Reefer Brian
In Memoriam
Is there an official definition of overskimming? Can a skimmer be too large for a system? At what point is overskimming? Or is overskimming a myth? Getting alot of mixed answers in my local forum. Thanks in advance......
Overskimming?
- Thread starter Reefer Brian
- Start date
2thdeekay
New member
I'm not the expert, but I don't think there are official definitions, just guidelines. There's a balance between nutrient import & export, that you'll want to achieve. It's an art, not science.
To a limit, more skimming allows for (& may require) more nutrient input/feedings, & vice versa. You just need to find that balance, I'm still working on it.
To a limit, more skimming allows for (& may require) more nutrient input/feedings, & vice versa. You just need to find that balance, I'm still working on it.
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Reefer Brian,
Wouldn't skimmers by design be self-limiting? I mean, if the skimmer is over sized, it will simply slowly decrease the amount of skimmate being removed until it virtually stops. IMO there is a minimum organic level below which you just won't get proper bubble formation in the skimmer. This level is apparently not below that required by most corals (except perhaps some softies).
Jay
Wouldn't skimmers by design be self-limiting? I mean, if the skimmer is over sized, it will simply slowly decrease the amount of skimmate being removed until it virtually stops. IMO there is a minimum organic level below which you just won't get proper bubble formation in the skimmer. This level is apparently not below that required by most corals (except perhaps some softies).
Jay
witfull
New member
some folks claim overskimming removes trace elements, some say it strips the water of beneficial bacteria, and others claim it creates a "too clean" environment.
the more efficient the skimmer the more it will pull out until, as Jay said, there is nothing left. to get to that point you would need to steadily increase the "wetness" of the foam to remove waste before cohesion is lost and the bubbles burst.
this would result in water loss from the tank as the skimmer is set so wet that once something triggered a waste condition in the tank the skimmer would overflow.
i myself keep my skimmer set for wet foam. but not to wet. somedays it bubbles up without any output,,,,then other days it chugs away for several hours, then calms down.
personally i do not believe you can overskim.
the more efficient the skimmer the more it will pull out until, as Jay said, there is nothing left. to get to that point you would need to steadily increase the "wetness" of the foam to remove waste before cohesion is lost and the bubbles burst.
this would result in water loss from the tank as the skimmer is set so wet that once something triggered a waste condition in the tank the skimmer would overflow.
i myself keep my skimmer set for wet foam. but not to wet. somedays it bubbles up without any output,,,,then other days it chugs away for several hours, then calms down.
personally i do not believe you can overskim.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
hey if your skimmer is too efficient then just start feeding more 
I also do not really believe in 'overskimming' per se. I mean corals love huge water changes that bring the nutrient levels down. sure some corals feed off those nutrients, but if your skimmer is that capable then you can afford to be putting more food in the system.
kind of like playing tug of war with yourself isnt it
Id also make sure to turn off the skimmer for an hour or so after feeding (really personal preference), as well as the return pump for at least a little bit otherwise you will instantly skim it out. as long as the corals have a decent amount of time when there is lots of food in the water I think theyll do fine. remember, reefs are not nutrient poor.... they are nutrient concentrated.
I also do not really believe in 'overskimming' per se. I mean corals love huge water changes that bring the nutrient levels down. sure some corals feed off those nutrients, but if your skimmer is that capable then you can afford to be putting more food in the system.
kind of like playing tug of war with yourself isnt it
Id also make sure to turn off the skimmer for an hour or so after feeding (really personal preference), as well as the return pump for at least a little bit otherwise you will instantly skim it out. as long as the corals have a decent amount of time when there is lots of food in the water I think theyll do fine. remember, reefs are not nutrient poor.... they are nutrient concentrated.
Fishie Nut
Premium Member
Phytoplankton.
Buy it. Grow it. Feed it to your reef. It's the first step on the food chain. IMHP, don't worry about overskimming unless you have a tank full of very hungry softies.
