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wet or dry skimming
- Thread starter Liam
- Start date
OP
OP
Liam
letting it grow
so you think you can get your water cleaner than the natural reef by wet skimming?This is a valid point though steve,i have heard some debate recently as to wether we try to get our systems too clean.
Personally i don't see it but i suspect the problem with reducing organics to non existant levels in a closed system could pose a problem because this is what our captive corals are using as a primary food source due to our inability to provide something similar to the high concentration of planktonic life that exists on the reef.
Just my thoughts,i have no scientific knowledge to back them up.
Personally i don't see it but i suspect the problem with reducing organics to non existant levels in a closed system could pose a problem because this is what our captive corals are using as a primary food source due to our inability to provide something similar to the high concentration of planktonic life that exists on the reef.
Just my thoughts,i have no scientific knowledge to back them up.
RichConley
Attack of the Killer Cute
Im my mind, there really isnt a difference. The way I see it, once something sticks to a bubble, it has been skimmed, whether it is splashing into the cup from bubbles bursting, or riding a high foam collumn into the cup. I think the "things break down when you dry skim" is crap. Whether or not they break down, theyre still on top of the foam collumn, and effectively skimmed out.
I skim a little on the wet side, but only because my skimmer's neck stays cleaner longer that way, so I can go longer between maintenance. Problem is, I end up having to empty the cup almost every day.
As to the "tank being too clean" I think its possible, but not a practical thing to hit. With a normal skimmer set up, I dont think you could do it. The only way I could see it happening would be a drain fed skimmer (fed by all your drains) and a barebottom tank with rediculous amounts of flow.
In any situation other than that, things are settling in your rocks, etc, no matter what you're doing, and you're always going to have some small amount of waste in the system.
just my $.02
I skim a little on the wet side, but only because my skimmer's neck stays cleaner longer that way, so I can go longer between maintenance. Problem is, I end up having to empty the cup almost every day.
As to the "tank being too clean" I think its possible, but not a practical thing to hit. With a normal skimmer set up, I dont think you could do it. The only way I could see it happening would be a drain fed skimmer (fed by all your drains) and a barebottom tank with rediculous amounts of flow.
In any situation other than that, things are settling in your rocks, etc, no matter what you're doing, and you're always going to have some small amount of waste in the system.
just my $.02
Liam, if I could have it my way, I would dry-skim and use a wet-neck mod. The neck always gunks up way quicker when I dry-skim and can hinder performance if I am not on top of things. Wet-skimming? Well, I don't have a drain on my 8-3 so I find it to be a PITA to empty it a lot.
And finally, you have to love that mmm...mmm good smell of a couple cups of dry-ish sludge that you get from a dry-skim
.
-Joe
And finally, you have to love that mmm...mmm good smell of a couple cups of dry-ish sludge that you get from a dry-skim
.-Joe
OP
OP
Liam
letting it grow
so what do people think to the theory that drier skimmate contains more concentrated DOC's but wet skimmate although contains less concentrated DOC solution but is as effective because more total volume is removed.
Has anyone made any observations with their water quality when changing between the 2 methods?
Has anyone made any observations with their water quality when changing between the 2 methods?
clamm
Nothing to nobody
I finally installed a drain on my 8-3, worth the 30 mins it took (mainly finding the tap) If you need to borrow it let me know.
scavdog said:Liam, if I could have it my way, I would dry-skim and use a wet-neck mod. The neck always gunks up way quicker when I dry-skim and can hinder performance if I am not on top of things. Wet-skimming? Well, I don't have a drain on my 8-3 so I find it to be a PITA to empty it a lot.
And finally, you have to love that mmm...mmm good smell of a couple cups of dry-ish sludge that you get from a dry-skim
-Joe
clamm
Nothing to nobody
I have actually tried.
I did 2 weeks wet and 2 weeks dry. I didn't see any difference in p04 and nitrates. However, I think you proved that most po4 kits suck. I also think that more then 2 weeks of each would be needed to accurately do a test.
Also I didn't monitor orp at the time, so I guess I could try again. But I think the results would be different now that I run ozone.
I did 2 weeks wet and 2 weeks dry. I didn't see any difference in p04 and nitrates. However, I think you proved that most po4 kits suck. I also think that more then 2 weeks of each would be needed to accurately do a test.
Also I didn't monitor orp at the time, so I guess I could try again. But I think the results would be different now that I run ozone.
ltelus said:
JustDavidP
Non-member
I dry skim about 80% of the time. It is a PITA cleaning the throat of the skimmer and such, but seems to keep things "in check" and is efficient over time.
I skim wet when I want to "fix" something. I used to do this when my softies shed, when my BTA decided to crawl in the pretty hole in the Powerhead..and now, after installing a new sand bed. By running it wet during those times, I do notice a quicker scrubbing of the water...but it is that.. a true scrubbing and messes with my salinity (causes the top off to kick in and replace the water) etc.
When putting the sand bed in my sumpfugium, the water was MILK for more than a day. After kicking in the Euroreef, it cleared within hours. I now tweaked it down to run dry (after pulling it and cleaning all the sand dust from the unit and pump)
Dave
I skim wet when I want to "fix" something. I used to do this when my softies shed, when my BTA decided to crawl in the pretty hole in the Powerhead..and now, after installing a new sand bed. By running it wet during those times, I do notice a quicker scrubbing of the water...but it is that.. a true scrubbing and messes with my salinity (causes the top off to kick in and replace the water) etc.
When putting the sand bed in my sumpfugium, the water was MILK for more than a day. After kicking in the Euroreef, it cleared within hours. I now tweaked it down to run dry (after pulling it and cleaning all the sand dust from the unit and pump)
Dave
delta
Impatient Reefer
I think both are ok
but your skimmate production is different dry equals less total volume but darker thicker and more Dissolved organics per X volume and wet more total volume needed to remove an equal amount of Dissolved organics
So you might get a 1\4 cup of dry skimmate to 3/4 cup of wet skimmate but both have removed the same amount of dissolved organics. Not sure about the actual amounts but you get the idea.
but your skimmate production is different dry equals less total volume but darker thicker and more Dissolved organics per X volume and wet more total volume needed to remove an equal amount of Dissolved organics
So you might get a 1\4 cup of dry skimmate to 3/4 cup of wet skimmate but both have removed the same amount of dissolved organics. Not sure about the actual amounts but you get the idea.
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