Who rates skimmers

mark · #1 10-09-2009, 07:46 PM

little dated and yes could be problems but here:

http://www.aquariumcontrollers.com/a...p#skimmerchart

lastlight · #2 10-09-2009, 07:56 PM

Best they can do is give you ballpark ideas and then you ask people who have experience with them I think.

untamed · #3 10-09-2009, 08:03 PM

I'm recalling that study that recently tried to measure WHAT was being removed by skimmers and how quickly various models removed it.

I believe that their conclusions were that the "larger" skimmer (the one the processed a larger volume of water per hour) removed the measured stuff more quickly, but that all the skimmers tested reduced the measured stuff to about the same level given time.

It struck me that a big difference between the test environment and an actual aquarium is that the aquarium continually generates new waste so a truly undersized skimmer won't ever get the chance to catch up and waste could accumulate.

Yes, I agree...it is more about bioload than actual water volume.

IMHO, size matters. In order to increase the amount of water it can process per hour, the chamber needs to get bigger. Increasing the flow rate with a smaller chamber just reduces the amount of time the water is in contact with the air bubbles (dwell time). In my case, I wanted to get to 1.5x tank volume per hour (600gph) with 2 minute dwell time inside the skimmer. That means that I need to have a 20 gallon chamber....yikes!

After that, I didn't really pay attention to what the skimmer says it is rated for.

golf nut · #4 10-09-2009, 11:01 PM

BK will tell you in a heartbeat that you can overdo skimming by buying a unit that is oversize, it simply doesn't work, or should I say doesn't work properly.

I know there is a distinct difference between having the skimmer in the tank with no sump as compared to having a sump with a 10 times turnover, it just isn't the same, the tank install though ugly will work better every time, explaining it is a different matter.

Palmer · #5 10-10-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr OM

BK will tell you in a heartbeat that you can overdo skimming by buying a unit that is oversize, it simply doesn't work, or should I say doesn't work properly.

I know there is a distinct difference between having the skimmer in the tank with no sump as compared to having a sump with a 10 times turnover, it just isn't the same, the tank install though ugly will work better every time, explaining it is a different matter.

If the tank install works better every time then is it reasonable to assume a hang on the back skimmer on the main tank is also better than an in sump set up?

Palmer

sphelps · #6 10-10-2009, 05:48 PM

In sump works better because of the overflow effect. The high specific gravity in salt tanks results in proteins/organics rising. the idea of the sump and overflow system is that the overflow constantly sends the top water from the display to the sump.

steveg · #7 10-11-2009, 05:20 AM

Hi there, so you are suggesting that the best way to operate a skimmer is to take water directly from the display tank and return it there instead of doing that from the sump?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr OM

BK will tell you in a heartbeat that you can overdo skimming by buying a unit that is oversize, it simply doesn't work, or should I say doesn't work properly.

I know there is a distinct difference between having the skimmer in the tank with no sump as compared to having a sump with a 10 times turnover, it just isn't the same, the tank install though ugly will work better every time, explaining it is a different matter.

golf nut · #8 10-13-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveg

Hi there, so you are suggesting that the best way to operate a skimmer is to take water directly from the display tank and return it there instead of doing that from the sump?

I am suggesting that you have the sump turnover rate at the correct volume to get maximum results from the skimmer, typically this will be a lot less than the previously suggested 10x rate.

sphelps · #9 10-13-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr OM

I am suggesting that you have the sump turnover rate at the correct volume to get maximum results from the skimmer, typically this will be a lot less than the previously suggested 10x rate.

But you can't explain why? Just cause, right?

Canadian · #10 10-13-2009, 06:47 PM

This is somewhat dependent on your sump layout but think of this analogy:

If I drop a small piece of sinking pellet food down my overflow and I have one of two options:

a) High flow rate through my sump
b) Low flow rate through my sump

Which one do you think is most likely to allow the intake/suction of the skimmer intake to pull in the piece of food? The one ripping the current past the skimmer or the one slowly plodding along?

I'd certainly rather pull mechanical chunks of organic waste out of my tank before they have a chance to break down and then become part of the chemical soup in the water.