What is Skimmate?

[poormedstudent]

Okay - I know that skimmate it dissolved organic proteins extracted from the water. The darker the skimmate the more concentrated and/or the heavier the organics. But what exactly makes the proteins and why are they deemed unneeded?

I've heard the argument that the ocean produces skimmate at the shore. Well, I grew up in south Florida (the only location with live reefs in the continental U.S.) and there was some foam on the shore, but nothing in proportion to the size of the reefs.

If we take out one cup of skimmate a week from a 30-50 gallon reef tank... well, proportionately, the skimmate from the reefs lining the south Florida coast would be a daily foam bath on the beach. I've seen that once or twice, but it is rare. So where does it all go?

Is there another use that the ocean has for it? Are we taking something out of our tanks that may be needed? Just curious.

Also, what can the skimmate be used for? Could it be used as a fertilizer for plants?

 

[landlord]

The saltwater in skimmate will kill most plants over time. I will defer to someone else regarding how the ocean deals with organic waste.

landlord

 

[mrongi1]

Currents in the water carry the "skimmate" to another shore. Doesn'tt have to end up on the closest one.

 

[poormedstudent]

Yeah, I figured that as well. We have a huge current system off the east coast. But there isn't mass foam deposits very often at beaches around the world that I know of. As I said, occasionally, but not often. Hmmm...

 

[Anemone]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12539863#post12539863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poormedstudent
Yeah, I figured that as well. We have a huge current system off the east coast. But there isn't mass foam deposits very often at beaches around the world that I know of. As I said, occasionally, but not often. Hmmm...

The oceans have a much, much lower concentration of life per volume of water than our tanks, and have phyto- and zooplankton that utilize the organics that we don't have in our tanks.

IOW, less foam, proportionally.

Kevin

 

[wiscsaltwater]

there is actually a ton of skimmate on beaches, they are sort of natures natural protein skimmer, the reason most beach sand is brown is because its filled with detritus from the oceans, thats why people use extreme caution when using natural beach sand for substrate, because its filthy. Also what the previous poster said there is much more life per gallon in our tanks than the ocean has and waste is much more concentratedd and taken out by the skimmer before bacteria has a chance to break it down like the ocean does. long story short just because your not walking in ankle ddeep skimmate on the beach, rest assured its there.

 

[PadresGirl]

It all ends up here...

I don't think these people realize they're frolicking in poop.

 

[paulallen]

I agree with the above posters, but there is actually more life per volume of water in the ocean. IE the singled cell life forms that use the organic waste material and break it down. Our tanks don't produce the multitude of life that is present in the ocean.

 

[wiscsaltwater]

its not even close, i have seen research about it regarding the population in the ocean vs the average reef aquarium, they took samples at a depth of 10 feet from various remote areas of the ocean and the majority of them were void of multi cell life and even scarce in single cell bacteria, whereas even a low sample of an average mature reef tank had thousands of bacteria and multi cell phytoplankton not to mention pods and the like.

Obviously theres more life near the reefs and shorelines but you have to remember...theres ALOT of water out there something like 300 trillion gallons and the majority of it is in the middle of nothing.

 

[paulallen]

Why would the population matter where there is no waste? In areas where there is more waste being produced there is more life to handle the bio-load. I don't see why remote areas would even matter in a situation like this. Also, the abundance of life is in shallower water than 10 feet. According to NASA 60% of the worlds oxygen comes from the ocean. That is a lot of phytoplankton.

 

[poormedstudent]

Okay, this is making more sense now. If I had a 10 gallon reef tank connected to a 500 gallon fuge with a DSB, I might be okay without a skimmer if I didn't do water changes.

 

[wiscsaltwater]

were talking about life per volume, volume is the entire ocean, not select areas where life is concentrated, currents bring everything to the shore, which is what this thread was about at one time.

 

[wiscsaltwater]

Okay, this is making more sense now. If I had a 10 gallon reef tank connected to a 500 gallon fuge with a DSB, I might be okay without a skimmer if I didn't do water changes.

Nah, lol you would still need to do water changes to replace trace elements that your corals would eat, not near as frequent

 

[SeanT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12540279#post12540279 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PadresGirl
frolicking in poop.

Either THAT or "Popsicle Chicken" will be the name of my band if I ever start a band.

 

[justsomeguy]

I know this is sort of a tangent, but I just started my 90G reef tank about 5-6 weeks ago, and holy crap does skimmate stink! I wondered what skimmate would smell like, and OMFG now I know! It smells a lot worse than I thought it would!