Some info on protein skimmer

[trevy]

Skimmer Mathematics:

Read the turnover rate description and find the turnover rate that provides the aquarium environment that you want, then multiply it by your tank size to get your skimmers GPH rating. If you have a choice between two skimmer models always choose the larger one. It is very easy to adjust the skimmers flow rate downwards by adjusting the pumps output. Leaving you with some reserve skimming capacity for future adjustments.

Skimmer Sizing Math:

Turnovers per hour desired x Your Tank's capacity in gallons = "Skimmer GPH" rating. e.g. 4 (turnovers per hour) x 180 (gallon tank) = 720 GPH skimmer size is desired.

Turnover Rates for Display Tank Skimmers:

One Tank turnover per hour is the minimum skimming that seems to have any effect on your tank's water quality at all. This is fine in an environment where really high organic levels are desired. A 300 GPH skimmer would be rated for a 300 gallon tank.

Two Tank turnovers per hour is a much cleaner tank environment that has noticeably lower organic level and some increase in the aquariums oxygen level. The same 300 GPH skimmer would now be rated for a 150 gallon tank.

Three Tank Turnovers per hour enough speed to be able to remove organics as they are formed and before the tanks live rock or biological filter can convert them to none skimmable nitrates. Oxygen levels increase greatly in the aquarium and a tanks light transmission is also increased due to the increased water clarity by the removal of small particulates. Some phosphate removal, causing a decrease nuisance algae. The same 300 GPH skimmer is now rated for a 100 gallon tank.

Four Tank Turnovers per hour is considered the ideal rate for most applications including most soft corals, SPS corals, and/or a large fish population in the aquarium. We call this the Ultra High Flow level where very rapid organic waste removal minimizes the formation of nitrates, very effective oxygenation greatly reduces nightly CO2 buildup, which is responsible for daily PH fluctuation. Good phosphate removal capability controls nuisance algae. The tremendous air flow obtained at these flow rates is also responsible for lifting a great deal of particulate out of the system. This is so effective that mechanical filtration is no longer necessary. The water clarity is absolutely sparkling, the light transmission is also greatly enhanced. A tanks water quality parameters are very stable. The same 300 GPH skimmer would now be rated for a 75 gallon tank

Five Tank Turnovers per hour is ideal for fish only tanks and low organic level loving corals. The aquarium water has a sparkling look about it, caused by its very high oxygen saturation. Nuisance algae can be eliminated totally, especially if you maintain proper calcium and alkalinity. Phosphate removal is very high. Very good tank water parameter stability. Very low PH fluctuation. Mechanical filtration not necessary and would degrade water quality if not maintained meticulously. The same 300 GPH skimmer would now be rated for a 60 gallon tank.

Six Tank Turnovers per hour seems to be the maximum flow rate for effective skimming, increasing the flow rate more will only yield very marginal increases in water quality. This is the flow rate to shoot for if keeping a large Fish load, fish just love clean oxygen rich water, the cleaner the better and the same applies to SPS corals in your aquarium. The water is extremely low in organic waste and very high in oxygen. Ideal for SPS corals. The phosphate removal is so high that nuisance algae literally disappears from the aquarium. Oxygen will be at the maximum level obtainable, which is saturation. At this level the skimmer will totally control a tanks water quality. Mechanical filtration is not needed and would only degrade water quality if used. Light transmission is at a maximum. The tank's water looks absolutely sparkling. Do not use this much skimming on "dirt" (high organics) loving soft corals as they will not thrive. Note if keeping a mixed assortment of corals the aquariums organic level has to be high enough the satisfy all inhabitants. This is why we have both Soft and LPS corals in different tank setups then we do for SPS corals. It allows us to more closely match the organic level found in the corals natural habitat. The same 300 GPH skimmer would now be rated for a 50 gallon tank.

Tech. Data by AETech.

[sinner]

yo bro! great info

[trevy]

Welcome. Was searching for some info on protein skimmer and came upon this article. So was thinking it maybe good to let other new reefers know about it.

[weileong]

Great info!!!!

But cham already my EV-240 (water thru-put 550 gallon) might not be sufficient for my water volume of 180 gallons.

[roidan]

yeah,

i din add my H&S to my ev for no reason...hehe

but weileong your tank no so nutrient laden, no need worry so much lah.

[weileong]

I wanna skim until totally dry lah lol. Maybe I shall have another low turn-over skimmer like you then can really skim the hell out of it.

[roidan]

I wanna skim until totally dry lah lol. Maybe I shall have another low turn-over skimmer like you then can really skim the hell out of it.

haha

[ReDDeviLs]

that means i need another power skimmer..oh my god!

[kschew1498]

Sigh! Should have got a bigger PS!!! Mine only 2.22 tank turn over per hour!

[weileong]

The water thru-put of the skimmer is not done by seeing the flow rate of the pump It is lower than that!

[AlfaRomeo]

Bros, get a dual beckette skimmer thingie lah. solves all the problems from what i read both here and in RC.

[onghm]

Great info Trevy.

Thanks for sharing.

[porc]

Good read...

but the contact time between water and air bubbles is also important right? No point having a high turnover rate but a small chamber volume such that the contact time is very small. I guess the well designed skimmers would have taken this into consideration, but what's the actual recommended time. Anyone read something on this before? I guess this info will be useful too for DIYers... cheers...