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Protein Skimming (how much should it be in the collection cup)

MJG

Hatchling
Registered
Joined
Apr 6, 2006
Messages
3
My question is how much should the collection cup be collecting say in a 24 hour period so that I know that the skimmer is working efficiently. I have a 54 gallon tank with 35-40 pounds of live rock an eheim canister filter rated for 193 gallons of water a Fluval 4 internal filter and a venturi style hang on protein skimmer rated for 150 gallons of water. I am the owner of a bimaculoide with the head almost the size of a golfball. I feed him twice a day,shrimp,snails,hermit crabs,and fiddlers. My collection cup is about 5 inches tall and maybe 5 inches around. I know that you can set the collecting dial to have it collect a wet protein witch will have more water in the cup and be a little more clear with water. Or a dry say a more dense protein darker in color witch the cup does not fill up quite as fast. The setting I usually aim for is to fill up maybe a one third of the cup in a 24 hour period witch will be more wet. Is this right or should I aim for a darker protein in the cup witch is more dry that doesn't fill up the cup as fast. I would say that a happy medium is always good just need some more advise on the situation.
 
Many keepers set theirs to collect only the dark brown foam...me? I like to have a little more waste water in there. Sounds like yours is set about right. How are your water parameters?
 
A wile back i was realy worried that my skimmer wasen't working. It picked up maby half a cup every week. I turned out that my canister meant for twice the tank and my high quality live rock were getting rid of all of the scum before my skimmer. So I decided to do a little expariment I shut of my canister filter and my skimmer started picking up gunk.
 

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