Protein skimmer question

michaels2408 · Feb 23, 2015

I have an ASM G1X Skimmer on a 90gal system. Not much bio load currently, but Nitrates are reading 25ppm with 0 nitrites and 0 ammonia. I adjusted for a dry skim with bubbles coming to the top of the neck, but not overflowing. Problem is that I never get a foam head build up that spills into the collection cup. Only way to get something into the collection cup is to adjust for a wet skim. Is this normal?

zesty · Feb 23, 2015

Yes, you are describing the nature of protein skimmers. A couple questions, is this a new skimmer? A new skimmer to your system? Has it been broken in (ran for 3-7 days)?

Find a level that doesn't overflow and fill your cup up in minutes. Once you find that level, give it some time... It will take some time to adjust and then come back in a few hours and see how it's doing.

mike007 · Feb 23, 2015

If you having Issues with nitrates yes you want a wet skim to remove as much nutrients as you can. As said if this skimmer is new it will take time for it to break in. Also reduce your feeding until you get nitrates where you want them.

Reefing Madness · Feb 23, 2015

You want to get that foam high enough into the neck to get it to just pop out the top, its not neccessarily called a wet foam, its like inbetween.

austin55 · Feb 23, 2015

I have a new am c2 skimmer I've been running it for a couple weeks and it is still overflowing? What do I do?

Reefing Madness · Feb 23, 2015

Wait for it to break in.

austin55 · Feb 23, 2015

Is been running with the air wide open for 2 weeks. The only time it didn't overflow is when I was adding salt to the tank does this mean anything?

kschweer · Feb 23, 2015

austin55 said:
Is been running with the air wide open for 2 weeks. The only time it didn't overflow is when I was adding salt to the tank does this mean anything?

What's the depth the skimmer is running in?

austin55 · Feb 23, 2015

Its recommended for 8-10. I have it at 9

kschweer · Feb 23, 2015

austin55 said:
Its recommended for 8-10. I have it at 9

I would try getting closer to the 8". Have you opened the adjustment valve all the way too?

austin55 · Feb 23, 2015

Yes it is open all the way

kschweer · Feb 23, 2015

austin55 said:
Yes it is open all the way

In that case I have to agree with letting it break in.

austin55 · Feb 23, 2015

OK thank you ive been getting very worried

Reefing Madness · Feb 23, 2015

It will settle down here shortly. They all break in differently. There is a resin on the acrylic for storage reasons, and has to come off before it will work correctly. Most would give it a vinegar soak bath before using, this tends to knock that break in period down a bit.

michaels2408 · Feb 24, 2015

I have seen so many different opinions, including the ones provided at the store I purchased the equipment. I was told that Dry skim is good, but wet skim gets more nitrates out with a loss in salt content. Easily correctable by adding fresh salt water when skimmer dumped.
Another opinion I saw was wet skim produced less waste removal including solids. Dryer bubbles capable of lifting more solids to the top of the foam head, so more waste, less waste water.
My thoughts. If there is water in the collection chamber, then solid wastes lifted to the top would flow into the chamber and hopefully sink instead of overflowing. However, the overflow would just go back into the skimmer and be caught in the bubbles again, thus a continuous trapping with some being reintroduced into the tank.

Dry skim is bubbles to the neck but not overflowing when collection canister is off skimmer. Wet skim is bubbles flowing up neck with more water content.
Please enlighten me. What is the measurable science behind the adjustment and use of protein skimmers, and where can this information be found?

mcarroll · Mar 2, 2015

There are some good articles on the how's and why's of skimming if you google or check out my "mcarroll's favorite links" thread in the chemistry section, but in a nutshell:

Wetter is better - mostly for two reasons:

A) more wastes are removed. remember, undissolved gunk (that which you see) isn't the only gunk you want out of the tank. (DOC = dissolved organic carbon)
B) wet skimming keeps your skimmer's insides cleaner, longer. A cleaner skimmer skims more and better.

Dryer is only better if you don't have a good mechanism (e.g. water changes) for dealing with salinity changes. The amount of water removed per week due to wet skimming should be minuscule in terms of affecting salinity, BTW. Worth being aware of so you can keep an eye on it, but not worth worrying about day-to-day for most people. (I have always wet skimmed and due to two-part dosing, my salinity still goes up....so you may never see this issues at all.)