General Protein Skimmer question

[trigger11]

I have a 200G system running without a protein skimmer. 150lbs LR and 250LBs LS.
I seem to be at the bioload limit with what I have. About 7 fish. Nothing large sized yet although I do have a 3.5 inch Orange Shoulder tang that has some growing to do.
My question is if I were to add a protein skimmer rated for 400G (A pacific coast imports PS400P) approximately how many more fish would that accomodate for bioload?
I had a skimmer once on a 55G tank and it was worthless. Ever since I have not been too keen on them. Seems as if they will put out more stuff in the water column that the corals will use. It is amazing to me how much the skimmate looks like Phytoplankton. However, from what I hear if they are working well then they do pull out a lot of waste allowing for more fish. Since I now have a dream size tank for me I would like to get as many fish as I safely can in there. Maybe 2 more tangs and some anthias.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
In case it helps here is my stock list
1 Orange Shoulder tang
3 Clownfish
1 yellowtail blue damsel
1 Mandarin
1 Lawnmower blenny
hermits, snails, 2 sea hares, cleaner shrimp
various anemones and corals

 

[fatcat]

bump for trigger

 

[scsinet]

You may have been cursed with poor skimmers in the past. I was too. Good skimmers work so well that you'll never go back. I'm not sure how good the Pacific skimmers are.
You are certainly not overstocked. With no skimmer... you certainly can't have as many fish as you could have with a powerful efficient skimmer running, but I think even with no skimmer you can have quite a few more fish than what you have.

 

[trigger11]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2529439
You may have been cursed with poor skimmers in the past. I was too. Good skimmers work so well that you'll never go back. I'm not sure how good the Pacific skimmers are.
You are certainly not overstocked. With no skimmer... you certainly can't have as many fish as you could have with a powerful efficient skimmer running, but I think even with no skimmer you can have quite a few more fish than what you have.
I wouldnt have thought I should be overstocked either. However, I always have trace amounts of ammonia in the system. Comes back shortly after doing water changes as well. This is 3 months now after upgrading from a 55G tank. I had moved all LR and even purchased some more rock after the upgrade. I feed every other day and even then I dont put a whole bunch in there. It is gone within 30 seconds.
I have been battling a bad hair algae problem as well which has finally started clearing up.
I have heard some good things about the Pacific coast skimmers. I only have a 8 X 10 inch area to work with in my sump. I was looking at an ASM-G3 but from what I can tell it will be at least an inch or two too big to fit.
I have one phosban reactor working at the moment which has seemed to help as well. I have 3 total. I tried to daisy chain them altogether and use an MJ1200 pump. I can say that is not a good thing to do. It was blowing the phosban all over the place. I have been reading your build and I was going to make a little setup to have the water pumped in through a pipe and then come off of that to the reactors.
Well, I guess I am digressing so will end for now.