Underperforming Skimmer: How do you know?

[waleedreef]

Take sample of skim and give it to chemical lap to give report and check results. you can see how much organic carbons skimmed, starches, proteins, DNA, fats, toxins released by coral or other organisms, amino acid, vitamins and carbohydrates. if its not skimming anything of those means it's not skimming efficiently.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

The difference between performances of skimmers and their ability to remove TOC is not very important for managing a reef aquarium as it is only a minor issue of a few % of +- 30%. For me, the result may be compared to the ability of the device to remove organic toxins, and more importantly, is it able to remove all toxins of the same species or not? If it does not, the device is underperforming. If a skimmer removes a certain kind of organic toxin and leaves others behind, this may explain why certain organisms may outcompete others of the same species and some species may become dominant due to the suppression of competition by those species of which the toxins are removed. If a skimmer does not remove all toxins and is as selective in removing toxins as it is selective for removing TOC it may help certain species overruling others by inhibiting natural competition. Normally such toxins are active in the immediate environment. How big is this environment in a closed aquarium system?
What does a skimmer remove exactly and how it handles organic toxins seems to be a lot more important as a difference of a few % TOC removal. Is there any difference in the performance of different types of skimmers in their ability to remove toxins? Do the bubble size, the way they are made, and contact time influence toxin removal? Till now I could not find a good study about the ability of a skimmer to remove toxins.
Must a skimmer be tested before coming on the market? it seems logic as almost all reefers use one.
The better a skimmer performs in removing DOC and TOC, in removing apolar and hydrophobic compounds, the greater will be the unbalance created.
A good simple 45-year-old counter-current skimmer using a good wooden airstone seems to perform as good as any other type of skimmer now available. And now we can make use of calibrated airstones.
There is certainly a big difference between skimmers when it comes to power consumption and price setting. A skimmer removing 2% less TOC but is consuming 90% less electricity, is it underperforming? Maybe we can rate a skimmer taking into account it's power consumption. Rated at % TOC / watt?

 

[725196]

I voted; "It seems to be doing a good job but I don't really know how to tell.". To be honest a skimmer is an items that works or does not, kind of a pass or fail. I have no real idea how to judge if it is doing the best job it can. I have the mounting hight correct according to the direction and I watched the BRS videos on skimmers. That being said how do I really know it is doing enough? (At times maybe too much.) I should add I clean my skimmer cup every 3rd day and pull the whole skimmer to be deep cleaned every 6 month.

In my opinion a skimmer is just a tool to be utilized to get the best quality water you can. I think I am doing that with my skimmer. I also run filter socks, mesh and felt, a UV sterilizer, a carbon reactor and an algae turf scrubber. I added a xport brick for biological filtration. I also test my water weekly (alkalinity every 2-3 days) and I send out monthly ICP tests.

I think I have good quality water and my tank seems to be running very well, but for all my equipment the skimmer is one piece I understand the workings of, but not if it is working to its full potential.

 

[Nhjmc]

I feel like it pulls out more than I put in.

HOLY SMOKES!!!!!

 

[Cudaman]

Euro-Reef ... as good as it gets !

 

[Snoopdog]

I took my display skimmer off line July 2018 prior to forest fire season. I have a fairly light fish load and a very mature 210 gallon SPS dominated mixed reef tank. A white Tail Bristletooth, Purple, & yellow tangs, 7 Springerii Damsels, a blue chromis, and a Royal Gramma.

With the skimmer offline I still have to dose nitrate and phosphate daily. My corals are doing better than they ever have.



I think the key with my system is the multitude of sponges & filter feeding tube worms under the rock work, as well as the huge biomass of zoanthids, chalices, and acros consuming what nutrients are available. I wouldn’t necessarily say that my success would transfer over to a smaller or newer system. And a couple pictures to erase Any doubt. .

Wow....just wow. That is one gorgeous tank, one of the best if not the best I have ever seen. There is not one spot I can see that is not encrusted with a coral.

 

[Weasel1960]

Nyos FTW....

Could you please describe the components in your photograph. Not sure what is on left and right and am assuming the center is your sump?

 

[Sdot]

Here you go... updated version of the above PHoto

Could you please describe the components in your photograph. Not sure what is on left and right and am assuming the center is your sump?

Here is an updated version of the above pic

Side View

 

[Weasel1960]

Here you go... updated version of the above PHoto

Here is an updated version of the above pic

Side View

Thanks for the reply and the updated pictures, very awesome and a nice neat install. So I am assuming you are running right to left for flow? if so why did you put the fudge before the skimmer?

 

[Sdot]

The flow is actually left to right...the fuge is after the skimmer and the return pump.