using skimmer that is over rated for tank volume...

[flipteg]

i have a Reef Octopus recirculating skimmer that is rated for 125 gallons by the manufacturer... the recommended flow rate for recirculating skimmers is usually 1.5-2 times the volume of the system per hour...

hypothetically, if i run my skimmer on a 100 gallon tank, the flow through should be 150 gallons per hour... but if i run this same skimmer on a 30 gallon tank, the flow through rate will be 45 gallons per hour... there is a big difference between 150gph and 45gph...

i was wondering if i will run into any troubles with the water staying in the skimmer too long because the flow rate is really low compared to what it should be if i run the skimmer on a tank big enough for it's rated volume...

if i'm using the skimmer on a 30 gallon system, what if i up the flow through the skimmer to 150 gallons per hour...? i'm still getting the same dwell time as the skimmer's rated specs but what is the down side to doing this...?

because as i see it, if we assume that the water coming out of the skimmer is 100% clean, it will take the skimmer 40 mintues to clean out a 100 gallon tank with a flow through rate of 150gph... run that same 150gph on a 30 gallon system, and the water is clean in just 12 minutes... i'm asking the question because i know it's not as simple as that...

[MIKE NY]

The water flow through it will be directly related to the size pump used for it. I would use the recommended flow rated pump for that model for top efficiency....with a smaller volumn it will be turned over that much more and should produce much cleaner water...JMO