What do I want my skimmate to look like?

[ggsteve]

I have a Remora skimmer on my new-to-me 65 gal reef tank. It needed a little repair when I got it and that is all sorted out. When I first hooked it up and tried it I was getting cupfuls of light green watery skimmate, and very quickly. I finally got to where I got a cup of brown water in two days. Now I'm still getting some foam, but I haven't had to change the cup in four days and there is only about a 1/4" of chocolate brown skimmate in the cup. Is that alright or do I need to lower the cup to trap more foam?

[meisel1]

as long as its pulling crap out its probably fine ...i have had skimmate in colors from dark green to dark brown to a yellow look..consistency can be from watery to almost like baby oil.play with the skimmer till your happy with the output

[d2mini]

as long as its pulling crap out its probably fine ...i have had skimmate in colors from dark green to dark brown to a yellow look..

Sounds like my kid's diaper. :hmm3:

[patchesj]

I've found that with the AquaC skimmers you need to adjust a bit on the watery side. The narrow throat tends to gunk up after a few days and skimate production drops rapidly after that. Pulling a lighter color/watery skimate will delay the buildup a bit more.

[Outrigger Reef]

I've found that with the AquaC skimmers you need to adjust a bit on the watery side. The narrow throat tends to gunk up after a few days and skimate production drops rapidly after that. Pulling a lighter color/watery skimate will delay the buildup a bit more.

Does this mean raise the water level or add more air? How do you make it more watery?

I have a scw 160 that the neck gets dirty fast and slows the skimmer down.

[Palting]

I have a Remora skimmer on my new-to-me 65 gal reef tank. It needed a little repair when I got it and that is all sorted out. When I first hooked it up and tried it I was getting cupfuls of light green watery skimmate, and very quickly. I finally got to where I got a cup of brown water in two days. Now I'm still getting some foam, but I haven't had to change the cup in four days and there is only about a 1/4" of chocolate brown skimmate in the cup. Is that alright or do I need to lower the cup to trap more foam?

It's about preference on the skim consistency. Watery skim means you lose more salt water, and people like this since it gives them a chance to do small water changes by replacing the skim with fresh saltwater. I prefer the real dark less watery skim, so dark it actually forms a film of mud in the neck and in the cup. IMO, you take out the same amount of junk, just less concentrated junk in one and more concentrated in the other.

If you are asking what wet or dry skim LOOKS like, here are a few photos.

Wet skim, lightly tea colored:
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/IMG_1305.jpg

Dry skim, almost dark roast coffee colored, and stinks so bad your eyes water :D. This I like:
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium/IMG_0564.jpg

[ggsteve]

Dry skim, almost dark roast coffee colored, and stinks so bad your eyes water :D. This I like:
http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab71/Kalawing/Aquarium/IMG_0564.jpg

I bet your significant other LOVES that cup of nasty goo on the nice clean bathroom sink! How long does your skimmer take to pull a 1/2 cup of thick brown skimmate like that?

[patchesj]

Does this mean raise the water level or add more air? How do you make it more watery?

I have a scw 160 that the neck gets dirty fast and slows the skimmer down.

On the Remora skimmers the entire cup/nexk can be moved up and down. I have mine almost all the way down to get watery skimmate like what is shown in the pictures in this thread. I've found that with the smaller neck diameter of the Remora's the thick paste goo forms quickly and reduces overall efficiency of the skimmer unless you aim for watery..