SkIMMER SIZE

Hey,

Would it matter if i was to add a skimmer which was rated for a tank much larger than mine. (ex. adding skimmer rated for 125 on a 55 gl)?. Is it better to go with something more relative. ( if money isnt the issue. just looking at it through a performance eye?

 

i have a skimmer rated for 125 gallon tanks that is sitting in my 20 gallon fuge with my 30 gallon tank... the bigger the better is what alot of people say...

 

It does matter and it does you no good. Bigger skimmers do not pull out more stuff. They only pull out what is there, the rest of the time it just sits idle not doing anything. I bigger skimmer will pull out what is there faster than a smaller one.

If you get a skimmer rated for your tank, then it works 100% of the time. A skimmer rated for 2x your tank only works 50% of the time. Now if you know you will be going bigger soon, then you can get away with 2x and perhaps save your self another purchase, but grossly over sized skimmers actually work worse. The neck is so big you have to run it very wet just to get the little foam that is there out of the neck.

1.5x is not so bad. Leaves you plenty of head room if a fish dies or something gets out of wack.

 

keep in mind, it is possible to over skim a tank.

 

I agree with Powerman up to a point. The bigger skimmer will only "take out" the stuff faster than a smaller one. Lets say that the smaller skimmer can take 8 hrs to properly "skim" the water when the bigger skimmer only takes 2 or 3 hrs to do the same job. I personally have a 220g rated skimmer on a 145g system. I like to go bigger b/c I tend to "overstock" my tanks and the bigger skimmer keeps up with the demand. I do, however, only have it turned on 11 hrs a day.



luna

 

How so?

 

You and Powerman may think this circle logic but I assure you it is going to be linear. If as you say the larger one pulls the same as the smaller one in say 1/2 the time, that indicates that it will pull twice as much in the 8 hours you mentioned. Larger pulls more because of the larger contact area of the column in the skimmer body.
In the article I posted for those dealing with algae, it indicated using double the size typically recommended.

 

I use a 220G model, on my 120g, Pulls out alot more then the 150G model I had prior. I moved the 150G model to my 46G. and it works like a charm. My water has looked nicer on the 120g Ever side upgrading my skimmer. Plus like Luna, I tend to Over Stock a bit. So Having the bigger skimmer is a bonus.

 

I totally see Powermans logic on this one

if there was an infinite amount of protiens to pull out of a given volume of water
then larger is better

but if the amount is finite, then you either take 4 hours to pull out the 200ml or 2 hours with a skimmer rated at twice the size

Steve

 

You are thinking of it too simply. Foam Fractionation does much more than just pull proteins. This is pretty thorough and a good read (of which I brushed up on again); What Is Protein Skimming, and How Does It Work