MotoReef
Member
I have a 240 gallon tank with a fairly light fish load of 3x2" heniochus, 1x2" racoon butterfly, 5 damsels (small 1") and a pair of 2" blue tangs. It's primarily a soft coral tank, of whatever that the butterfly ended up not eating, and still pretty filled with fingers, leathers, and trees.
ANyway, the question is, I have two equal sized skimmer rated for 300 gallons, which are pulling up fair (and equal amount) of scummy crud at slow rate. When I pull out or shut down one of the skimmer, the remaining one seems to pull about twice the scum, over a slightly longer time.
The point is, I have not noticed any faster nitrate production nor other issues, with using one skimmer. In fact I haven't had any nitrate in measurable levels over what the 120lbs of live rocks are producing, since setting up this tank since the original 3 week cycle time. It was sort of a mini-cycle since the rocks, 50% of the sand, and equipment all came from an established 110 gallon tank of 3 years old. Only thing that needed to equalize is the additioanl water volume, and perhaps a few changes in the in-tank water movement and overall sump flow rate. It's now pushing about 1500gph from two pumps and two drains through sump, and additional pumps providing in-tank flow and waves.
Does anyone know, besides the slightly faster reduction of protein matter (which seems almost indifferent in my case), if there is a significant advantage of operating two large skimmers in a tank?
All I can think of is perhaps the following:
-Increased contact with air
-perhaps a very slight increase in speed of protein removal
-using a LOT more electricity making Eco-Cops really mad...driving an additional MAG3 pump.
What do you suggest?
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ANyway, the question is, I have two equal sized skimmer rated for 300 gallons, which are pulling up fair (and equal amount) of scummy crud at slow rate. When I pull out or shut down one of the skimmer, the remaining one seems to pull about twice the scum, over a slightly longer time.
The point is, I have not noticed any faster nitrate production nor other issues, with using one skimmer. In fact I haven't had any nitrate in measurable levels over what the 120lbs of live rocks are producing, since setting up this tank since the original 3 week cycle time. It was sort of a mini-cycle since the rocks, 50% of the sand, and equipment all came from an established 110 gallon tank of 3 years old. Only thing that needed to equalize is the additioanl water volume, and perhaps a few changes in the in-tank water movement and overall sump flow rate. It's now pushing about 1500gph from two pumps and two drains through sump, and additional pumps providing in-tank flow and waves.
Does anyone know, besides the slightly faster reduction of protein matter (which seems almost indifferent in my case), if there is a significant advantage of operating two large skimmers in a tank?
All I can think of is perhaps the following:
-Increased contact with air
-perhaps a very slight increase in speed of protein removal
-using a LOT more electricity making Eco-Cops really mad...driving an additional MAG3 pump.
What do you suggest?
-
