Skimmer too big?

[wildman926]

It has to do with neck size. When skimmers are working tanks smaller than they are rated for, there is not enough of a bioload to constantly produce skim. So, it sits there idle, until enough doc is obtained to overflow into the cup.

Some run into problems when they set the internal level too high to run wet or get something in the cup, and when the docs are enough to rise, the skimmer starts overflowing, and doesn't stop until the sump level lowers.

The em300 will work just fine on this system, if set up properly IMHO...

 

[ComforablyNumb]

It has to do with neck size. When skimmers are working tanks smaller than they are rated for, there is not enough of a bioload to constantly produce skim. So, it sits there idle, until enough doc is obtained to overflow into the cup.

Sorry, not buying. My experience has shown that the amount of skimmate removed (its efficiency) has nothing to do with neck size..the proteins/etc are still removed to the same degree.

 

[wildman926]

Sorry, not buying. My experience has shown that the amount of skimmate removed (its efficiency) has nothing to do with neck size..the proteins/etc are still removed to the same degree.

That is my experience as well as observance of threads started here on RC as to why their skimmer is overflowing. Do as search here, and you will see for yourself.

When the neck it too large, you end up setting the level up higher in the neck to produce some type of output. Then, when the system takes a dump, the skimmer ends up overflowing. But setting it at the normal level, i.e. halfway down the neck in the cup area, yields no docs.

 

[jason2459]

Do you have proof of this? I have a skimmer rated twice the size of my system and it works like a champ....when its done working, it starts working helping with my PH....

Most skimmer makers way over rate their skimmers. What skimmer do you have?

 

[jason2459]

Do you have proof of this? I have a skimmer rated twice the size of my system and it works like a champ....when its done working, it starts working helping with my PH....

Yes, neck size, body size, pump ratings all can influence a skimmers capacity to produce effective skimmate.

 

[Potatohead]

Sorry, not buying. My experience has shown that the amount of skimmate removed (its efficiency) has nothing to do with neck size..the proteins/etc are still removed to the same degree.

Well, you can believe what you want, and if it works for you that is great.

I had a lengthy discussion with RO about this a couple years ago. They firmly believe neck size matters as well as body size. If the skimmer is too large it will hold the organics in the skimmer (idling) until there is enough there to start to create foam. If you never turn your skimmer off it probably doesn't matter, and if you do the stuff just goes around and gets collected again later anyway.

Personally I prefer to have an appropriately sized skimmer that produces more consistent foam. Now please understand I'm not advocating using a skimmer rated for 100g on a 100g tank with 20 fish, but I don't believe in going a crazy amount the other way either.

 

[ComforablyNumb]

If the skimmer is too large it will hold the organics in the skimmer

I'm really sorry, but again I must disagree. Just because the skimmer body or its neck is big, does not mean that potential skimmate is going back into the tank. It means I think, and my experience lines up with this, it just takes longer to overflow into the cup due to the larger volume of the neck.(ie: it just holds more foam).

As I said in a previous post, I did that actual experiment. Ran a skimmer than was rated double for my tank for a few months, then I got a great deal on a much larger one rated 6 times over, ran that for a couple of months. Same volume/density of skimmate (or very close to it) was removed on a weekly basis by both skimmers.

When I saw those consistent results, I switched back to the smaller one, but only because it was took up less room and was quieter. Certainly not because it removed more skimmate, because it did not. The bigger one was just oversized for the aquarium's protein production rate and the larger volume was not needed.

Cheers, and I enjoy discussions like this. I hope you do as well.

 

[Potatohead]

I'm really sorry, but again I must disagree. Just because the skimmer body or its neck is big, does not mean that potential skimmate is going back into the tank. It means I think, and my experience lines up with this, it just takes longer to overflow into the cup due to the larger volume of the neck.(ie: it just holds more foam).

That's exactly what I said? I even said if you don't turn the skimmer off it doesn't matter, meaning the organics stay inside the skimmer body unless you turn the pump off.

 

[ComforablyNumb]

Well, you can believe what you want, and if it works for you that is great.

Lets just leave it at that, shall we?

 

[Stickboy97]

Thanks for the discussion, always good to get info (that's what this forum is for right).

Having met someone with my same tank, a similar bio load as I have planned, using this same skimmer successfully, helps in my decision.

Right or wrong, if it is working for him it should work for me.

 

[ComforablyNumb]

Hey Stickboy...noticed your avatar. I own a 40 yr old vette myself.

 

[Stickboy97]

Nice! I love the color. I was on the verge of buying a 68-72 when we found out we were having a baby.... so that got put on hold. Still have my 08 C6 though.

 

[sirreal63]

That is my experience as well as observance of threads started here on RC as to why their skimmer is overflowing. Do as search here, and you will see for yourself.

When the neck it too large, you end up setting the level up higher in the neck to produce some type of output. Then, when the system takes a dump, the skimmer ends up overflowing. But setting it at the normal level, i.e. halfway down the neck in the cup area, yields no docs.

This is my experience as well. Back in the day many of us were experimenting heavily with different bodies, necks, air input methods, cfm for body sizes, etc. neck size is crucial for generation of foam that will rise. An effective skimmer balances body, neck and air with the actual amount of skimmable materials.

Many of the "advances" in skimmer tech were create by people on message boards experimenting and sharing their experience.

 

[rtparty]

Many of the "advances" in skimmer tech were create by people on message boards experimenting and sharing their experience.

I think almost all tech in this hobby comes from this. Look at LEDs. The companies use "us" for R&D all the time.

 

[sirreal63]

:thumbsup: