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Old 31-01-2005, 03:37 PM   #18
losmandy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spsman
This example is common. someone upgraded form a weipro to hns and it was able to handle the bioload. The question is what is the size of the skimmer?
does it need to be oversized?
Skimmer brands and method/technoloy aside.

For my post I use a properly designed skimmer that is properly rated.

Oversized or not is very subjective. The question now is how you rate your skimmer for your reef tank?

"size" in this thread refers to efficiency of the skimmer you can compare a macro 2x the size of a H&S and I bet that the H&S will work and skim better.

With a properly rated skimmer it should already remove most of the DOCs before it has a chance to break down and eventually convert into NO3. The residue NO3 should be handled by other filtration like your DSB/LR/algae. What happens when you have a particular skimmer running yet your NO3 is getting higher and higher, it means that your bioload is too high. Either reduce your bioload or get a larger skimmer.

Having a slightly larger skimmer just gives you the assurance that in the event of any spike the skimmer will be able to handle the extra load instead of causing a chain effect. At the end a tank crash because someone had died in the tank or something spawn in the tank. Just read around the forum and you'll find reasons for tank crash, something die/spawn and that cause chain reaction and end up everything died. Check out the skimmer they are using, mostly "small" skimmer (relative) to the bioload.

Why worry about trace elements? Weekly water changes are good husbandry. Not only that replaces the trace elements but also removes some toxics that accumulates in the system.
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