new skimmer in progress

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by teevee

Well, I haven't looked into it really, but I've read a few concerns regarding removing more organic material that is necessary, organic material that would serve as a food source for reef fauna, notably corals. I think a few people have written on the subject, possibly in AAOM or RK. I guess the idea is to avoid sterilizing your tank.

Teevee, if are worried about over skimming I don't think I need to be. I skim my sump basically @ a rate of 1200 gal per hour. now my sump has about 20 gal of water in it. now the sump is feed by the main tank 94gal volume at a rate of 1200 gph and also by the secondary tank (23gal) at a rate of 600 gph.

now you will never get 100% efficiency in a skimmer something is always going to get through and this is compounded by the fact that the water flowing in is at a greater rate than the skimmer is processing, there for it is only skimming 66% of the water that flow through it. this is further compounded that not all the water that come from the tank is only un-skimmed water, as the new water returns to the tank it mixes and you get a blend so there are further inefficiency's there. so while you can come close to achieving a 0 nutrient level you will never actually be able to obtain it.

Another reason for max skimming is it allows you to feed more as the excess will be removed be for it can break down and cause problems. this is an advantage because you can feed your tank more.

another and probably the last reason I am not worried about it is that it is my opinion that most SPS obtain up to (and maybe more than) 98% of there food from there symbiotic algae or in simpler terms the light. and the remainder from ingesting (or how ever the do it) bacteria and food particles from the water. this also seams to support the "less nutrients the better" general consensus for SPS.

Steve