Is this what skimmate should look like?

[Andreas' Reef]

Hi, I’m new to protein skimmers. Is this what skimmate should look like? Just making sure I tuned it right.

 

[ChiCity]

no.
that’s a bit watery
and that’s how it will be until your skimmer breaks in…

skimate should be tea colored to dark,
and the viscosity should be a lil thick

 

[Koh23]

It depends on nutrients.....

If there is nothing to skimm, then you cannot expect neither dark, or thick skimmate....

 

[Rmckoy]

I’ll attach 2 pictures
First inside the collection cup at the top of the neck is a thick foam of bubbles
Inside is a thick mud like .
What flows off as skimmate should be tea like to a dark brown ( if it smells like sewage it’s normal )

depending on the skimmer the height of the bubbles inside the skimmer varies

 

[Rmckoy]

I just cleaned mine to show the level where the bubbles rise to

this will produce a very thick “dry” skimmate

 

[artieg1]

No, it needs to be much nastier. Dial it back. Or if this is a new tank, wait several months.

 

[Rmckoy]

No, it needs to be much nastier. Dial it back. Or if this is a new tank, wait several months.

If it looks like poop and smells worse , that’s normal

 

[Andreas' Reef]

No, it needs to be much nastier. Dial it back. Or if this is a new tank, wait several months.

By dial it back do you mean give it less air?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Lower the bubbles in the chamber, so the skimmate isn't so watery going into the collection cup.

 

[MikeCHI]

BRS did a great report on this: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/brstv-investigates-diy-protein-skimmer-test
*spoiler alert* The answer tends to be "medium"

 

[MikeCHI]

Also if I am recognizing that cup correctly - that looks like a coralife Biocube skimmer. If you have a biocube thats just about the only skimmer that fits into chamber one (my first tank was a biocube 32).

First I hope its a V2 skimmer - which kinda works. The gen 1 doesnt work at all. But anyway its a terrible skimmer and I would call what you have collected there a win as it meant u didnt over flow, under flow, or turn your tank into a winter wonderland of microbubbles. There just isnt a lot of good answers for a biocube unless u want to DIY some other skimmer into chamber 2 or go external.

So if youre getting reliable daily skim or any sort I would just leave it TBH. I went internet searching for other posts of people claiming such and such skimmer fits into chamber 1 - they dont.

Anyway if thats not a coralife skimmer ignore this post, lol

 

[flashsmith]

With the type of skimmer you have..Yes that's about as good as it gets with an AIO type or a hob type skimmer.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, I’m new to protein skimmers. Is this what skimmate should look like? Just making sure I tuned it right.

No- should look like a chocolate shake or malt with foam. This is from a typical break-in for a skimmer but will get darker. Turn the air control down just a tad allowing foam, not water to enter the cup

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

Way too watered down. Shouldn't be able to really see through it.

 

[Haacheew]

By dial it back do you mean give it less air?

I watched BRS TV and "Eat Sleep Reef" skimming vids.

Eat Sleep Reef's "Skimmer Tuning 101" visually presents much easier to understand of how to skim effectively for general users, instead of bunch of technical terms. Provided that you have a matured reef tank with normal nutrients in the water column. This vid shows you how to adjust the water level and the amount of in-take air (and among other things), both of which interact with each to produce the desired skimates, either wet or dry. Pay extra attention to the vid starting at 00:09:30.

Highly recommend it.

Eat Sleep Reef's "Skimmer Tuning 101" - vid link

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I watched BRS TV and "Eat Sleep Reef" skimming vids.

Eat Sleep Reef's "Skimmer Tuning 101" visually presents much easier to understand of how to skim effectively for general users, instead of bunch of technical terms. Provided that you have a matured reef tank with normal nutrients in the water column. This vid shows you how to adjust the water level and the amount of in-take air (and among other things), both of which interact with each to produce the desired skimates, either wet or dry. Pay extra attention to the vid starting at 00:09:30.

Highly recommend it.

Eat Sleep Reef's "Skimmer Tuning 101" - vid link

Thanks!!