Is there such thing as to much filtration?

flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Siptang http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration#post_3463085
Never used that brand of skimmer before but I heard good things and also there is NO SUCH THING as too much filtration lol.
Just jumping in...I agree you can't have too much filtration, but you can overskim. The skimmer pulls out all the organics (well, depends on how good the skimmer is) from the water. If you run your skimmer 24/7 then any coral foods will be drawn away and not feed the corals. In a fish only system, you do need some algae for the fish that like to pick at the rocks for it. An algae sheet can be used to feed them in that case.
I liked my canister filters, they could hold lots of different media, and the spray bar was worth it's weight in gold for surface movement. It was a little bit of a pain in butt to remember to clean up once a month but it runs 100% silent and if the power goes off...no worries. Skimmers are not filtration...filters draw the water in and filters through media to clean the water up before returning to the tank. A skimmer skims the water of organic matter that would pass right thru a filter and traps it in a cup, but it does not filter it thru anything.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463160
I skim 24/7 but my skimmers are dialed in finely....I have to turn em down when I feed....
Acrylic51 told me to unplug the skimmer rather than mess with the sweet spot after you get it right where you want it. Turning the skimmer down to feed the tank kind of defeats the whole purpose if you have it dialed in finally....so I figured I would share that tidbit of advice.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
IMHO it's easier to unplug the skimmer pump vs "dialing" the skimmer down, because it's not an easier chore or something you can simple mark on the dial to dial the skimmer back to that "sweet spot". With that said even dialing the skimmer down depending on food and circumstances can drive a skimmer crazy, and everyone knows skimmer adjustments should be made slowly and watched; way to easy for a skimmer to take off the wrong way.......
As far as over skimming.....Honestly I don't believe it's possibly.....Skimmers aren't 100% effective and therefore the "addage" of over skimming is highly unlikely for most of us.....As far as removing important foods and such for corals, again your claim or statement could be highly disputed for the mere simple facts of looking at some of the most successfully run tanks with skimmers and quality skimmers that don't have issues with growth, coloration and so on, so that theory is highly subjective.....
As far as the comment where a skimmer not being filtration......
Have to disagree with that statement....What is it then....Filtration is any part or process that removes waste....With that being said it would be part of the filtration process IMHO.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
The only time I turn the skimmer off is when I clean it...and I UNPLUG it......There is no way I am gonna mess with the settings over and over.....
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463182
IMHO it's easier to unplug the skimmer pump vs "dialing" the skimmer down, because it's not an easier chore or something you can simple mark on the dial to dial the skimmer back to that "sweet spot". With that said even dialing the skimmer down depending on food and circumstances can drive a skimmer crazy, and everyone knows skimmer adjustments should be made slowly and watched; way to easy for a skimmer to take off the wrong way.......
As far as over skimming.....Honestly I don't believe it's possibly.....Skimmers aren't 100% effective and therefore the "addage" of over skimming is highly unlikely for most of us.....As far as removing important foods and such for corals, again your claim or statement could be highly disputed for the mere simple facts of looking at some of the most successfully run tanks with skimmers and quality skimmers that don't have issues with growth, coloration and so on, so that theory is highly subjective.....
As far as the comment where a skimmer not being filtration......
Have to disagree with that statement....What is it then....Filtration is any part or process that removes waste....With that being said it would be part of the filtration process IMHO.
cheers. long but informative. take the lap top to the potty with ya'll for this one.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/2/aafeature
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
Yay some toilet reading! Lol
Ya a skimmers part of mechanical filtration....who said it wasn't? Lol u guys are so right....I already flip the switch for the return. I might as well flip the switch for the skimmer. If u guys don't have one. I recommend a power bar with individual switches on it. I got mine from guitar center in the dj/lighting section... Not to much $ and the warranty which does cover water damage was like $5.....
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463158
Just jumping in...I agree you can't have too much filtration, but you can overskim. The skimmer pulls out all the organics (well, depends on how good the skimmer is) from the water. If you run your skimmer 24/7 then any coral foods will be drawn away and not feed the corals. In a fish only system, you do need some algae for the fish that like to pick at the rocks for it. An algae sheet can be used to feed them in that case.
I liked my canister filters, they could hold lots of different media, and the spray bar was worth it's weight in gold for surface movement. It was a little bit of a pain in butt to remember to clean up once a month but it runs 100% silent and if the power goes off...no worries. Skimmers are not filtration...filters draw the water in and filters through media to clean the water up before returning to the tank. A skimmer skims the water of organic matter that would pass right thru a filter and traps it in a cup, but it does not filter it thru anything.
Good reading material Kiefers!!!!! Where I drew the statement of skimmers not being filtration is from above......I guess I should have elaborated a bit more when I stated about removing important foods....No argument with the article, but what I was meaning running the skimmer won't remove all the food in the water column. That is were I stated a skimmer isn't 100% affective. If they were and they did remove all the food sources, why do/ or how are SPS dominated thriving.....
My rationale on shutting the skimmer down during feeding is 2 fold....Flower pointed out the obvious reasoning, and I find it hard to believe that it's super easy to dial a skimmer up and down and continually find that ultimate "sweet spot".....2nd thought is to allow the tank inhabitants a chance to feed, and then after the feeding period to fire the return pump/skimmer to remove any uneaten......
