Only at Night.......

ScruffyRubicon

New member
The last two nights my skimmer has gone nuts. It is skimming on the dry side during the day. Then at night sometime between 10 PM and 4 AM it goes ballistic and completely fills the collection cup.

My PH normally cycles from about 7.9 (at night) to 8.2 (end of light cycle).
Lately (last week) my PH cycle has been 8.1 (at night ) to 8.4 (end of light cycle). (Checked with a Pin Point Meter) This could be because we have had the doors and windows open more lately because of better weather.

I have had what appears to be something similar to hair algae in my sump. The algae is mostly clear to yellow and only appearred in the last week (there are no lights on the sump.

My tank inhabitants (75 gallon):

Small colony of Pumping Xenia
4 small Zoo colonies
1 large zoo colony
3 small GSP colonies
1 - 7" wide LTA
1 Squamosa Clam
30+ Red Mushrooms
10 Green Fuzzy Mushrooms
10 (assorted) mushrooms
Large Anthelia Colony
2 small Sun Coral Colonies
Large Meat Coral
1 - 12" tall 8" across Umbrella Leather
1 - small Toadstool Leather
2 Christmas Tree Work Bisma Rocks
2 Feather Dusters
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
10 - 15 assorted snails
DSB


1 - Three-Lined Damsel
1 - Strawberry Psuedochromis
2 - False Percs
2 Black Saddleback Clowns

Any ideas what might be causing the skimmer to go crazy at night? The only thing I have added recently is a rock with about 10 fuzzy mushrooms.
 
Last edited:
Im thinking that there is possibly some spwning going on at night that may be causing the skimmer craze!?!? it could be the ph swing but I know that most tanks swing at night and its not uncomon. I had something similar happen in my 40, I have a ton of stomatella snails (spelling?) and durring lights out they were coming out and spawning like crazy, I stayed up one night to watch and it looked as if they were blowing "smoke" up into the water column. it was pretty neat to watch, they would "fire" almost in sequence from one side of the tank to the other.... but man did my skimmer go loopy when they would do it!
 
Spawning makes sense. It's a nighttime activity and it hypes the skimmer through the roof.
 
I had thought of the spawning and possibly something expelleing waste. I'll have to keep an eye on it at night to see what is happening.
 
Back
Top