Can you over skim? Protein Skimmer

[bengifford]

I currently have a custom 3 sided acrylic (appx 80gal) I need to upgrade in the future b/c friends and family have scratched the tank to death using the magnet while i was gone.

I want to be able to upgrade tanks without upgrading components Again.

I was thinking about buying a skimmer that would take on a 250Gal load and wondering if it could be tuned down for a 90 to 120 or inbetween... or if its even possible to over skim the tank, (maybe it will replace my UV sterilyzer).

I was also wondering what brands have quality, not just the name (ie Deltec, octopus etc.)

any info would help, I was Sold into most of my components b/c i was too anxious to check out the sitch before hand... dumb idea

[USC-fan]

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

No matter what skimmer you buy, i don't think you will get the results you are looking for.

What is your budget and how much room do you have? I think one of the best skimmer for the money right now is the MSX 150 for a tank your size.

[Saboral]

i am in a similar situation. About 4 months ago my Kent Marine Nautilis TE went bust and wasn't pulling anything from my tank. I needed a new skimmer for my 90, but I know in the next couple of years I'll have a huge setup in my new home like 300+ gallons. I wanted to get something I could use and still not have to replace at the upgrade. I went with an MRC MR3 skimmer. It came with two beckett injectors but I removed one for my current usage. My tank has never done this well and according to a lot of people I would be highly over skimming my tank. I don't believe you can over skim, however you will need to dose more individual elements, particularly amino acids and others.

[macreefster]

i know this debate has gone on here before and my take would be that i'd rather err on the side of overskimming (if that is possible) than not skimming enough. i know there are more natural systems that don't use skimming, but i really don't see how a system could be over skimmed. i guess if you're housing a lot of filter feeding sponges, non photosynthetic gorgonians, sun polyps and the like, you could deprive them of necessary nutrients by "over skimming", but i think for most tanks the more you skim the better. like others here i am planning on building a much bigger tank in the next year or two and i am starting to upgrade my equipment now and when it's time for a new skimmer i'll not hesitate in putting what i'll eventually use on my 300 on my current system. thats my fiddy cents worth at least.