How do you skim?

[Unarce]

I just wanted to do an 'update' poll on how you guys are skimming (if you're using a skimmer). I thought about listing this in the Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment Forum, but felt it might be best to get feedback from those with similar systems, meaning SPS dominated reefs.

You can just vote if you like, but explanations and experiences would help. Pros and Cons. New developments, like if skimmers are becoming too effective by removing potassium. Things of that nature.

TIA

[REEF-DADDY]

I skim super wet to the tune of 2-3 gallons per day. When I skim wet my water is clearer and I notice larger particles in my skimmate. However I do have a secondary skimmer which is a neddle wheel which is tuned to skim dry. I get a cup full of coffee from that once per week.

[DrBDC]

I pull pretty wet skimmate using a geo beckett. I try for 1/2 gallon a day but sometimes get a couple gallons if I'm off on settings. Then sometimes I don't check the injector and it gets only a cup or two. Luckily I have a shut off type scrumbucket(with the ping pong ball) so it never does more than 1/2 gallon w/o me emptying it.

[REEF-DADDY]

I did'nt know Geo made a beckett!

[Sk8r]

"Simply put, one is not better than another..."

Direct quote from the Aqua C EV-120 User's Manual.

There are some circumstances where 'wet' could be useful, as when finishing up with Chemi-clean, and getting dieoff out of the tank ASAP, as per that manufacturer.

I'm doing the dryer skim because I'd rather empty the cup less often.

[DrBDC]

I'm not sure if he made them for general sale or what. Some of the local guys that are mods are good friends of his (griss and nanook). Another local guy that had been in the club had one made for him and he recently got out of the hobby so I upgraded from my etss800. (Which btw is an awesome skimmer too if you put a good Iwaki70 on it. The etss site says Iwaki55 but that is not adequate IMO.) My geo is about 40" tall, single beckett injector and built very solid. I'm running it off that same Iwaki70.
Like the saying goes, GEO ROCKS! :lol:

[reefdood]

I skim wet. By that I mean I fill up the cup on by modified backpack daily.

No telling how I'll set my octopus when I get it though. ;)

[Altoids]

I'm skimming wet, cleanning the cup daily.

[concept3]

I used to pump feed my deltec AP600 and was getting about a cup a week no matter what I do (dry or wet)... I knew something was off because even when I feed heavy or light, I would get the same amount of skimmate give or take a few ounces.

Now that I replumbed the new tank to gravity feed from the overflow (hence more surface water), I've been able to wet skim or dry skim more efficiently to a tune of about a cup and a half a day wet, a cup of dry. Makes me wonder how my corals survived the former sewage :rollface:

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9229913#post9229913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
I'm not sure if he made them for general sale or what. Some of the local guys that are mods are good friends of his (griss and nanook). Another local guy that had been in the club had one made for him and he recently got out of the hobby so I upgraded from my etss800. (Which btw is an awesome skimmer too if you put a good Iwaki70 on it. The etss site says Iwaki55 but that is not adequate IMO.) My geo is about 40" tall, single beckett injector and built very solid. I'm running it off that same Iwaki70.
Like the saying goes, GEO ROCKS! :lol:

Wow that would be perfect for me. I've got a 624 reactor and love it!

Do you have any pic?

[RichConley]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9229887#post9229887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
"Simply put, one is not better than another..."

Direct quote from the Aqua C EV-120 User's Manual.

There are some circumstances where 'wet' could be useful, as when finishing up with Chemi-clean, and getting dieoff out of the tank ASAP, as per that manufacturer.

I'm doing the dryer skim because I'd rather empty the cup less often.

The hazard with that is, after a day or two of dry skimming, your neck is so dirty that you're skimmer wont really work all that well anymore.


I skim a little on the wetside. My skimmate looks like apple cider. Get about half my collection cup a day (cup is 8" wide by 6" tall), so I'd guess a quart+ out of the 58g.

[DrBDC]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9230722#post9230722 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by REEF-DADDY
Wow that would be perfect for me. I've got a 624 reactor and love it!

Do you have any pic?

Last derail of this thread, here is the geo beckett. I have it a little more tuned now than in the pic. That was within a few hours of setting it up.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i287/DrBDC/100_0281.jpg

[fishdoc11]

I skim "semi-wet" with my MR3. I pull about 1 to 1 1/2 L of skimmate a day.
Chris

[250G]

hard and wet with my MTC HSA 1000 :)

[UCanDoIt]

I used to skim on the wet side with my Deltec APF600, filling the collection cup about every 7-8 days. Then after observing the clarity in water (without any ozone) and disappearing algae growth (no refugium) in my local dealer's 180g display tank because he was testing the new ATi Bubblemaster skimmers... I changed my skimmer to skim as wet as I can get it, fills the collection cup every 3-5 days. Some say that the organics removed is the same, wet or dry, but wetter skimming strips water of phosphates. It seems to be doing that on my local dealer's display tank.

[BrokeColoReefer]

I skim somehwere in the middle between wet and dry, my skimmate is weak coffee color, and i skim about a half gallon a day.

[Sk8r]

Thanks, Rich: I'm new to this mega-skimmer thing, [or as mega as my little tank can fit in] and info much appreciated.