Skimmer "skimmate" question

[darrinsimon]

Okay so hair algae went crazy and I started skimming "wet" with my new Octopus Reef HOB cone skimmer (XP 1000S).
So is the skimmate in the collection cup salty like the water in the tank? I am too scared to taste it and see.....EW! LOL
Basically what I want to know is do I just add fresh water to top off the tank or do I need to worry about the salinity of my tank because the skimmer may be removing too much saltwater? Just emptied the cup last night and it's already 1/3 full this AM.
By the way this is a killer skimmer, it really pulls some "stuff" out of the tank.

 

[pezenfuego]

Yes, skimmate is salty (I learned that the hard way). It isn't any more saline than the water itself though (if that's what you're asking).
 
If you fail to do any water changes for a very long time, then salt creep and skimmer could cause the salinity to fall too low. However, almost everyone is able to just add fresh top off water and do regular water changes to keep salinity in check.
 
It really depends on how much you are pulling out. If you are skimming REALLY wet, then you may need to add extra saltwater. Test your water to see what the level is and act accordingly.