ya, the bucket thing has only happened a few times. I normally am more cautious and try to keep it on the dry side rather than overflowing. (on the bright side, water changes are not required as often
At best i get some gunk in at the top of the tube, and some tea water in the cup. Never anything dark.
My tank is a 60g with a light bio load... two blue chromis and and a maroon clown along with the coral and cleanup crew. Maybe i just don't have enough waste being produced to make darker skim?
either way, I have never seen any side effects from the salinity swings. maybe slower growth but even my sps has been doing quite well with new growth tips all the time.
I'm afraid to mess with it when it seems to be working...sometimes.