Buy it. Grow it. Feed it to your reef. It's the first step on the food chain. IMHP, don't worry about overskimming unless you have a tank full of very hungry softies.
little_squid
In Memoriam
i am testing this right now somewhat
my 120 is being skimmed by 2 asm g4x and i just added a aquac 240 last week!
was expecting that the aqua wouldnt have much to pull out but after dialing it in i am getting just as much as the 2 asms
my 120 is being skimmed by 2 asm g4x and i just added a aquac 240 last week!
was expecting that the aqua wouldnt have much to pull out but after dialing it in i am getting just as much as the 2 asms
little_squid
In Memoriam
if it smells like crap it must be poo lmao
As far as i know most of what the skimmer pulls out is plankton and the rest is organic sediment, suspended waste products and just about anything that attracts to air bubbles and gets inside of it.
Plankton is one of the food sources of corals and probably is the most important food source for them.
How much of it can you pull out? That depends on the effectiveness of your skimmer setup - the skimmer itself and the ability of plankton to get inside of it. Over skimming would mean in this case that you remove too much plankton and any of the animals in your tank begin to starve.
The same goes to organic sediment and suspended waste - if you have animals which require them as a food source and you export too much of that food source you will get over skimming.
Now it is possible that the skimmer exports other components vital to the animals you keep.
In any case as long as you don't reach the point where any of the inhabitants suffer from excessive nutrient export you will not get over skimming
Plankton is one of the food sources of corals and probably is the most important food source for them.
How much of it can you pull out? That depends on the effectiveness of your skimmer setup - the skimmer itself and the ability of plankton to get inside of it. Over skimming would mean in this case that you remove too much plankton and any of the animals in your tank begin to starve.
The same goes to organic sediment and suspended waste - if you have animals which require them as a food source and you export too much of that food source you will get over skimming.
Now it is possible that the skimmer exports other components vital to the animals you keep.
In any case as long as you don't reach the point where any of the inhabitants suffer from excessive nutrient export you will not get over skimming
little_squid
In Memoriam
i look at it if my macros are still growing in the fuge down stream of 3 skimmers then i am still missing/unskimming something!
also i really dont think any one skimmer can or will strip everything out of the water
also i really dont think any one skimmer can or will strip everything out of the water
GTR
Active member
I'm really not trying to argue. It's just that we have no idea what IS being pulled out. All that brown and stinky might contain more good than bad. It may be that we can more selectively remove those nasties with media such as carbon.
Refugia can process much of the solids we so despise.
I'm not trying to come up with an excuse to not purchase an expensive skimmer, I already have one and from that I've come to the conclusion it's possible to over skim.
Why not feed more?, to that I say why skim so much?
SteveU
Refugia can process much of the solids we so despise.
I'm not trying to come up with an excuse to not purchase an expensive skimmer, I already have one and from that I've come to the conclusion it's possible to over skim.
Why not feed more?, to that I say why skim so much?
SteveU
little_squid
In Memoriam
its all good it still all unknown but ? for you
do you run your skimmer 24/7 now that you feel yours is over skimming just curious
JCTewks
In Memoriam
My thoughts are that corals don't respond to water changes so much because of the nutrient levels goping down (ie. nitrates and phosphates being removed), but respond more to the addition of trace elements in the freshly mixed SW that have been depleted/used up/skimmed out since the last water change.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
ahhh, that is a different way of looking at it and it makes sense.
I guess skimming is one thing, but there will probably never be a substitute for water changes in a closed system. at least not until we significantly further our knowledge about the different trace elements and how they're consumed/skimmed.
I guess skimming is one thing, but there will probably never be a substitute for water changes in a closed system. at least not until we significantly further our knowledge about the different trace elements and how they're consumed/skimmed.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Overskimming is very real and possible. Using some of the other 'low nutrient' methods with a high-efficiency skimmer can result in no food for your corals. Just by dosing ethanol I killed my chaeto because i dropped my levels too low for it to even grow. So there is that definition... the point where you have removed TOO MUCH.
There is also the definition of overskimming which is simply when the skimmer (often too large for the system) simply runs out of stuff to skim, so the foam head doesnt even form.
There is also the definition of overskimming which is simply when the skimmer (often too large for the system) simply runs out of stuff to skim, so the foam head doesnt even form.
