How do you adjust your skimmer?

[tatuvaaj]

Although I think the "optimum" adjustment differs for each skimmer and tank in question, it would still be IMHO interesting to know if there is a favourite type of skimmate among the ReefLand users.

So, what kind of skimmate you try to achieve?

[charlie]

I kind of like the dry foam. My skimmer can be a real turd sometimes, but this is what I shoot for!!

[zhenya]

I also prefer drier foam in my skimmer, however, I run ozone into air intake on the AquaC skimmer and for some reason my skimmate production had ceased for the most part on my 75g tank. maybe I need really large air pump?

[Reefland]

I go for the stinky dark skimmate...nothing better!

[middlemark]

I'll be the divergent opinion ... I skim my `sps tank' fairly wet, not lots of color to the skimmate. My softie tank I skim for dark skim [less volume].

It sure helps having an auto-shut-off waste collector, to be sure that I don't skim way too much out when running things wet.

As my tank looks about what I'd like it to - that's my judge. Might be able to do that with darker skimmate, I dunno.

[charlie]

I'll be the divergent opinion ... I skim my `sps tank' fairly wet, not lots of color to the skimmate. My softie tank I skim for dark skim [less volume].

It sure helps having an auto-shut-off waste collector, to be sure that I don't skim way too much out when running things wet.

As my tank looks about what I'd like it to - that's my judge. Might be able to do that with darker skimmate, I dunno.

How often do you clean your glass? The reason I ask is, I read in a thread a while ago, somewhere, that if you skim wet, you don't have to clean your glass as much. Any truth to this, or is this another "hearsay"?

I agree about the auto waste collector, what a great thing to have!!!

[Peterock]

I have the bak/pak 2 filter with skimmer and I have a reeftank with a few fish in it as of now I have the skimmer set at medium is that an ideal setting or do i need to have more foam?

[middlemark]

How often do you clean your glass? The reason I ask is, I read in a thread a while ago, somewhere, that if you skim wet, you don't have to clean your glass as much. Any truth to this, or is this another "hearsay"?

I agree about the auto waste collector, what a great thing to have!!!

DIY waste collector

I would say that when the skimmer is running quite wet [and well], I would say I clean my glass a lot less. Sometimes it gets finicky, sometimes I overfeed or do something else to trigger a little more algae - but I would say that for the most part, since running wet, I mostly clean the glass just once a week - before where it was twice, maybe 3 times a week in order to not see any film.

I'd say Acropora color-wise, it also `helped'. Then again, I have only a total water volume of 50-60 gallons [58 tank + sump] - and perhaps the tank-size/stocking also make wet skimming beneficial. I don't claim to `really know', just what I've been happy with.

[kevinpo]

I set my skimmers to run very dark.

Kevin

[Samper]

I run mine as wet as possible. Although it isn't as dark I think it pulls out more since the cup fills up faster. Might not be true but that's how I do it. It stays sort of light until the cup has about 1" in it then if I let it continue to fill it turns to dark sludge.

[zhenya]

I set my skimmers to run very dark.

Kevin

Gawd,Kevin. :eek3: What in the world you feed your tank?

[Reefland]

That's just nasty!

[ereefic]

I run our SPS tank pretty wet, but the softie tank is run a little dryer. I get that 'Diahrea on Paper' type build up, that kevinpo posted, in the neck of the softies tank skimmer, but the skimmate itself is lighter colored, yet darker than the SPS tanks skimmate.

[tatuvaaj]

Thank you everyone for your comments so far!

I guess we will not reach a consensus on this matter

Makes me wonder if it really matters how you run your skimmer... ? FWIW my tank has always looked "cleaner" when I have had dark skimmate but then again I don't have experience with that many skimmers (I've used Tunze skimmers last 6-7 years, now I have Grotech HEA-200).

[ereefic]

What works for you may not work for the next person, that's the way it is with most everything in this hobby, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Where would the challenge be if everything was the same for everyone? It certainly wouldn't be as much fun and interesting as it is now.

[apantale]

I second the motion for the dark and nasty.. As for adjusting the skimmer, I guess that would depend on what type of skimmer you have. I have a Red Sea Prizm skimmer and all I do is make sure that the bubbles are forming 1/2 inch below the chamber by using the flow adjuster and voila' stinky bubbles start to ooze over into the cup..if there is anything toxic, of course..

[tatuvaaj]

Where would the challenge be if everything was the same for everyone? It certainly wouldn't be as much fun and interesting as it is now.

I agree 100%

[middlemark]

I set my skimmers to run very dark

No kidding! What a pic

[scubadude]

LOL love that pic kevin. I chose the medium between wet and dry...I consider it wet skimming but will say that the skimmate is very dark

[Poseidon]

EWWWW!!! Kevin that looks like TURD! My skimmer pulls out that kind of gunk too... So pretty dry, but that is JUST NASTY!!!!