Skim Wet OR Skim Dry? Age old question

[waynotcars]

HI,

I would like to take sort of a poll on how many choose to run their protein skimmer so it skims wet or how many skim dry? I'd sure like some great reasons behind doing one or the other. I know some will say they change it up according to tank conditions so I like to hear what conditions warrant the change. I myself, have a hard time deciding what to do some times. Does skimming dry seem better only because the gunk appears darker so we feel we're getting more pollutants, debris out? Any great reasoning for skimming either way?

 

[rkaragozler]

tagging along, very good thread, I am always confused about this as well

 

[prattreef]

I think there is essentially no difference to the health of a system whether you skim wet or dry as long as you are able to balance the import and export of nutrients effectively. We hardly know what our skimmers are actually removing ,let alone have the ability to test for increased or decreased amounts of anything in skimmate which pretty much leaves opinion, anecdote, experience and preference as your only guidelines.

 

[rkaragozler]

the only thing i noticed is that when i skim wet my topoff goes from 2.5 gallons a day to 3.5 thats it, they both smell the same imo. now when i skim dry all that stuff just stays in their and noticed that the throat gets cloged more and maybe because of this it does not skim as well. I just left it where is skims wet, this way the throat is always cleaner

 

[tonep]

There was a quest speaker at the swap a year or so ago that discussed skimmers.
What I got from it was that it is hard to tell what is best.
You could have very dark or light or wet or dry skimmate but it is hard to let which removes the most without doing real testing which most of us can't do.

 

[DrHarryLopez]

In my experience some DOC (dissolved organic compounds) are tougher to skim than others. Hence, I skim wet for those heavier DOCs and I skim dry for the easier and lighter weight DOCs.
Of course the only way to acheive this is to have two separate skimmers. I have them side by side in my sump.
As PrattReef mentioned there is no qualitative or quantitive research on this topic but one thing is fact, a skimmer removes DOC from your system.
There a thread on RC about my side by side skimmers

Things you have to remember if skimming wet you may have to monitor the specific gravity of the water in the tank.

 

[waynotcars]

I'm really liking the answers so far but would really like to, in addition to your opinions, know which everyone is doing. So far, only Doc says what he does, side by side. Which is great but not sure we can all do this.

 

[waynotcars]

I'm also thinking, judging by your replies that there is no way to tell which is best, that there would be no need then to wet skim as wet skimming makes it more difficult to maintain specific gravity, etc. Why then, wouldn't we all skim very dry in order to more easily maintain parameters, empty our skimmer less often, etc.?

 

[greenstreet.1]

ok what is wet skim an dry skim in other words how are they done. is it when you dial the skimmer low or high

 

[alrha]

i prefer to skim wet - i feel like it is less selective and would get out even the harder to skim 'stuff'

 

[DrHarryLopez]

I'm also thinking, judging by your replies that there is no way to tell which is best, that there would be no need then to wet skim as wet skimming makes it more difficult to maintain specific gravity, etc. Why then, wouldn't we all skim very dry in order to more easily maintain parameters, empty our skimmer less often, etc.?

When I ran only one skimmer I skimmed dry, very dark, stink gunk! I would empty the collection cup once every 2 ro 3 wks but i would need to clean the skimmer neck weekly to keep up its efficency.