Two Protien Skimmers instead of 1 big one?

[jeffaquarius]

This article is completely out of context. The efficiency of the pump is impacted by the inlet pressure (net pos suction head available) which in a closed system can be impacted by parallel pumps. However fish tanks are open systems where the inlet pressure to each pump is affected by the actual pump and the height of water it is in. Assuming the water level stays the same there is no negative impact to adding another.

It says IF you plan for PARALLEL pumps. It is not suggested for return pumps.

 

[mr_X]

The scenario is the actual system that OliverB is experiencing with his 2 skimmers.

Maybe he only has X amount of DOC's to remove. What makes you think both skimmers will fill to the same level at the same speed if the water is clean?
bottom line, he's got enough skimmer(s) on that tank for his feeding and bio load at this point. Maybe he didn't before. Nothing is taking away from the other, he's just doubled his mechanical filtration.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Mine never ran equally. One day one would catch the most skim, next day it was reversed. I think it had to do with the fact I have two connected sumps that had a skimmer each. The DOCs in each sump may have varied.

 

[jeffaquarius]

If you read the post of OliverB, the 2nd skimmer is removing lots of stuff while the 1st one just barely. Regardless wither the 2nd one is bigger or not, it does affect the other. Again we are not talking about the HOB skimmers mounted at the opposite end of DT. Even then, with dissimilar capacity you will obviously notice one to be with more skim while leaving the other with lesser skim. Does it not tell you that you are running a skimmer that is not at its full capacity?

 

[carey]

I have been reading this thread and you guys are making me laugh. lol

You keep going back and forth about it but to me it just seems both have merits. If you have two smaller skimmers and they fit in the sump hey, why not just use them? Beats getting a huge single skimmer. lol

Both scenarios will work, and work well so why the back and forth?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Because this is the "Junior Fish Debate Squad." I say "Up" and you say "Down." It's a blast.

 

[mr_X]

So, anyone wish to comment on a skimmer with 3 pumps? Not as good as a skimmer with 1? Is this not the same thing?

 

[Gregcoyote]

If you mean two of them are recirculating needle pumps, it greatly increases the number of bubbles and dwell time. So yes, much more efficient than a single pump.

 

[Airgoose2222]

So, anyone wish to comment on a skimmer with 3 pumps? Not as good as a skimmer with 1? Is this not the same thing?

Ill give it a shot. I think adding three pumps would make an awesome fountain!!! Whomever tries, please post a pic... Lol

 

[jeffaquarius]

I would say 4 is better than 3 but then why waste energy if 1 can do the job?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Had a skimmer made by Evenrude, but the wife didn't like the fumes from the outboard motor.

 

[jeffaquarius]

I would get another wife oops I mean another motor.

 

[Oliverb]

I would get another wife oops I mean another motor.

We are also missing 2 more factors
1, if one stopes working you still have a skimmer working
2 2 skimmers will take longer to fill ,

 

[jeffaquarius]

Item 1 That's what Greg had mentioned a redundancy.
Item 2 it's because you split the bio load between the 2 skimmers. May be you need to readjust for optimum.
I would let just one starts skimming first before turning on the 2nd one. Let us know if the first one would slow down when 2nd one is on.

 

[mr_X]

Ill give it a shot. I think adding three pumps would make an awesome fountain!!! Whomever tries, please post a pic... Lol

Most companies makes skimmers with multiple pumps, and the reason why is efficiency. More air and water than a single pump.
Bubble Magus BM C99 In Sump Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer w/ Bubble Plate

Reef Octopus Diablo / Extreme In-Sump Protein Skimmer

 

[Gregcoyote]

My Hydor 2005 has two foaming recirculating pumps, is about 2' tall and out preformed my 6' high Venturi style skimmer I had been using for many years.

 

[Chris J]

The term "efficient" is being used in two different ways. On Mr.X's side efficiency is being used to describe the skimmers ability to pull out DOC's where as on Jeff's side he's using it to describe power consumption vs the amount of DOCs pulled out. Mr.X is correct in stating that one skimmer does NOT effect the others ability to pull out DOCs it just causes there to be less DOCs which in turn causes the other skimmer to be unable to pull out as much because there simply is nothing left for it to skim. It doesn't make the skimmer less efficient, it does however mean you are powering a piece of equipment that isn't working at its full potential thusly making it "inefficient" to run. In summary, I side with Mr.X, two skimmers in a sump setup don't effect each other, they both effect the water so when one pulls all the DOCs it appears as if the other is less efficient only because there are no DOCs left to pull out and the skimmers did their job "efficiently" but it is "inefficient" power consumption wise to run a skimmer that isn't skimming or only skimming half the amount it could... Clear as Mud I'm sure.

 

[jeffaquarius]

The term "efficient" is being used in two different ways. On Mr.X's side efficiency is being used to describe the skimmers ability to pull out DOC's where as on Jeff's side he's using it to describe power consumption vs the amount of DOCs pulled out. Mr.X is correct in stating that one skimmer does NOT effect the others ability to pull out DOCs it just causes there to be less DOCs which in turn causes the other skimmer to be unable to pull out as much because there simply is nothing left for it to skim. It doesn't make the skimmer less efficient, it does however mean you are powering a piece of equipment that isn't working at its full potential thusly making it "inefficient" to run. In summary, I side with Mr.X, two skimmers in a sump setup don't effect each other, they both effect the water so when one pulls all the DOCs it appears as if the other is less efficient only because there are no DOCs left to pull out and the skimmers did their job "efficiently" but it is "inefficient" power consumption wise to run a skimmer that isn't skimming or only skimming half the amount it could... Clear as Mud I'm sure.

Well said Chris, but if you have to choose which one would you prefer. One skimmer that is enough to pick up the scum continuously and whatever is left or two skimmers that pick up scum quickly and run the rest of the day with nothing to clean? Considering of course that you have to spend twice as much cleaning them and pay the extra amount for the power consumption. Btw, I just got an hob skimmer twice the rated size of my tank and the old one is left empty handed so I moved it to my half sized nano cube and they both perform well.

 

[jeffaquarius]

The EFFICIENCY was challenged by MR-X. What you both prefer is use more energy to do more work. Using more power does not necesarily mean being efficient.

 

[Chris J]

If I have NO skimmer to start, I'm going with 1 larger model, if I have a working skimmer and it just needs help to keep up, I'm going to buy a smaller second skimmer and run 2, but that's my personal opinion.