Protein Skimmers - What size do I REALLY Need?

June 22nd, 2010 02:27:17 pm

Protein Skimmers are an often over looked and under rated device. Majority of manufacturers rate their skimmers, some take it a step further and rate them based on tank population / stock level. A heavily stocked take needs a larger, stronger, more aggresive skimmer. Over the past decade I have come to the conclusion that the rating on all skimmers are severely over rated. in other words if the skimmer rates up to 100 gallons fully stocked, cut that number in half! I am begining to believe that many of the skimmers numbers need to be reduced by 2/3. What does this mean? will a skimmer rated for a fully stocked 100 gallon tank work on your 100 gallon? Yes. But it will not be working enough for you or the inhabitants in your tank. If you were to add another skimmer of the same make and model, shouldn't it pull very little (actually the volume should be lower between the 2). Yes. But you will find the second one pulling just as much as the first on a full stocked 100 gallon tank. We have a 225 show tank with a 45 gallon sump with a 9 inch sand bead and a 40 gallon sump. On that system there are 2 skimmers by differnt manufacturers ( 1 internal and 1 external) each rated at 400 gallons. We do not feed heavily in this system and it houses 12 fish the largest 4.5 inches long. Yet both skimmers are pulling daily skimmate. So 800 gallon rating between the 2 skimmers on a water volume of just over 300 gallons? If you want a cleaner system with lower pollutants and organics when it comes to protein skimmers, go BIG. Double the if not triple the size of the skimmer when compared to your tank volume. You will not be dissapointed, and if it actually should prodive to be too much you can actually put it on a timmer and not have to run it all day.