Links to info on what skimmers remove...

[jtarmitage]

At our most recent reef meeting, the good ol' debate on skimmers popped up. What I'm looking for are threads, references or articles detailing tests of what elements, trace and otherwise, that protein skimming removes.
The point: Does protein skimming remove too much? TIA.

[james37128]

Well here is my answer to this difficult debate. Buy a poor seaclone skimmer or something of the such. Then if skimming is a GOOD thing at least you skim POORLY, But if skimming is a bad thing, you skim poorly anyways. Just remember, there is more than one way to run a very successful reef! GOOD luck finding these threads, there are some very interesting debates out there for BOTH sides.

[demonsp]

Skimmers remove disolved solids and control ammonia readings.
If stock is low and water quality combined with regular water changes , proper flow , and enough LR then a skimmer will have little affect as to a fully stock tank with lots of coral can collect in 1 week , black , smelly , vile substance i dont want in my tank.

[bertoni]

There are some articles on skimming listed in the sticky note at the top of the forum. This article is a good place to start:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-08/rhf/index.php

Skimmers remove a lot of amphipathic molecules.

[murraycamp]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-1...ture/index.php is a good, albeit older, study by Shimek.