Best time of day....

[Lilly45nano]

What is the best time of day to run a skimmer? Is there a better time?
Can you skim to many nutrients out of the water column?

 

[isomorphic85]

Protein Skimmers are generally run 24/7

 

[nvladik]

Agree 24/7

 

[gone fishin]

The only time mine is down is to take it apart for cleaning.

 

[VWD]

24/7 here, only down time is cleaning time.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

24/7 only time its off is to clean the pump

 

[MrsReefK]

24/7

 

[gottalikesharks]

So I take it that you not shut your skimmer down for feedings?

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I don't shut anything down for feedings. No need to, fish in the wild don't have current stop so they can eat, my fish and corals do fine with full normal flow.

 

[reefer1970]

I run mine 24/7 only to keep the water level in my sump constant. I don't see why a 2x oversized skimmer couldn't be run at night or while youre at work to keep the noise down

 

[Deftones2015]

So I take it that you not shut your skimmer down for feedings?

I have noticed my fish won't eat if I turn off all the flow. Kind of weird but when the food just slowly sinks they don't pay it any attention. When it's blowing all over the tank they go nuts chasing it.

 

[homer1475]

24/7 except when feeding or cleaning.

I'm in the camp of turning off my pumps during feeding, just so all the food doesn't get sucked up into the filter. Also leaves more time for all the filter feeders get their share.

 

[SammyL]

24/7 except when feeding or cleaning.

I'm in the camp of turning off my pumps during feeding, just so all the food doesn't get sucked up into the filter. Also leaves more time for all the filter feeders get their share.

This is exactly what I do as well, one simple button to push on the Apex.

 

[jrp1588]

All day, err day.

 

[Reef Frog]

24/7 except when I'm target feeding planktonic sized foods like oyster eggs & frozen krill & pods. I cut off the Skimming & mechanical filtration for a few hours and run full circulation in the tank with Vor Tech pumps. This gets more of the food to the corals I'm feeding and wasting a little less. I feed this way 3-4 times per month and keep the PS off for about 8 hours.

 

[Lilly45nano]

Thank you every one for your responses...24/7 it is!