enough of it.

Running a SRO 5000 INT with two 2.5 inch neck extenders. Which transforms the bubble contact area to a SRO 6000 INT. The Bubble Blaster pumps have been incredibly reliable.

I do not run GFO.

I run a cup of ROX 0.8 once a month

Phosphates are .05

PH 8.35 - 8.40

No algae in the display tank of any kind.

BRS Reef Savers Rocks (Pukani always leached phosphates for years.)

Helpful video on skimming performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX_I2Bot1J0

Do you use filter socks?

 

[BobbyV]

Do you use filter socks?

No sir, I do not run filter socks.

My skimmer is in the same chamber as the drains, so the water is somewhat turbulant.

My skimmer sucks up what it can and at each water change, it only takes me 10 to 15 seconds syphoning out the chamber where my water drains in the sump.

I ran socks for the first 6 months with my first reef ready drilled tank. Back in 2010.

I couldn't understand how people put up with changing them out every 3 days, then going through the effort of cleaning them. They are a great filter, but for me too much work.

To each their own. I think having socks and sand are simply a challenge to deal with long term.

At the end of the day:

I simply tune in the dosing pumps, put the Neptune to work, wipe down the glass and skimmer weekly, replenish my 36 gallon ato ro tank every 10 days and perform a 15% general water change monthly with cheap IO salt (purple box). Replace a cup of Rox 8.0 monthly and maybe cut back some chaeto.

Enjoying the hobby for what it is and make it as simplistic as possible. My goal is to stick around long term and not become burnt out.

 

[robthorn]

I run socks and skim. 1ml no3po4x a day.
Undetectable no3
.02 or less po4
This reminds me I need to cut back to 1/2 a ml.

Million ways to do it right.
I don't like a nasty sump or cheato.

 

[laserjim]

Million ways to do it right.
I don't like a nasty sump or cheato.

I'm with u on that !

 

[snake1]

I'm going to try to have a clean sump this time and no cheato or fuge.

 

[nitr8]

I ran a Alpha 250 on my 90 gallon for years. It's definitely not the most efficient way to go but it worked for me. I ended up trading it for a smaller one only because I wanted more room in my sump for other equipment. By that time the tank was so established it was pretty much an ecosystem and mechanical filtration was more of a fail safe than anything.

Not that a believe the oversize skimmer was key to my success, rather shows it works. Here's a picture of my tank when I had the extra large skimmer:

 

[ReefKeeper64]

You actually can have too much skimmer. If too large, it will over clean to the point that skimmate foam production will decline too much. You end up with a yoyo effect with overproduction and then underproduction. That is per Royal-Exclusiv support.