When is my skimmer "DIALED IN?"

RussC · 11/19/2017, 10:03 AM

I have a Reef Octopus Regal 150ENT skimmer. My tank is three months old. I get a little skimmate every once in a while. But I 'feel' like there should be more. But how do I know?

I have followed some suggestions to adjust the outflow so that the crest of the bubbles tend to remain at or around the cone of the skimmer. I have a build up of crud there. I'll clean it. Don't really see a difference in skimmate when its clean or not.

88 gallong display, 112 gallon system. In short, I now have enough life in the aquarium that I'm finally beginning to see a small reduction in parameters between my two week water changes. I feel as though I should be getting more skimmate. For you experienced reefers, I'm hoping that will give you some sort of benchmark.

BlueMoods · 11/19/2017, 10:19 AM

I use a different skimmer but, it does use a venturi pump. Whether right or wrong, I adjust mine until after two hours of running, there is foam coming over the top and, into the collection cup. In general as much air as you can give it without having any large bubbles, keeping them all 0.45 inch diameter or smaller and, get foam coming over the top after a couple of hours.

Assuming you aren't over feeding and, have a fairly light bioload in the tank, you may see as little as 0.25 inches of waste collected per week. I've got a decent bioload on my tanks so, I empty the skimmer collection cups twice a week with about 0.75 inches of waste in them. All of my tanks are sump free setups.

RussC · 11/19/2017, 10:25 AM

That helps. I really just don' know what I should really expect.

Sk8r · 11/19/2017, 12:39 PM

Not much for 3 months. After a year, you should start to see a larger effect.

mcgyvr · 11/19/2017, 05:57 PM

You basically decide how much you want... (wet or dry skimmate)
I can easily adjust to pull a full skimmer cup load (being very wet..tea like color/consistency) in a single day to pulling out a just small bit less than 1/8th the cup in a week (dry/tar like.. uber stinky)..
I usually shoot for the middle and pull maybe a skimmer cup every week..

If you want more simply close the drain hole on it some.. The bubble level should rise and you will likely get wetter but more skimmate by volume..

Dr RBG · 11/20/2017, 07:01 PM

The dry stuff is concentrated; the wet dilute. but do they contain the same amount of stuff if the water was evaporated? Or is one better than the other?

Thanks

mcgyvr · 11/20/2017, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr RBG

The dry stuff is concentrated; the wet dilute. but do they contain the same amount of stuff if the water was evaporated? Or is one better than the other?

Thanks

And how many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?

The world may never know...

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php#21

Uncle99 · 11/24/2017, 08:27 PM

What is called "dry skim" usually is dark and smelly, lot of crap, little water.
Wet skim is the opposite, lot of water, little crap.
What comes out is a derivative of what goes in....in terms of DOC.....if DOC is low then skim is low......
You can start by setting on the lowest flow....wait a week.....turn up a bit.....wait a week....until you get dark smelly foam.....then stop....I get the same result every week, exactly 4 cups of crap every 7 days..

AlSimmons · 11/25/2017, 01:31 PM

IME with a skimmer it's always a different song. It/they work, but there is a ceiling and a floor. As long as everything looks good though just try to stay within the "range" so to say. GL. (watch that SG)

11/19/2017, 10:03 AM	#1
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	When is my skimmer "DIALED IN?" I have a Reef Octopus Regal 150ENT skimmer. My tank is three months old. I get a little skimmate every once in a while. But I 'feel' like there should be more. But how do I know? I have followed some suggestions to adjust the outflow so that the crest of the bubbles tend to remain at or around the cone of the skimmer. I have a build up of crud there. I'll clean it. Don't really see a difference in skimmate when its clean or not. 88 gallong display, 112 gallon system. In short, I now have enough life in the aquarium that I'm finally beginning to see a small reduction in parameters between my two week water changes. I feel as though I should be getting more skimmate. For you experienced reefers, I'm hoping that will give you some sort of benchmark. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17 Last edited by RussC; 11/19/2017 at 10:23 AM.

11/19/2017, 10:25 AM	#3
RussC Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Gulfport (Mississippi Gulf Coast) Posts: 1,405	That helps. I really just don' know what I should really expect. __________________ When a habit begins to cost money, it's called a hobby! Current Tank Info: Red Sea Reefer XL 425 Alive and Kick'n BOD 8-29-17 Last edited by RussC; 11/19/2017 at 10:35 AM.

11/19/2017, 12:39 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Not much for 3 months. After a year, you should start to see a larger effect. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

11/19/2017, 05:57 PM	#5
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	You basically decide how much you want... (wet or dry skimmate) I can easily adjust to pull a full skimmer cup load (being very wet..tea like color/consistency) in a single day to pulling out a just small bit less than 1/8th the cup in a week (dry/tar like.. uber stinky).. I usually shoot for the middle and pull maybe a skimmer cup every week.. If you want more simply close the drain hole on it some.. The bubble level should rise and you will likely get wetter but more skimmate by volume.. __________________ Who me?

11/19/2017, 10:19 AM	#2
BlueMoods Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: Arkansas Posts: 32	I use a different skimmer but, it does use a venturi pump. Whether right or wrong, I adjust mine until after two hours of running, there is foam coming over the top and, into the collection cup. In general as much air as you can give it without having any large bubbles, keeping them all 0.45 inch diameter or smaller and, get foam coming over the top after a couple of hours. Assuming you aren't over feeding and, have a fairly light bioload in the tank, you may see as little as 0.25 inches of waste collected per week. I've got a decent bioload on my tanks so, I empty the skimmer collection cups twice a week with about 0.75 inches of waste in them. All of my tanks are sump free setups.

11/20/2017, 07:01 PM	#6
Dr RBG Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: New England Posts: 163	The dry stuff is concentrated; the wet dilute. but do they contain the same amount of stuff if the water was evaporated? Or is one better than the other? Thanks

11/24/2017, 08:27 PM	#8
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	What is called "dry skim" usually is dark and smelly, lot of crap, little water. Wet skim is the opposite, lot of water, little crap. What comes out is a derivative of what goes in....in terms of DOC.....if DOC is low then skim is low...... You can start by setting on the lowest flow....wait a week.....turn up a bit.....wait a week....until you get dark smelly foam.....then stop....I get the same result every week, exactly 4 cups of crap every 7 days..

11/25/2017, 01:31 PM	#9
AlSimmons Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: California Posts: 2,482	IME with a skimmer it's always a different song. It/they work, but there is a ceiling and a floor. As long as everything looks good though just try to stay within the "range" so to say. GL. (watch that SG)