skimmer size

Mike,

FWIW, I use the SC150, I think now they call it the SC303, or something like that.

It was the Atman 2500 pump with a pinwheel, etc.

It skims my 125 well, and it's in my sump.

I have had to clean the air intake hose that goes to the venturi, other than that, it's worked well.

About 20 months ago, it cost me $95 shipped to my door- New!

 

Even when a skimmer is oversize, it does not mean that it will create a ULN tank, but it will still pull out the available nutrients. This does not mean a smaller skimmer will be more effective, but rather the efficiencies change. The larger skimmer will be less consistent but might still pull out more skimmate than a smaller skimmer.


To overskim, the skimmer must be oversized. If a skimmer has stripped to many organics out of the water, then there is not enough for it to build a head. A skimmer, based on the physical properties in which it is required to keep skimming (a certain nutrient availability) and the issue that a skimmer is really only able to reduce organics between 12-40% (numbers I have seen tossed around)... it is extremely difficult for even the best skimmer to strip all nutrients from the tank.

Now ULN tanks are different... so do not assume them to be the same as overskimming. ULN tanks have a host of other issues that also depend on the bioload, coral stocking, flow, feeding, dosing and the like. A system with not enough organics is a problematic system... but skimmers are not really able to get to that stage by themselves, regardless of size. Only the most dirty loving corals might be slightly annoyed with overskimming, but overskimming is definitely not a coral lethal practice.
F.D.

 

ThanksTodd. I will definitely check that one out

 

I realize this is old, but for the sake of discussion.... one thing I want to mention... when tank size is mentioned, it is all the water volume in the entire system. Because we move all that water and it is available for use. But when the system is off... the only thing available for the inhabitants is the water in the display tank.

What "size" is about is about is how much oxygen the water can hold... and warm salt water does not hold a lot... comparatively. So the number of inhabitants we can keep are limited not by "size", but by available oxygen.

It is only important because when we use big skimmers and have algae and turn over large volumes of water, we can supply enough... but when the power is out, or we need to do extended maintenance... the inhabitants can quickly suffocate.


Even if a skimmer is large and not "producing" skimate in the cup, it is still removing organics from the "system" by binding them up in the skimmer body and neck. At some point there is enough to require "taking out the trash" and it "burps" skimmate into the cup. There is no practical performance reason to have a skimmer rated for more than the system it is on. There may be other reasons like having room for excursions, known system increases coming in the future, or stuff like that. but just from a pure performance issue... get a skimmer rated for the tank it is one. From a pure "CYA" perspective... I usually go 1.5 times system size.