Do you turn your skimmer off when feeding?

[NedFlounders]

I turn my pumps off when I feed the tank inhabitants. My skimmer is on the same circuit so it also turns off. Is this ok or should it constantly run in order to keep the height of the skimmate consistent?

 

[kfisc]

It's ok to turn it off; many do to avoid skimmer overflow due to the food, depending on how much.

 

[sean357]

Agreed, I always turn mine down to 1 (DC Pump) when I feed which basically is equal to off. It is more important if you turn off your return (I don't turn it to 1 (another DC pump)) as if the water level goes up in your sump the skimmer could overflow.

 

[padi200]

mine skims less when I put food in the water. Kind of takes care of itself. Takes about an hour to get back to what is was doing before feeding.

 

[rt67ghy]

I turn my skimmer off and then the return pump and all the wave makers when I feed. After feeding I turn on a small wave maker (rated 2000 l/hr) directed at my acro. After 1 hour I turn my return back on and the bigger wave maker but I turn my skimmer back on after 4 hrs so my corals have enough time to feed without the skimmer pulling everything out.

 

[gone fishin]

I don't turn anything off. I put my powerhead in feed mode, but if it did not have that it would stay on as well.

 

[billdogg]

I don't turn anything off either. The food goes where the currents take it, the fish chase it down.

 

[Mussin]

I never turn my skimmer off.

 

[Tspors58]

No reason to turn off.

 

[VWD]

I don't shut the skimmer down for feeding.

 

[jminick2]

I turn nothing off.

 

[ericarenee]

I Turn nothing off.. All of my equipment is in the basement . so i would have to walk across the kitchen down the steps . then down the basement hall way to the sump..
NOT To mention my tank drains down about 30 gallons of water when pump is off . Not something i want to happen every day.. it freaks out the fish and corals close up some . Its good for the fish to have to hunt there food down as the wave pumps blow it about

 

[Customride0105]

I let it all run. If the fish eat it all don't matter how fast it's moving they will get it

 

[Shock and Awe]

Powerhead turned to feed mode. I don't turn off the skimmer.

 

[homer1475]

I turn everything off, skimmer, powerheads, and main pump. If I didn't my skimeer would overflow, and my filter feeders would never get fed, since the food would get sucked up by the main pump. I turn my skimmer back on 15 minutes after everything else starts back up, or else it overflows with all the different foods I feed (specially the phyto and zooplankton).

 

[Hwobarg]

I don't. once the food makes it into the sump, it really does not matter to me

 

[Dkuhlmann]

I don't turn anything off either. The food goes where the currents take it, the fish chase it down.

x2 I love watching my fish chase the food. Also the current never stops during feeding time in the ocean.

I never turn my skimmer off.

 

[hogfanreefer]

Why do some peoples skimmers overflow with feeding? The bubble level in mine drops dramatically with feeding. I just hit feed mode and let the powerheads spread the food out so everybody gets a chance at it.

 

[NedFlounders]

Why do some peoples skimmers overflow with feeding?

That's actually the whole reason I prompted the question. I have a Reef Octopus 110. It collects skimmate but I can't seem to get it to bubble at the same level consistently. If I leave it on when the pumps are off, it overflows. If I turn it off with the pumps and then on again with the pumps (after feeding), it overflows. If I let it do its thing during the day, I come home and there's barely anything in the collection cup. It seems the only time I have to empty it is after it overflows!

What's the dealio??

 

[jminick2]

I have 110 sss, mine works good no issues. how high is the water level where it sits and does it stay consistant? you need to adjust it to where the bubbles are just at the bottom of the cup.