Flow Rate through skimmer

[cindywennin]

After reading another thread on skimmer pump replacement a question came to mind...
shouldn't skimmer pumps be replaced with like flow rate pumps? My thinking is this, if you replace a skimmer pump with a faster flow rated pump the skimmer may not have enough contact time with the water to work efficiently and remove the waste. I thought a slower flow rate through the skimmer would make the skimmer more efficient. Am I missing something here?
Cindy

 

[McReef1]

Cindy-

For a skimmer to work properly, most of which I have heard/read/experienced states that your aquarium volume should be moved through the skimmer at least once per hour for it to work efficiently. Sounds like a lot of flow, to me. Of course, the other important factor is to make sure the contact chamber is filled densely with very small bubbles. If you have these two things accomplished, you will go a long way to removing dissolved organics from your system.

It takes some tweaking, and it is difficult to describe how to accomplish this because all skimmers operate differently, but you should shoot for as "dry" a foam in the collection cup as possible.

I do not think it matters that you have "too much" flow in to the skimmer unless it is a ridiculous amount.

I hope that answered your question.

Good luck,

McReef

 

[SteveP]

Actually, I've heard that 4x the tank volume should be moved through a skimmer per hour.

For a better answer look at the flow rate and tank size recommendations for a given model of skimmer and do the math yourself. Me, I'm too lazy.

Steve
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