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463256
Yay some toilet reading! Lol
Ya a skimmers part of mechanical filtration....who said it wasn't? Lol u guys are so right....I already flip the switch for the return. I might as well flip the switch for the skimmer. If u guys don't have one. I recommend a power bar with individual switches on it. I got mine from guitar center in the dj/lighting section... Not to much $ and the warranty which does cover water damage was like $5.....
Will have to look into this. Thanks.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463321
Good reading material Kiefers!!!!! Where I drew the statement of skimmers not being filtration is from above......I guess I should have elaborated a bit more when I stated about removing important foods....No argument with the article, but what I was meaning running the skimmer won't remove all the food in the water column. That is were I stated a skimmer isn't 100% affective. If they were and they did remove all the food sources, why do/ or how are SPS dominated thriving.....
My rationale on shutting the skimmer down during feeding is 2 fold....Flower pointed out the obvious reasoning, and I find it hard to believe that it's super easy to dial a skimmer up and down and continually find that ultimate "sweet spot".....2nd thought is to allow the tank inhabitants a chance to feed, and then after the feeding period to fire the return pump/skimmer to remove any uneaten......
Yep...I deserve a beating with a wet noodle...skimmers are filtration, I agree I was wrong. I was thinking on the lines of how it works. A filter allows water to pass thru it and filters the water by catching the particles as they pass. LOL...My late husband called it, Debbie logic.
I do however stand by saying to shut down the skimmer for feeding. Because.... Why feed so much to just be sucked up by the skimmer and leave a little for corals to feed on?...turn off the skimmer, and just feed a little to begin with...It makes no sense to use more than you need too, just so there is enough for the corals after the skimmer gets done with it. Not to mention not all skimmers are created equal, I had a back-pack skimmer that only skimmed 1/4th cup after a full month. I sure there was plenty of food in the water for the corals...even if I ran 2 of them 24/7 at once. LOL...In fact they strated making the back-pack 2, a double skimmer. I had the single one. At any rate...That's why I love this site, if I make a mistake or others do...we get called on it, so we all learn.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463256
Yay some toilet reading! Lol
Ya a skimmers part of mechanical filtration....who said it wasn't? Lol u guys are so right....I already flip the switch for the return. I might as well flip the switch for the skimmer. If u guys don't have one. I recommend a power bar with individual switches on it. I got mine from guitar center in the dj/lighting section... Not to much $ and the warranty which does cover water damage was like $5.....
I didn't know that they made a power strip that has individual switches. I would have never thought of a music store to get fish stuff...LOL...
Thanks for the info! Now to find a music store.
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by acrylic51 http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463321
Good reading material Kiefers!!!!! Where I drew the statement of skimmers not being filtration is from above......I guess I should have elaborated a bit more when I stated about removing important foods....No argument with the article, but what I was meaning running the skimmer won't remove all the food in the water column. That is were I stated a skimmer isn't 100% affective. If they were and they did remove all the food sources, why do/ or how are SPS dominated thriving.....
My rationale on shutting the skimmer down during feeding is 2 fold....Flower pointed out the obvious reasoning, and I find it hard to believe that it's super easy to dial a skimmer up and down and continually find that ultimate "sweet spot".....2nd thought is to allow the tank inhabitants a chance to feed, and then after the feeding period to fire the return pump/skimmer to remove any uneaten......
I love that "sweet spot" Lol.....
I saw your point and was agreeing with you 100%, and in turn to a certain point agreeing with Flowers statement as well, however, I guess it all depends on ones definition of filtration.
As the article pointed out, the food collected are more of the POC's and DOC's (in smaller amounts) than other chemicals in the system. However, Certain corals do consume the DOC's in the water..
As for the "food" I can easily get this misconstrued with the food we feed the fish like mysis and such, there the CUC, nitrifying bacteria, and filter pad would catch this before going into the skimmer. After reading the article, I combed the contents of my skimmer and saw zero food left overs as far as mysis or other solid foods.
I too shut my skimmer down while feeding the fish and corals. I leave it alone and just unplug it and let it go. It's cool to see all the meat eaters open and extend their tenticles out to feed.
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
so acrylics sayin skimmers dont work 100% anyways so thiers no real risk of over skimming unless ur running a larger than need skimmer or a spendy one!
@flower ud b surprised where u can find stuff... ill look at my power bar and see who makes it. I think its american DJ or something.
Anyone else think that we are way to into this, ? ":/
BTW everone thinks diff and its amazing to get diff views on things! THXS swf pps!
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1guyDude http:///t/390790/is-there-such-thing-as-to-much-filtration/20#post_3463475
so acrylics sayin skimmers dont work 100% anyways so thiers no real risk of over skimming unless ur running a larger than need skimmer or a spendy one!
@flower ud b surprised where u can find stuff... ill look at my power bar and see who makes it. I think its american DJ or something.
Anyone else think that we are way to into this, ? ":/
BTW everone thinks diff and its amazing to get diff views on things! THXS swf pps!
Let's be realistic here!!!!! Nothing and we all know there is nothing that is 100% efficient and skimmers would be the same.....A skimmer can not process 100% of the water that passes by it, so therefore it isn't skimming 100% of the water on every pass. This is were recirc skimmers seemed to gain a little notoriety
Even if you ran an overly large skimmer again you wouldn't gain any real skimming advantage.....A skimmer won't skim what's not there. Also with an overly sized skimmer you won't get it to skim consistently as a well sized skimmer.
 
kiefers

kiefers

Active Member
I run a skimmer for my 56 and it is rated for a 75 gallon. I am more than happy with it.
On another note, why would anyone want a "sterile" system?
 
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