Is my skimmer working properly?

[Miami Reef]

Also, is this considered dry or wet skimming?

 

[mtfish]

Skimmer is working and that setting is on the very dry side. If you want a wet skim, raise the water level in the neck of the skimmer. Do this in very slow increments and sit back (like an hour) and let the skimmer adjust to the new level before further adjustments.

 

[Miami Reef]

one more question. The bottom of the collection cup has a drain the goes back in the tank. I’ve wondered if skimming wet will make it go back into the tank. I don’t see much info online and it’s my first time skimming.

I ask because when I see wet skimming, it looks like water. Maybe it’s thicker?

 

[AdamNC]

The drain plug is to go to a skimmate locker or a jug. It’s just for added storage of skimmate before dumping it.

 

[declanisadog]

dry skimmate would be thicker and darker than wet. The drain on there is to keep it from overflowing.you can route that tube to some sort of a collection device if you like (two liter bottle, milk jug, or the like). I personally don't have the need for that so i capped it on mine, and just empty the skimmer before it's full

 

[Miami Reef]

Do you recommend this type of skimming?

 

[mtfish]

There is no right or wrong way to skim. It depends on personal preference, bioload of tank and what other methods you use to control nutrients. That last picture is still a dry skim. This will take longer to fill the cup with more sludge in the skim neck. One of the best things I did for my skimmer is to get a "swabbie" from Avast Marine. This keeps the neck cleaned and the skimmer working at its best. Dry skimming you will need to clean it often or your skim production will go down.

 

[Miami Reef]

If I have a large bio load with corals and fish, what skimming would be more appropriate?

 

[mtfish]

What other equipment do you have? How big is your tank? Water change routine? Do you dose carbon? Actual fish and size. SPS dominant or mixed reef. Lots of questions to answer. Personally, I am a middle ground guy, skimming a little wet but not like some folks. Really wet skimming will look more like tea. My cup is really nasty when I clean it but I have the water further up the neck than you do. Bottom line, test the parameters in your water and go from there. Skimming is just a part of the whole system.

 

[mta_morrow]

It’s really more of a personal preference. I skim somewhere between wet and dry.

And my reason for doing so I that I end up taking about a 1/2 to 3/4 gallon out a week, and then add a gallon of new SW every week.

That replenishes what so far is enough iodine and magnesium that I don’t have to dose yet.

 

[mta_morrow]

What other equipment do you have? How big is your tank? Water change routine? Do you dose carbon? Actual fish and size. SPS dominant or mixed reef. Lots of questions to answer. Personally, I am a middle ground guy, skimming a little wet but not like some folks. Really wet skimming will look more like tea. My cup is really nasty when I clean it but I have the water further up the neck than you do. Bottom line, test the parameters in your water and go from there. Skimming is just a part of the whole system.

Same type of skimming for me and agree it’s just a piece of the whole system