No Skimmate left to Skim?

[fijiwigi]

Just wondering if any of you saltwater buffs out there have skimmers that stopped removing Dissolved organics because there are none left to remove. Or is there always a guaranteed supply of nasty stuff. My skimmer started to remove less and less and now I don't really get much of anything removed. When I adjust the flow it wont pull the black sludge out like it was doing. Just a really wet overflow of water. Is it possible that since I have got the water parameter thing locked down that there is a minimal supply of DOC's to remove?? Any thougths are appreciated Just want to understand 100%

 

[tamra&steven]

what kind of skimmer do you have?

 

[TheChad]

There should always be some DOC's, because you got food not being eaten, and fish doing the doo. But as your tank gets more established, and LR develops, the amount that your skimmer removes will go down.

When I first set up my 55g tank, I was getting a cup full ever few days, after 2 years, I was bairly getting a cup full a month.

Now I just set up my new tank, 90G, and I've been getting a cup every 4-5 days.

Alot depends on your bio load, how much you feed vs how much gets eaten, what you feed, etc.

-TheChad

 

[fijiwigi]

what kind of skimmer do you have?

AquaMedic Turboflotor 1000 Multi.

 

[tamra&steven]

well if your pump for your skimmer is clean i would say nothing is wrong . i dont pull out very much merky dirty water either but i dont have very many fish.

 

[Ziggy953]

Well typically I have to empty my collection cup and clean the skimmer weekly. My system is almost 3 years old now and I have over 180g of total water volume on my system. I tend to think that the DOCs are going to always be there becuase of the fish, food and other nasties in the water. Your skimmer will have a spike on a new system and then level off for the most part as your system establishes and your bioload and bacteria equalize. Like I said my system is almost 3 and I have to clean and empty the collection cup weekly (the collection cup on my skimmer holds 1.5g).

 

[usmcmarc]

IMO you are fine...If you go more than say...2 weeks with no sign of skimate, then I might worry.

 

[melosu58]

I agree that as your LR starts working that the skimmer will have less of a load but how much depends on your bio load and how much you feed.

 

[tawolcott]

OT: but nice avatar usmcmarc.. And thanx for the service .

 

[ccCapt]

Clean the pump impellor and the air intake. That always helps. As everyone else said, once you get everything stable, skimmate production will slow down a bit. This is where you see the difference between an OK skimmer and a good skimmer...how efficient it is when the doc's are low. A good skimmer will always produce skimmate.

 

[Ziggy953]

I totally agree with cccapt!

 

[pitt420dude]

Is skimmate the gunk that the skimmer collects? It sounds like it could be a brand name of a protein skimmer.

WHat is it? Just protein and doo doo and stuff? If so, do you even still need to do gravel/sand vacs in a SW tank?

Also, what does it taste like? I'm dieing to know.

 

[fijiwigi]

Is skimmate the gunk that the skimmer collects? It sounds like it could be a brand name of a protein skimmer.

WHat is it? Just protein and doo doo and stuff? If so, do you even still need to do gravel/sand vacs in a SW tank?

Also, what does it taste like? I'm dieing to know.

Ok for one I have never tasted it as it smells like rotten moldy pond scum mixed with sewage. LOL The protein skimmer removes Dissolved organics(skimmate) Which is fish waste, leftover food etc.. from the water and puts it in a collection cup kinda looks like motor oil. With my tank there is no longer a need to vaccum the substrate at all. The snails/conch's/Goby/Shrimp all keep my sand clean for me. And there is not really any algae growth at all since water conditions are kept prestine.

 

[pitt420dude]

Ok for one I have never tasted it as it smells like rotten moldy pond scum mixed with sewage. LOL The protein skimmer removes Dissolved organics(skimmate) Which is fish waste, leftover food etc.. from the water and puts it in a collection cup kinda looks like motor oil. With my tank there is no longer a need to vaccum the substrate at all. The snails/conch's/Goby/Shrimp all keep my sand clean for me. And there is not really any algae growth at all since water conditions are kept prestine.

C'mon chicken! Lol, give it a taste! Ha, ewwwwww!

I had no idea that SW tanks didn't need vac'd. How about that!

In the interests of full disclosure, my desire to have a comletely carpeted substrate is due to the fact that I hate gravel vacs. PWC's I don't mind but vacs, ugh! I soooo need a python.

 

[cmor1701d]

I agree on cleaning the pump. It should be cleaned annually unless more frequent maintenance is required.