Is there a difference between a dry vs a wetter skimmate? I have mine on the wet side so I know that something is getting pulled out,if I make it dry the cup dont seem to collect much it kinda sticks in the side of the cone towards the top.I dont get that really dark colored water it looks more like a cigarette but left in a water bottle.My nitrates are low but im just curious if one or the other has a advantage.
Skimmate ?
- Thread starter SteveZ15
- Start date
- Location
- whitestone
Wet skimming tends to take out the larger bits of and more organic matter from the water because the wet foam is raised higher in the skimmer. At the same time it tends to overflow more during feeding and it takes more water out of your system. I personally prefer wet skimming.
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
I prefer a bit more dry skimming on my systems. I get a very dark color almost like chocolate. I only do water changes very two to three weeks though and I feed heavy sometimes. Hope this helps.
what makes you prefer dry vs wet? do you feel it takes out more or just a prefrence.I am trying to get the skimmer dialed in when I try to go dry it takes more than a week to fill the cup. One slight move of the valve and it fills in less than a week but not realy dark.I just want to make sure I am removing what I am supposed to since I added a lot more coral from the swap.. Thanks
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
Hope this helps. I still like dry skimming, lol.
There is a great article on Advanced Aquarist Online that takes on this topic. Below is a quote from it and below that the link.
"Both enrichment and recovery have counterparts in the aquarium skimming area. Dry skimming implies very little water hold-up in the foam, and this scenario is more closely aligned with enrichment. Thus, maximizing foam enrichment while dry skimming should maximize impurity removal from aquarium water. In contrast, wet skimming, with its proportionally larger liquid hold-up in the foam, falls more under the aegis of the "recovery" manifold of skimmer operation. That is, the removal of organic-rich foam and entrained aquarium water that contains organics (= wet skimming) should lead to a greater overall removal of the organic impurities in the aquarium water. "
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/aafeature2
There is a great article on Advanced Aquarist Online that takes on this topic. Below is a quote from it and below that the link.
"Both enrichment and recovery have counterparts in the aquarium skimming area. Dry skimming implies very little water hold-up in the foam, and this scenario is more closely aligned with enrichment. Thus, maximizing foam enrichment while dry skimming should maximize impurity removal from aquarium water. In contrast, wet skimming, with its proportionally larger liquid hold-up in the foam, falls more under the aegis of the "recovery" manifold of skimmer operation. That is, the removal of organic-rich foam and entrained aquarium water that contains organics (= wet skimming) should lead to a greater overall removal of the organic impurities in the aquarium water. "
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2009/1/aafeature2
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
No problem.
- Location
- Deer Park,Long Island,11729
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
Lol
- Location
- poughquag, ny
dry skimming, you are still collecting the same junk that is being removed, just requires you to clean the neck and cup more often on a dry skim
- Location
- Deer Park,Long Island,11729
I skim wet! I like it up and over into the cup and out of the tank.
I hate the thought of turning my skimmer off to feed and whatever is not up and over is now back in the sump only to be skimmed again.
Kind of defeats the purpose.
Looks like a green Tea.
This is what I take out every day and I clean it every day.
I hate the thought of turning my skimmer off to feed and whatever is not up and over is now back in the sump only to be skimmed again.
Kind of defeats the purpose.
Looks like a green Tea.
This is what I take out every day and I clean it every day.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
bubbles should actually be breaking right above where the cup attaches on that vertex lol is that the 180 ?
This helps a lot thanks everyone.I am in that area of skim mine might be a little lighter in color.I only have 2 small fish mostly lps and zoas and mabe about 15 sps frags and mini colonys.I turned down just a hair so it should be good.
- Location
- Dingmans ferry PA
Wet skim your just wasting water. Your removing the same amount of organics wet skimming as dry skimming
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
What I got from the article is "wet" removes more organic compound.. minus all the scientific stuff that was above my head. So if im some where in between wet and dry I should have good removal of what is not wanted yes? I guess the thing is working good as long as everything in the tank is not dead lol.Some of these articles are so advanced I dont understand them enough for them to be as useful as they were meant for.
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
I think either method works but like I mentioned before I prefer a bit dryer skimmate. If wet skimming works for your tank then continue with that.
Thats the tricky part of this hobby there are seventyfive ways to do everything. I turned it down some I want to get it to a muddy kinda viscosity I saw a few vids and everybody said how bad it stunk,my had some odor to it but not a stench. Ill mark the level so I can get it back there when I clean the whole unit.
- Location
- Ridgewood, NY
How big is your skimmer Steve? Also what brand and model?
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