JDM Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 I have been playing with my skimmer over the last week, changing the level inside the chamber and watching the difference between the color of skimate produced. i can get from very very dark sludge like skimate to basically light brown water, and anywhere in between. other than the removal of water, is there any reason why we all tend to skim quite dry? i assume the change in skimate color will involve the different proteins removed, but is dry better? and why or why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 can of worms has just opened. I skim wet, dark tea color. I think i read some where that there is a difference between skimming wet vrs dry. I will see if i can find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Skimming wet can only remove more, plus a bit of water. Ought to be a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 I think i read some where that there is a difference between skimming wet vrs dry. There is, but I haven't had coffee yet so will have to dig up the reference. EDIT: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php#21 I run both wet and dry for this very reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 There is, but I haven't had coffee yet so will have to dig up the reference. EDIT: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php#21 I run both wet and dry for this very reason. Thats the one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Well if anyone could find that article, it would be someone called Bubbles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Well if anyone could find that article, it would be someone called Bubbles! Aaaaw, schucks! :oops: There's an awesome reefcentral thread by Anthony Calfo on skimming. Well worth the 40 plus pages and covers standard configuration mistakes, tuning info etc. Have it bookmarked at home so will dig up the link tonight. My Berlins are very sensitive to changes in pressure. So something simple like having your display drain go into a bucket, and then having the skimmer pump in the bucket means that the pump has constant head pressure. Made a huge difference in skimming. Anyway, the thread has some great tips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 There's a great tip! In the old days when I had a sump, no baffles, the changing level did used to effect the skimmer. Never thought of putting a bucket in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 There's a great tip! In the old days when I had a sump, no baffles, the changing level did used to effect the skimmer. Never thought of putting a bucket in it. My sump is my old 3 footer, so no baffles and fluctuating water level can be a pain for skimmers. Having the tank drain into a bucket you also have 'dirty' tank water directed towards your skimmer pump inlet. Be aware though that if your return stops you can run the skimmer pump dry, so I just have the skimmer return water back to the bucket to make sure it's always full. Another option would be to install a float switch that turns the skimmer pump off if the water level drops. Certainly was well worth the $10 spend at plastic box Would recommend to anyone wanting to improve skimmer performance. Ofcourse if your skimmer is gravity fed then this is all N/A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 21, 2006 Report Share Posted November 21, 2006 Aaaaw, schucks! :oops: There's an awesome reefcentral thread by Anthony Calfo on skimming. Well worth the 40 plus pages and covers standard configuration mistakes, tuning info etc. Have it bookmarked at home so will dig up the link tonight. My Berlins are very sensitive to changes in pressure. So something simple like having your display drain go into a bucket, and then having the skimmer pump in the bucket means that the pump has constant head pressure. Made a huge difference in skimming. Anyway, the thread has some great tips. Here is one http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showt ... did=680552 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Couple days late http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=554786 Well worth the read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Gee plenty of reading will have to wait until to night very interested!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDM Posted November 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Gee plenty of reading will have to wait until to night very interested!! DITTO still interested to hear where people have there skimmers set at the moment? mine is set back to the normal level that produces dark tea colored water, with an approx 10% sludge content. approx 200mls every 4-5 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 dark tea, or coffee colour, plenty of sludge, 3-5 litres a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Pretty wet, like tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 One skimmer runs wet like tea 700-1000 ml per wk (tunze) Aqua medic runs blk like molasis about 150mls per week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tang Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 2xmce600 one at each end of the tank 250mls in each skimmer cup dark tea but 1/8th in of sludge on all the walls of the skimmer cup every 3rd day air, intake open full Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 I skim wet, dark tea color. I also get a thick build up on the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KP Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 APF600 gives me 2L of ochrey burnt umberish mahogany with a tint of spring green every 5 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 ochrey burnt umberish mahogany with a tint of spring green Are you an artist KP? Very , um, very, um, um very expressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossco Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Nah, don't think he's an artist. Do hear that he's working at an aircraft manufacturer over the summer. probably the glue they use... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 So what’s the next best thing? Well... overflowing raw water into a narrow and concentrated skimmer vessel (just slightly larger than the footprint of your sump model skimmer... or really... just the pump that feeds the skimmer). The easiest way to accomplish this is to seal a partition in the sump if the sump is large enough. Else, just get a small plastic or glass vessel (again... just large enough to squeak the skimmer into) and drill it to overflow into the sump. It will, of course, be kept next to and slightly higher than the sump for this strategic position between the overflow and the sump proper. O.K. I did this yesterday put in a plastic bin with a hole already cut e.g. was used as handle. put the skimmer in and the overflow of both tanks goes straight into the bin. I was able to turn in tap on the intake from the pump to skimmer wide open and the air tap is about one o'clock the bubbles are nice and small up the neck of the skimmer. I also took alot of sand out of the main tank and put into the other cube bin sitting just below the hole one the skimmer bin so it flows into it with the extra rock and culpera I was only able to make the sand 4" deep but the rest of the bin is full of rock. the water the flows from this bin through baffles to phospate fluidiser and intake pumps to tank. It made a hell of a mess in the main display tank when I took out the sand lucky I had turned off the cube tank so it stayed clean. Water is all clear today and I will test the nitrates soon to see what making that mess has done then wait and see what happen over the next few days. Just tested nitrates 30 phospates 0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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