Skimate color

[ZANYMASTER]

I know there was a thread about this somewhere about the colors and what it means.I have light green.

 

[emmanuel]

it means you're skimming on the wet side I like mine looking like coffee

 

[NYPDFrogman]

mine is almost black I skim very dry

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Ok,But is it bad to skim wet?

 

[Salty Dog]

wet only removes more water and minerals from your system, I skim dry and my catch basin is dark green to brown

 

[spacenyc]

i like wet skim

gives me a chance to do a water change slowly that way

 

[emmanuel]

how does it give you a chance to do a WC are you topping off with salt water to make up skimate?

 

[NYPDFrogman]

IMHO skimming is to remove pollution, wet skimate less pollution
dry skimate, dark more pollution

 

[spacenyc]

yes

every week i replace the water from the skim with enough salt to keep the salt and water levels steady. instead of taking a gallon out at once i take it out over 2 or so weeks

 

[ZANYMASTER]

I noticed that since I installed a air pump and a air stone in the sump,the skimmer skims more but wetter.Should I remove the pump?

 

[jaymo]

How do you control wet or dry skimming ?

 

[Killerdrgn]

with a gate valve or riser tube. the higher the water goes up the neck the wetter the skim.

 

[ming]

IMHO skimming is to remove pollution, wet skimate less pollution
dry skimate, dark more pollution

It really doesn't matter if its wet or dry skim. It depends on the dry weight if you removed all moisture from the skimmate.

I personally prefer skimming towards the wet side because I find skimming dry builds up all that gunk on the neck of the skimmer, instead of inside the cup.

 

[prattreef]

Somewhere not far behind "what salt is best?" and "what is the best light bulb?" in the pantheon of "you will find no agreement and little hard data" reef dilemmas resides "is it better to skim wet or dry?"

IMO it is personal preference as opposed to any real tangible husbandry benefit either way.