Such Thing As Running To Big Of A Skimmer?
 

So im sitting here in my res room bored outta my mind, so im planning all the equpiment ill need when I get home to start workin on starting my 8' 180g build
Right now im looking into what type of skimmer would be good enough to handle the huge bio-load of a tank stocked with almost 2 dozen large angelfish species and have came to the conclusion that my reef octopus xp-2000 cone wont cut the mustard as its only rated up to 180g. I also wanna get a skimmer that can handle a bigger tank when it comes time to go bigger.
I am kinda stuck on the Reef Octopus skimmers cuz I love there bubble blaster pump and gate valve adjustment. I am also considering the vertex alpha cone cuz of its ability to completely tear it down for cleaning but its also double the price...
I am considering the Reef Octopus SRO 5000 and XP-5000 which are both rated for up to 400g, and the Vertex Alpa Cone 250 which is rated for up to 350g.
But my question is am I going to have below average performace using such a large skimmer rated for more then double the system volume I plan to run? Or would it be a good idea to go that big?

I've got the sro 5000 int running on my 180 plus 80 gl sump. I had started the same type of thread when I was looking for suggestions but not sure how to post the link here. There were great suggestions and feedback if you search for the thread. My tank has been set up since March this year so I don't have a huge bioload yet, but didn't want to be restricted down the road. I don't get consistent foaming, seems to build up then spill into cup but I do get over half a cup every week.

I would have preferred the 3000, but it wasn't available at the time. The biggest issue I have is the clearance between my sump and stand and the diameter of the body, I will have to drain my sump completely and push the sump out if the stand to get the skimmer out for any cleaning or maintenance.

Otherwise, I love this skimmer!!

This post ?

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...hlight=skimmer

Size wont be a issue as the stand will have 30" inside so ill have lotsa room for a big skimmer and the sump will be custom made around the skimmer, im more wondering about performance...
This is what my XP-2000 pulls in a week or 2
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ngel/004-4.jpg

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=83465

This is the one I was referring to.

on my 90 i run a skimmer rated for 200g and one rated for 450g so id have to say prob no:)

Yes too big can lead to over skimming which can be bad depending on livestock, running a BK-SM-250 on a lightly stocked 100 gallon caused me issues relating to LPS corals. However running it on a timer to cut down it's duty cycle seemed to fix the problem.

It will be a heavly stock angel tank so no corals, just 2 dozen large angelfish

Any inverts? Over-skimming tends to remove a lot of iodine which can effect them. If it's just fish, definitely no issue I'm aware of.

I dont plan on having any inverts at this point in time, infact the plan was to keep the tank near osmotic.
But we all know how things change LOL

I don't believe you can overskim. Iodine would be depleted in all our systems, regardless OD skimmer size.

Perhaps, this just from experience personally knowing someone running an exceptionally large skimmer on an invert system and having high mortality issues. Dosing iodine seemed to fix the issue short term and removing the skimmer completely fixed it long term.
I definitely also had over-skimming issues before as well, there's probably a thread on it somewhere.

So if your saying having a skimmer rated for double system volume is bad for anything but FO why does everyone do it? The skimmer I have right now is double rated and I never had any issues with a SPS tank

I think what most skimmers indicate they are rated for in gallons is for a lower bioload. My SWC 120 is rated for 120 gallons @ low bioload and 55 gallons @ high bioload.

That leads me to believe that a heavily stocked 190 should have a skimmer that is rated for 380-400 gallons.

I do believe it is possible to over-skim. I'm doing it right now, and my softies were becoming increasingly unhappy. They're now in a different tank and are very happy (with the exception of my Xenia, which may just be too far gone).

For fish only, not really. For softies, yes you can overskim. Depends on your stock and water requirements.
I've seen a system with much too large of a skimmer and it wasn't pulling anything and wasn't even foaming properly because there wasn't enough organics to pull. You may think that's good, but what's the point of having a huge skimmer if it isn't even pulling anything?

To add to that, if you are doing all large angels, just put the largest skimmer you can afford/fit. You won't have issues with not having enough to pull because you'd be feeding a ton to keep the fish healthy and adding a lot of nutrients daily.

Well I think I am gonna email the manufacture to see what they say about what I should run with what I have planned.
And being as tho I plan to run the tank near osmotic until I have all the fish in there there wont be any inverts in it... And even then I prob would have over 2 dozen fish once I cross every angelfish off my list and I know its gonna take some time to get the cash funds and find a healthy conspicious angelfish

I decided to check the manufacture of my skimmer's website. If you scroll to the bottom, they have bioload ratings.

This is the 230

http://www.saltwaterconnection.com/i...roducts_id=113

This is the one I use:

http://www.saltwaterconnection.com/i...roducts_id=115

My memory was off with regards to the specs for mine, and as the 230 is rated differently from mine, my previous assumption was clearly in error.

HAHA got that for reef octopus skimmers?

I run an Elos NS4000 skimmer on a 200G. It is rated for up to 1100G. I haven't noticed any ill effects at all and it pulls LOTS of crap out and fast. I have a fairly high bio load and feed a fair bit. My nightly feed is a slurry of many frozen foods, vitamins, and coral food. This likely keeps the LPS happy.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewit...content=EO5565

FYI I had six large (each was 6-8") angelfish in my 230g and there was barely enough room in the tank for the six of them. Highly doubt 12 would be happy in a 180g, simply not enough room for them to have their own territory. Unless the plan is to way over crowd them.

I think if you are feeding heavily and have a large bio-load a skimmer rated for way larger of a tank is a better way to go. I have two largeish skimmers running on my system and could use another.

Theres more linear room in the tank ill be running.
And as you know having a few large angels together usually results in aggression once one establishes its territory and becomes the dominent one. The point is to overcrowd for 2 reasons #1 no one can become dominent and establish a territory becuase theres so many fish in and out of the area that fish is trying to establish as its home #2 if one of the larger fish does some how establish a territory there are so many others that one or two fish arnt singled out and attacked, the aggression will be spread out over all the others.
I have spent countless hours reading up on housing mulitple large angels while I have nothing to do and seem to have concluded that is one of the sure fire ways to do so, and I have also puttin it into affect in a system at home to try it... I currently have 8 large angle species in my 90g with no aggression

WOW I feel sorry for your fish, not really fair to the fish IMO to stuff so many large angels into a small tank :sad: Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should, even Big Als doesn't put a bunch of large angels into small tanks together.

Its only temp not like there in there forever, but im not gonna get into fish vs tank size, thats not the point of this. And FYI ive seen almost every fish store stick a large fish in a small tank. An 8' tank is more then most people have for there angels

Sadly . . . No. Hopefully the manufacturer can provide you a better idea as to the skimmer's ability.

Ya I sent coralvue a email giving them the situation outline and asking if they suggest a SRO-3000 rated for 300g or a SRO-5000 rated for 500g.

E-mail recieved from corelvue:
You will appreciate the performance of the 3000 on that size tank with a large bioload. It will help keep your parameters in check and consistent performance.
So SRO-3000 it is!

what did you expect the manufacturer to say?:wink:

LOL if it was me... I would push bigger better... Just like buyin a truck, you dont want a tiny V6, you want a deisel LOL