Shut that Skimmer Down! Over skimming your tank.
- Thread starter Zacco
- Start date
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For what its worth, I'm completely convinced that my tank water was too clean for quite some time. I recently got rid of my refugium/frag tank that I had plumbed into my system. I was growing chaeto in there very heavily (able to pull out huge piles of it every couple of weeks). I took it offline and replaced it with a frag tank a few weeks ago (no refugium) and since doing that my corals have colored up like never before. My colors have never looked so good. Some of my monti's that had been looking pale and bad for a long time also came instantly back to life and look great now!
My theory is that the algae was robbing my corals of nutrients (and probably preventing beneficial bacteria from really thriving as well). I run a bare bottom tank and a skimmer which is on 24/7. I've never tried turning it off for any period of time, but I think its a valid point.
For now I'm going to keep things going as is, but I may try this in the future to see if it can improve my colors even more.
My theory is that the algae was robbing my corals of nutrients (and probably preventing beneficial bacteria from really thriving as well). I run a bare bottom tank and a skimmer which is on 24/7. I've never tried turning it off for any period of time, but I think its a valid point.
For now I'm going to keep things going as is, but I may try this in the future to see if it can improve my colors even more.
ESVAreefer
Active Member
Spectricide aye? If my tanks making the food I'll just shut the skimmer off and let them eat no cost, skimmer doesn't stop pulling the bad stuff out because you've shut it off for a bit. Also people worried about DO it you have an overflow you're putting oxygen into the water, water surface movement = oxygen infusion. If unsatisfactory then just add a bubbler.
dmh41532
Active Member
Dosent turning off a skimmer for a while, then plugging it in again release harmful compounds, like ammonia into the water? I'm thinking it would be far worse to turn the skimmer off and on.
twilliard
Tank pests..
That is a small part of the whole picture and thank you!
The biggest issue I see is that simply there are so many fantastic tanks, and it's the norm with amazing stony reef tanks, that the skimmers run 24/7. Saying constant skimming is bad simply isn't the case as so many amazing systems do great with skimmers running all the time.
There are also successful tanks that don't run skimmers at all using plant based exports (scrubbers and macro), or even just waterchanges and chemical removal in nanos, but it's not like those systems have clear advantages when not using skimmers and with scrubbers there are even instances of increased nitrate and phosphate exportation when adding skimmers.
I realize the question was about full time skimmer operation and not skimmer vs no skimmer - but if you look at the most beautiful reef tanks most of them run skimmer 24/7. Figure if my system becomes that good, THEN I might play with on/off cycles, but unless your system is on par with the most beautiful in the world with basketball size acros the skimmer on/off isn't what's holding a person back.
Bottom line still seems to be, if you want to keep difficult coral, generally sps, run skimmer all the time. Even if keeping filter feeders doing things like carbon dosing seem to have more impact than "overskimming".
Now pushing the limit with a NPS tank is more up in the air - by for most reefers those systems are distinctly different from a typical reef tank.
There are also successful tanks that don't run skimmers at all using plant based exports (scrubbers and macro), or even just waterchanges and chemical removal in nanos, but it's not like those systems have clear advantages when not using skimmers and with scrubbers there are even instances of increased nitrate and phosphate exportation when adding skimmers.
I realize the question was about full time skimmer operation and not skimmer vs no skimmer - but if you look at the most beautiful reef tanks most of them run skimmer 24/7. Figure if my system becomes that good, THEN I might play with on/off cycles, but unless your system is on par with the most beautiful in the world with basketball size acros the skimmer on/off isn't what's holding a person back.
Bottom line still seems to be, if you want to keep difficult coral, generally sps, run skimmer all the time. Even if keeping filter feeders doing things like carbon dosing seem to have more impact than "overskimming".
Now pushing the limit with a NPS tank is more up in the air - by for most reefers those systems are distinctly different from a typical reef tank.
ESVAreefer
Active Member
As well as additives people use
twilliard
Tank pests..
An off cycle allows the catch up of no3 and po4 (depending on foods introduced)
twilliard
Tank pests..
Only if the additive adheres to surface tension
ESVAreefer
Active Member
I don't believe constant skimming is bad but it just needs to be checked every now and again and not skimming a bit can be just fine as well 
all depends on the reefer let them figure out what's best for them and what they're doing
all depends on the reefer let them figure out what's best for them and what they're doing
ESVAreefer
Active Member
Yea lipid based additives also adhere to the bubbles..... Did you know the skimmers work similarly to sea foam on a beach XD but instead of a collection cup the nutrients in the sea foam is absorbed by various beach ecosystems
Besides water a skimmer removes CaCO3, MgCO3, biogenic opal, organic material, ALK, CAL, MAG, potassium, iron, phosphate and a few more elements.
Phosphate is only between the 5 and 10% what is found in skimmers.
Phosphate is only between the 5 and 10% what is found in skimmers.
This will be one of those rapid threads nice going
you have to find the right tune of what is on people's minds to write a thread like that well done.
Earlier regarding the question as to whether or not turning off a skimmer allows ammonia buildup
No, in typical reefs, and i can't think of any current counter examples but left room for some if anyone has some
Our flow, usual bioloading and typical surface area presents such demand for ammonia that you wont get spikes in typical reef tanks all fish, medications, and filthy sandbeds with rot awaiting upwell accounted for.
The proteins normally removed can break down in most tanks and will register as 80% of the tank params online
Edit
When diesel said biogenic opal that was a coffee through the nose moment glad I'm sipping oj
I can't tell if you are slipping that in I'm googling heh
you have to find the right tune of what is on people's minds to write a thread like that well done.
Earlier regarding the question as to whether or not turning off a skimmer allows ammonia buildup
No, in typical reefs, and i can't think of any current counter examples but left room for some if anyone has some
Our flow, usual bioloading and typical surface area presents such demand for ammonia that you wont get spikes in typical reef tanks all fish, medications, and filthy sandbeds with rot awaiting upwell accounted for.
The proteins normally removed can break down in most tanks and will register as 80% of the tank params online
Edit
When diesel said biogenic opal that was a coffee through the nose moment glad I'm sipping oj
I can't tell if you are slipping that in I'm googling heh
twilliard
Tank pests..
Love this one!!
OP
OP
Zacco
Active Member
Lol. Here's a scenario. A reefer is having a bit of a "Cyanobacteria" issue. Wanting to go the natural route, and not wanting to use an antibiotic treatment, the reefer goes with a Product made up of a bacterial strain that out competes the Cyano. The reefer shoots the well known company ( not mentioning any names) an e-mail and ask's them if they should discontinue the use of carbon/GFO/skimmer while treating. The reefer gets a reply back from the company to shut off the skimmer a few hours a day while treating to give the bacteria time to procreate in the tank or the skimmer will just remove the bacteria added. It's was also suggested by the company that a skimmer should be shut off a few hours a day for the above stated reasons. So one question is...... Can a skimmer have the means of removing bacteria floating in a water column?
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