To much skimming??

[igadget56]

Is it possible to over skim? I have mainly LPS but the last month or so they started to not open and are shriveling up. The only one That looked good was a candy cane. I have 3 duncans one had 2 heads when I got it and now has over 30, looks terrible. 2 weeks ago I put 2 SPS in and they look great and are growing. The water is very very clear. I think that is the problem. I'm over feeding the fish thought that might help. I also feed reef chilli and Rod's coral food. Can you skim to much?

[igadget56]

Nobody

[bluewater921]

no you cant skim to much just wet skim which is not good .. but what is your water chemistry ?? i would start there .. with the biggest ones like cal mag alk and ph .. let me know ..

[Snookster]

Are you also using gfo, bio pellets, dosing or any other methods of nutrient removal? What's your #s? Bio load? How often do you need to clean your glass? Any algae growing anywhere? There are many possible reasons that can influence your corals health.

I did find that when I removed too many nutrients, my lps and zoas had issues. But that was from other methods than a skimmer. My Duncan will close up for few days sometimes.

When you feed the rods or reef chili, are you direct feeding or just adding to water? Keep feeding your fish a lot (fish poop good). You can always adjust your skimmers output or even turn it off for few days to see what happens.

[bluewater921]

i would like to know his water chemistry .. that would be the best start he could give us ... even your salt gravity level ..

[igadget56]

Cal. 490
Alk 8.3
Mag 1450
Salt 35
ph 8.0
Nitrate 3
Phos. 0.02
125g DT 150g total volume. 225 pounds of live rock. 1" sand bed
Bio load 1 yellow tang 1 Powder blue 1Fox Face 1 Tomini Tang 2 Clowns 1 Damsel.
I was using bio pellets for a while, don't think they did anything. I am only dosing for Alk.
I had to clean the glass every 3 days. Haven't had to clean for a least a week. I have
a ball of cheato tumbling in the fuge. DT lights 12 hours fuge other 12. I feed Reef Chili
Both ways. I have been putting in every day for the past week. I am skimming
pretty dry

[bluewater921]

is that a type-o on your salt ??

[igadget56]

35ppt or 1.026
Thanks for reply

[Snookster]

How big is your chaeto ball? I cut mine in half every couple of weeks.

[igadget56]

It's about the size of a softball but it won't grow.

[ajcanale]

I believe it's very possible to over-skim, and I don't mean skimming "too much." Instead, in the manner that a highly overrated skimmer will not function properly in an undersized tank. IE: 250g rated in a 55g.

Going +1 on rating is usually a good idea though

[James77]

I think it is possible to have an over sized skimmer that will not perform ideally.

As far as actually over skimming the water....yes and no. If you skim to the point of the water being sterile, then yes. But you are feeding quite a bit, so it would be a balance. Try feeding more and see if they improve or if the water is not so clean....

Are you running carbon? Coral can and will have chemical war with each other.

[igadget56]

Thanks for all the help. This is the skimmer I have

http://www.petstore.com/ps_viewitem....scseshopzilla2

I had it skimming a little wet, about a half gallon a week of very dark and very stinky crud. I don't think it's to big because it never stops skimming. I think it's to efficient. I turned it down to almost dry. I am feeding what I normally would think is to much. Pellets
flakes and frozen mysis. Water is a little cloudier and the GSP opened today. I think I lost all my duncans. Is this skimmer over kill.

[A sea K]

Sounds to me like like your skimmer is ideal. I had the same one on my 210 and if anything it was borderline IMO so I'd say perfect for your system.

[igadget56]

One duncan is good and the GSP opened today after 10 days. Thanks everyone
for the help.