Is Bigger Better When it Comes to a Protein Skimmer?

Bigger is better when it comes to a protein skimmer, right? Not necessarily. Using a high capacity protein skimmer on a smaller tank can be problematic. Why? Well, using an oversized skimmer will result in an inconsistent performance. Let me explain. To perform optimally a skimmer should be working all the time. An oversized skimmer will tend to skim well for a few days then slow down once all of the organics have been skimmed out. Once the organics build up again the skimmer will spring back into action, and thus perform inconsistently. How do you know whether you have the right size skimmer for the tank? I was always under the assumption that sizing should be based on total gallons in a system so I figured