Protein skimmer...Stupid question

[Brenden]

This is probably a stupid question but I am going to ask anyway. I have a AquaC EV1000 skimmer with a Iwaki MD 70 RLT pump on it. I can open up my ozone fittings on the skimmer which allows a lot more air into it. If I do this the foam pours over into the collection cup at around 1 qt a minute. Since my skimmer cup is plumbed into sewage this is a slow but easy way to remove water for a wc. I know this can not be getting much if any junk out of the water. Thus my question. Is there any benefit to letting my skimmer run "rich" to remove water from the tank?

 

[Guest]

Yes, it's one of the best ways to get rid of phosphates, but will certainly cost you more money in the long run. Try tuning it back some and see what happens.

KG

 

[HoopsGuru]

Sounds like you are doing some fairly typical "wet skimming"...and if you search with those key words here and on other forums you will surely find a ton of opinions on the subject matter. The facts available show that wet skimming is much better at removing larger particulate, but whether this is better than a thicker skimmate is hotly debated. If you personally like the result, I don't think there is any problem with it and as you stated may be a nice steady water change to boot.

 

[usaco]

Is it better to put the skimmer in the tank itself or in the mini reef?

 

[greenmaji]

are you refering to the sump usaco?

performance is dependent on the skimmer getting the correct flow (a 2 min dwell time of the most protien rich water from the aquarium in the main chamber of the skimmer is recomended)

brenden..
from what Ive read there is alot of advantages to wet-skimming (I like the idea myself).. yet it can cause some salinity ballancing work on your part to mix fresh and salt topoff water to keep salinity stable.. HTH

 

[Brenden]

My skimmer works fine "normally" I was just messing around and wondered if there was any benefit to removing water this way. Once I close the ozone fittings it goes back to skimming normal.