So, you may have noticed that I actually took a day off from writing yesterday. I simply didn't feel all that great...Apparently the flu that's been going around paid me a visit, just a few days before I'm headed out to Denver for a speaking engagement Reefstock 2014. Being sick is not always the worst thing in the world, because it gave me the opportunity to focus on getting more corals up on the website and more corals out to you, our customers!
Since I'm still not 100%, I'd like to present a topic for conversation, that you can help liven up with your insight and contributions...I'll fire the first volley, but I'd like for you to continue and enhance this discussion, ok?
You knew I'd have to breach the subject of protein skimming eventually, right? Now, I'm not going to give a treatise or a scientific paper on how foam fractionation works, and the ratio of inorganic to organic compounds removed, or all of that scientific stuff which, admittedly, is way above my head. What I want to get at is the practical application of skimming, and how it's impacted your reefing.
I have always been a subscriber to the school of thought that says that skimming is a rational necessity for most reefs. I would not ru na reef system without one. I would not run a reef without a skimmer NOT because I am convinced that a tank will fail without one. The reason is that I am a fan of employing multiple modes of nutrient export within a reef system, and protein skimming is just one effective avenue to accomplish this. I think Ken Feldman's study a few years back revealed that the majority of skim mate was INORGANIC compounds, not organic carbon compounds. Yes, some organic material is removed in the process, but not as much as we think. Another positive influence of protein skimmers in a reef aquarium is that they serve to oxygenate the water and assist with gas exchange, creating a healthier overall reef environment.
As you know, I've written repeatedly about how we don't skim 24/7/365 at UC anymore, and how our corals reflected this in better color and more consistent growth. So, since we know that skimming isn't quite as efficient at removing DOC as we used to assume, perhaps it's the removal of some of the inorganic stuff (CaCO3, MgCO3, and SiO2 ) that negatively affects the growth of our corals when we skim aggressively and continuously. Regardless, skimming super aggressively (as I used to do during the 1990's) has, in my experience, historically resulted in less colorful, less rapidly-growing corals. Our experience at Unique Corals with backing off of the protein skimming has been completely positive.
I'm not telling reefers to turn their protein skimmers into vases. What I am suggesting is that we employ multiple methods of nutrient control and export so that we don't rely excessively on any one practice, methodology, or piece of hardware. If I had to choose just one method, I'd employ regular water exchanges, as they offer the dual benefit of removing dissolved organic compounds from the system, while helping replenish inorganic compounds and materials removed by skimming and animal metabolism.
SO, this begs the question of you....
Do you employ a protein skimmer 24/7? If you do, have you tried backing off? If you backed off constant skimming, did you notice any positive or negative effects on your reef? If you did, do you attribute this to your changes in skimming, or to other husbandry practices that you employ?
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this topic, in light of all the discussions we've had of late on nutrient control and coral farming...
Let's hear from you!
Keep it nice...
And Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Since I'm still not 100%, I'd like to present a topic for conversation, that you can help liven up with your insight and contributions...I'll fire the first volley, but I'd like for you to continue and enhance this discussion, ok?
You knew I'd have to breach the subject of protein skimming eventually, right? Now, I'm not going to give a treatise or a scientific paper on how foam fractionation works, and the ratio of inorganic to organic compounds removed, or all of that scientific stuff which, admittedly, is way above my head. What I want to get at is the practical application of skimming, and how it's impacted your reefing.
I have always been a subscriber to the school of thought that says that skimming is a rational necessity for most reefs. I would not ru na reef system without one. I would not run a reef without a skimmer NOT because I am convinced that a tank will fail without one. The reason is that I am a fan of employing multiple modes of nutrient export within a reef system, and protein skimming is just one effective avenue to accomplish this. I think Ken Feldman's study a few years back revealed that the majority of skim mate was INORGANIC compounds, not organic carbon compounds. Yes, some organic material is removed in the process, but not as much as we think. Another positive influence of protein skimmers in a reef aquarium is that they serve to oxygenate the water and assist with gas exchange, creating a healthier overall reef environment.
As you know, I've written repeatedly about how we don't skim 24/7/365 at UC anymore, and how our corals reflected this in better color and more consistent growth. So, since we know that skimming isn't quite as efficient at removing DOC as we used to assume, perhaps it's the removal of some of the inorganic stuff (CaCO3, MgCO3, and SiO2 ) that negatively affects the growth of our corals when we skim aggressively and continuously. Regardless, skimming super aggressively (as I used to do during the 1990's) has, in my experience, historically resulted in less colorful, less rapidly-growing corals. Our experience at Unique Corals with backing off of the protein skimming has been completely positive.
I'm not telling reefers to turn their protein skimmers into vases. What I am suggesting is that we employ multiple methods of nutrient control and export so that we don't rely excessively on any one practice, methodology, or piece of hardware. If I had to choose just one method, I'd employ regular water exchanges, as they offer the dual benefit of removing dissolved organic compounds from the system, while helping replenish inorganic compounds and materials removed by skimming and animal metabolism.
SO, this begs the question of you....
Do you employ a protein skimmer 24/7? If you do, have you tried backing off? If you backed off constant skimming, did you notice any positive or negative effects on your reef? If you did, do you attribute this to your changes in skimming, or to other husbandry practices that you employ?
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this topic, in light of all the discussions we've had of late on nutrient control and coral farming...
Let's hear from you!
Keep it nice...
And Stay Wet
Scott Fellman
Unique Corals
Last edited:
