How important is a skimmer... really?

[SkylineView]

Hear me out. I've had my aquarium going for about a year. It's a 100 gallon system with a moderate number of fish, snails, crabs, and coral. I bought the red sea skimmer, and have been using it during that time. In the course of a year, I've NEVER felt like the skimmer was "dialed in". Despite numerous attempts to reign it in, it would invariably skim way too much (fill the container in an hour or less) or skim way too little (fill the container never). I can't get it do anything in between.

Do I really need to use this thing? It doesn't seem to ever do anything helpful.

 

[Timfish]

Nope. Here's some of my skimmerless systems.

90 Gallon Mixed Reef

500 gallon

Mixed Reef started in 1997, 10-07-19

220 Rimless 450 view


Here's some reseaarch that's been pretty much ignored by most aquarists. It not only showed there's not much difference between skimmers but ti showed they don't pull out that much. It also identified two different metrics the skimmer industry and aquarists could use but niether has been adopted so aquarists have to go on just hearsay that any design is better than another.


Protein Skimmer Performance, Pt 1

The Development of a Method for the Quantitative Evaluation of Protein Skimmer Performance

Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Protein skimmers have become indispensable for many aquarists who strive to maintain the high water quality necessary to keep stony corals.

reefs.com

Protein Skimmer Performance, Pt 2

Further Studies on Protein Skimmer Performance

Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Many factors contribute to the 'value' of a skimmer to an aquarist, including quality of construction, size, footprint, noise level, ease of cleaning, energy efficiency of the pump, and of course, the ability...

reefs.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hear me out. I've had my aquarium going for about a year. It's a 100 gallon system with a moderate number of fish, snails, crabs, and coral. I bought the red sea skimmer, and have been using it during that time. In the course of a year, I've NEVER felt like the skimmer was "dialed in". Despite numerous attempts to reign it in, it would invariably skim way too much (fill the container in an hour or less) or skim way too little (fill the container never). I can't get it do anything in between.

Do I really need to use this thing? It doesn't seem to ever do anything helpful.

A tank can thrive without a skimmer - especially if regular water changes are performed. There is value with skimming in removing organic waste and increasing oxygen levels, but that too is what water changes employ

 

[Troylee]

If anything it’s adding o2 to the water levels… most likely you need to raise the skimmer up like 2” in the sump to get better control over it.. it’s not a necessity but it’s better to have one then not.

 

[PhishMonger84]

how does one dial in a skimmer?

I have had similar issues in the past with them, I have a Nyos quantum and an Aqua Maxx HOB. neither are running right now as I'm accumulating parts and installing an RO system (like one baby step a night)

It seems difficult to "dial in" and to know when it's working correctly.

 

[FlyPenFly]

If you’re doing heavy in and heavy out, skimmer + Chaeto reactor or ATS really helps with success.

Skimmers also pull out weird chemicals in the water.

 

[Troylee]

how does one dial in a skimmer?

I have had similar issues in the past with them, I have a Nyos quantum and an Aqua Maxx HOB. neither are running right now as I'm accumulating parts and installing an RO system (like one baby step a night)

It seems difficult to "dial in" and to know when it's working correctly.

I personally set my skimmers up at 5” water depth and have great control over them no matter what the manufacture recommends.. normally they say 7”-11” depending on model.

 

[natashakay.]

I have 2 systems up and running. One has a skimmer one doesn’t. Only reason I have a skimmer on the one is cause it’s mostly just fish.
My other one has a good amount of corals and they kinda act like a skimmer in a way. I personally don’t chase numbers. If everything in my tank is happy I leave it be.

 

[nothing_fancy]

how does one dial in a skimmer?

I have had similar issues in the past with them, I have a Nyos quantum and an Aqua Maxx HOB. neither are running right now as I'm accumulating parts and installing an RO system (like one baby step a night)

It seems difficult to "dial in" and to know when it's working correctly.

I have a small system using the skimmer to elevate PH. I could probably do without it in regards to organic waste but for me its just what works to elevate PH. I run it recirculating through a scrubber. As far as "dialing" they are finicky, If I move mine to clean it I have to readjust the flow. I use a ball valve after the pump, has to be fully open to get it started and then incrementally closed about 50% to get the water level correct. It does stay put though.

 

[ca1ore]

Skimmer can be helpful but hardly necessary. Systems that have failings elsewhere benefit more that those that do not.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'd run a skimmer even if it did nothing besides aerate the water.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I think the need for a skimmer is determined by the input of organic matter (food) and the density and makeup of the organisms within the system. A generic discussion about the need for a skimmer is difficult at best. If your system displays symptoms of higher than desired dissolved organics, you need a skimmer. If it doesn't, you don't.

My system has a skimmer that runs regardless of need. The skimmer runs dry and sometimes skims almost nothing. However, when I get a wild hair and increase the input of food or other things high in organics more than I should, it helps protect the tank from my overexuberance.

 

[fodsod]

I run one on my 90g due to carbon dosing. Seems to be an essential part of that process. My skimmer has actually been easier to keep dialed in since I started carbon dosing. Not sure why, maybe because there's more to skim due to the increase amount of bacteria from the dosing.

 

[Dan_P]

Hear me out. I've had my aquarium going for about a year. It's a 100 gallon system with a moderate number of fish, snails, crabs, and coral. I bought the red sea skimmer, and have been using it during that time. In the course of a year, I've NEVER felt like the skimmer was "dialed in". Despite numerous attempts to reign it in, it would invariably skim way too much (fill the container in an hour or less) or skim way too little (fill the container never). I can't get it do anything in between.

Do I really need to use this thing? It doesn't seem to ever do anything helpful.

Let me ask you a question.

If you knew how to adjust the skimmer, would you have posted this question?

 

[GARRIGA]

Probably the best mechanical filter there is although I’m attacking that problem via decomposition and carbon dosing although forced to incorporate a refugium to remove excess CO2 to raise ph.

Still not clear what chemicals skimming removes that can’t be solved by other means and not having a skimmer is one less complex item that needs to take space and time and effort.

I’m from before the Berlin method took hold. Rather just keep it simple unless it provides a unique solution that other easier approaches won’t solve.

 

[Randomstylez]

Have no notable difference in water quality with or without a skimmer as I preform weekly 20% water changes. But I absolutely would keep it and recommend one because of the oxygen exchange, waste removal is a byproduct.

 

[SkylineView]

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[Charles Zinn]

Hear me out. I've had my aquarium going for about a year. It's a 100 gallon system with a moderate number of fish, snails, crabs, and coral. I bought the red sea skimmer, and have been using it during that time. In the course of a year, I've NEVER felt like the skimmer was "dialed in". Despite numerous attempts to reign it in, it would invariably skim way too much (fill the container in an hour or less) or skim way too little (fill the container never). I can't get it do anything in between.

Do I really need to use this thing? It doesn't seem to ever do anything helpful.

Do you havr an ATO?

 

[SkylineView]

Do you havr an ATO?

I do.

 

[mushrommy]

Hear me out. I've had my aquarium going for about a year. It's a 100 gallon system with a moderate number of fish, snails, crabs, and coral. I bought the red sea skimmer, and have been using it during that time. In the course of a year, I've NEVER felt like the skimmer was "dialed in". Despite numerous attempts to reign it in, it would invariably skim way too much (fill the container in an hour or less) or skim way too little (fill the container never). I can't get it do anything in between.

Do I really need to use this thing? It doesn't seem to ever do anything helpful.

I have a skimmerless system and it's my only reef tank and it's doing perfectly fine. just change filtration more often and you're good!