over skimming

[undertcontrolj]

I have been reading in a couple of other threads on RC about over skimming. So I have a couple of questions.
1.) I though that skimming was a good thing so if that is true then how can you over skim.?

2.) If a person is over skimming how can you tell?

3.) What are the effects of over skimming?

Hope this is not a stupid question just curious.

 

[NeveSSL]

If I'm not mistaken, over-skimming is skimming very wet OR its skimming with a skimmer that is very overrated for your tank. And yep, that was my goal.

Brandon

 

[undertcontrolj]

So is there a problem with this?

 

[NeveSSL]

The only problem I can think of is that it is commonly believed that skimming takes good and bad stuff with it. Also, this is going to increase your ATO use and could therefore reduce your salinity over time as it takes salt out, too, if I'm not mistaken.

Brandon

 

[ChrisKirkland]

Well so I am addicted to over skimming in my tanks... and this has caused a tiny problem... I keep SPS corals and they are now turning brown ( I have an Ultra Low Nutrient Tank) zero nitrate and zero phosphate... Since SPS feed off of stuff in the water they are now starving from what I can tell... Not a super bad thing you just need to watch how low you go...

 

[undertcontrolj]

See that is what I was thinking that I have noticed that since I put this skimmer in (thanks to Brandon) I have been having to top off more. But I also was think thinking that I am sure that it pulls out good stuff along with the bad. I am just going to monitor all this stuff on a daily basis and see what I come up with. I hate having to test that much but I just want to se what is going on and how this skimmer is working.

 

[andywe]

In my opinion, setting your skimmer for dry skimming may be a good balance. I do not dose for ultra low nutrients (vodka, ZEOvit, ect), but I have no nitrates and no phosphates. I do however turn off my return pump when I feed, and also turn off my skimmer for 5 minutes after the return pump restarts. The food I give is vitamin fortified so during feeding ample amounts of what is needed can be absorbed, and then afterwards excess can slowly be removed from the tank.

 

[Pickupman66]

I havent skimmed since I dont knwo when. while skimming removes the bad, it also removes the good as said earlier. it takes alot of water in a wet skim and it is most generally recomended to do a dryer skim.
when i did skim, it was usually a pretty rank slurry. dark green and stinky.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Seems this topic has been discussed ad nauseum In numerous threads, That being said anyone who wants me to save the skimate my skimmer removes on a daily basis and I'd like to see If anybody would dump that In their tank? I don't think so!!! Also the notion of It removing Good things, Would you please list all the good things they remove! I'll tell you that they do remove DOC from the water colum that no other means of filtration ( Avaiable to hobbiest) can do. DOC= Dissolved Organic Coumpounds.

 

[supertech99]

Hey bill, Have you ever tested your skimmate before? I think that would be a cool idea. I am sure people wonder how much junk is in that stuff! I also need to get with you soon on some filtration suggestions for my new tank (my 55 broke!). I will be starting a thread on my lattest woes next week with almost a disaster pics!

 

[poolkeeper1]

Not sure that's something I can do, But a sample could be sent to a lab for a looky see!! I will contact people smarter than myself to see what they think about that. Would be very Interesting to see the results.

 

[sandalscout]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14975097#post14975097 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by supertech99
Hey bill, Have you ever tested your skimmate before? I think that would be a cool idea. I am sure people wonder how much junk is in that stuff! I also need to get with you soon on some filtration suggestions for my new tank (my 55 broke!). I will be starting a thread on my lattest woes next week with almost a disaster pics!

haha, that would be pretty cool, I'll give it a shot soon, just to see what all is in it, good and bad.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Sorry to hear about your tank! I'll help In any way I can.

 

[CeeGee]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14972230#post14972230 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ChrisKirkland
Well so I am addicted to over skimming in my tanks... and this has caused a tiny problem... I keep SPS corals and they are now turning brown ( I have an Ultra Low Nutrient Tank) zero nitrate and zero phosphate... Since SPS feed off of stuff in the water they are now starving from what I can tell... Not a super bad thing you just need to watch how low you go...

Do you have any algae in your tank? If so it isn't low nutrient. Usually when you are low nutrient the corals lighten and turn whiter/paler not brown. Brown indicates high nutrients as I understand it.

Not trying to start any arguments. Just stating what I have read numerous times and have experienced myself.

 

[NeveSSL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14975326#post14975326 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poolkeeper1
Not sure that's something I can do, But a sample could be sent to a lab for a looky see!! I will contact people smarter than myself to see what they think about that. Would be very Interesting to see the results.

In particular, I've always been curious as to how much salt comes out with skimming. IE, how much skimming over time affects our specific gravity.

Brandon

 

[poolkeeper1]

Depends how wet you skim, your waste container will tell you how much salt water your losing. Versus how much fresh water your ATO puts back In. I just adjust for the difference during water changes. I do not think skimming removes Salt per say.

 

[NeveSSL]

I don't know about you, Bill, but I can't tell just by looking at my waste container how much salt is in it.



:lol:

Brandon

 

[poolkeeper1]

OK Carnak!!! Surrrrrre.

 

[DMBillies]

Brandon- I don't think salt is the main concern necessarily (as in NaCl). I think the main concern (by those who are concerned) is other trace minerals. If you are dosing Ca, Alk, and Mg you are (in theory anyway) only replacing those things. So, some of that stuff coming out as salt in a skimmer is no big thing. However, the only thing replacing other trace elements is water changes. So, skimming out other things might be problematic (in theory).

That said, my main concern having a lot of experience with various set-ups using different sized skimmers is actually pulling out too much of the food that corals feed on which is probably harder to do than you would think. It's also easily compensated for... more food into the tank (and maybe more fish).

In practice, my advice is to go big... you'll either upgrade tanks and won't need to change skimmers, you'll overskim and can just adjust the run-time on the skimmer or skim drier, or your tank will love it and you'll be glad you went big. The only downside is the cost to get a bigger skimmer, but it is a lot cheaper to buy one big skimmer than it is to buy 1 and then have to upgrade... even small skimmers are remarkably expensive.