Hello to all, ive just recently started in this hobby . i was wondering if its possible to over skim your tank, getting a skimmer thats just to powerful for the size of your tank? skimming out valuable nutrients that your tank may need?? any info on this is greatly appreciated .
over skimming
- Thread starter kingator
- Start date
It's possible. I've done it lol, but it depends man. The way I see things... the more fish you have the more skimming you need in my opinion. Don't overdo it, you basically already answered your question. More importantly though keep in mind the ratings aren't always accurate.
For instance, a lot of people use the Aqua C Remora (rated for like a 50 gallon) on their 20 gallon because they know efficiency isn't as high as it is stated and they know they will overstock in the near future.
I had a skimmer rated for a 225g on my 72g bow. I had 32 fish in the tank... worked out fine for my corals and fish.
For instance, a lot of people use the Aqua C Remora (rated for like a 50 gallon) on their 20 gallon because they know efficiency isn't as high as it is stated and they know they will overstock in the near future.
I had a skimmer rated for a 225g on my 72g bow. I had 32 fish in the tank... worked out fine for my corals and fish.
I have heard this also but I am skeptical until I know why. What is the determining factor in skimming nutrients?
The skimmer will skim the same no matter what size tank it is set up, the water will pump, the bubbles will form. On a smaller tank it will skim valuable nutrients where on a larger system it will not? The skimmer does not know what size system it has.
The skimmer will skim the same no matter what size tank it is set up, the water will pump, the bubbles will form. On a smaller tank it will skim valuable nutrients where on a larger system it will not? The skimmer does not know what size system it has.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
it isnt that you over skim the tank, yes you can have a skimmer that is to large for your tank though, finding a skimmer that fits the system is better then a larger skimmer, as someone who has had a couple of skimmers 
from basic to upper lined skimmers, neck size and air pull are very important in sizing a skimmer,
what size system do you have ?
from basic to upper lined skimmers, neck size and air pull are very important in sizing a skimmer,what size system do you have ?
- Location
- poughquag, ny
ok let me rephrase this then, a needle wheel skimmer or pin wheel which ever wont really over skimmer your tank, it just wont run consistant, now if you went with a down draft or becket type skimmer yes you can over skimmer/ strip excessive amounts of nutrients out
why with a becket and not a needle wheel ? a downdraft or becket style skimmer process's alot more water then a nw skimmer, and with too big of a nw skimmer it just wont run consistant, i've tried over 25 skimmers out on my tanks which have always been 60-80g heavy stocked with corals and fish, and here is a example, i had a wm k2 cone skimmer which is the exact same as my atb 840, except that wm is a little taller and has a bigger neck, used same pump. my atb pulls way more and pulls consistant then my wm did, the wm did very well for two months till it caught up to the system then didnt pull a consistant amount of skim nor kept a consistant head of foam.
why with a becket and not a needle wheel ? a downdraft or becket style skimmer process's alot more water then a nw skimmer, and with too big of a nw skimmer it just wont run consistant, i've tried over 25 skimmers out on my tanks which have always been 60-80g heavy stocked with corals and fish, and here is a example, i had a wm k2 cone skimmer which is the exact same as my atb 840, except that wm is a little taller and has a bigger neck, used same pump. my atb pulls way more and pulls consistant then my wm did, the wm did very well for two months till it caught up to the system then didnt pull a consistant amount of skim nor kept a consistant head of foam.
I am not sure about your reasoning here. But to make it simple let's assume a 1 gallon of water has x nutrients every time you feed your fish. A 40G tank will have 40x nutrients and a 200G will have 200X. I am assuming I have the same fish load in proportion in both tanks. The same skimmer will take longer to remove nutrients from the 200G than the 40G correct?. So we can say with the same skimmer the 40G will be nutrient free in 1/5 of the time. This means that the 40G tank will have cleaner and proably sterile water for much longer until the next feeding.
I can tell you by my own experience any Corals even SPS need nutrients to look their best. If your corals are not getting enough nutrients in the water then you are over skimming.
Of course there are many other factors about import/export nutrients (water changes, feeding etc..) however I am asumming importing and exporting nutrients are being done in the same proportions in both tanks.
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currently running a 72 bow with a vertex 100 and 20 sump fish only for now till i learn alil more ...but purchased a ver 180 hoping to start a 120 but i just cant do it in my location so was wondering can i use that 180 for that current tank because i was upgrading to a 40 g sump .........but i think my Q was answered
You will not be able to maintain a nutrient export and import or be able to replace those nutrients through water changes and this is why I am skeptical.
If you lose nutrients through a skimmer and try to replace them through water changes, you will not be able to keep up with the exporting in the long run.
The skimmer will always win in the long run and every tank will eventually slowly starve of nutrients.
A simple thought experiment;
Think of a deck of cards, you have 52.
Take one card and throw it away you have 51, that is the effect of the skimmer removing nutrients via the skimate.
Remove 20 cards and replace with 20 cards, that is a water change.
You are left with 51 cards even after the water change.
Take one card and throw it away because the skimmer keeps running.
You have 50 cards.
If the skimmer is a nutrient sink then eventually you will have no cards.
If you lose nutrients through a skimmer and try to replace them through water changes, you will not be able to keep up with the exporting in the long run.
The skimmer will always win in the long run and every tank will eventually slowly starve of nutrients.
A simple thought experiment;
Think of a deck of cards, you have 52.
Take one card and throw it away you have 51, that is the effect of the skimmer removing nutrients via the skimate.
Remove 20 cards and replace with 20 cards, that is a water change.
You are left with 51 cards even after the water change.
Take one card and throw it away because the skimmer keeps running.
You have 50 cards.
If the skimmer is a nutrient sink then eventually you will have no cards.
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- Location
- Mt Sinai, NY
I also seen this on my old tank. The skimmer was oversized. Pulled heavy for a few weeks, then dropped off. Noticed that as the neck narrowed from the sludge, it would skim better.
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