protein skimming while cycling

[birdz]

Hi,

I'm just starting a 55/gallon saltwater reef tank (my first).

I've got saltwater warmed in the tank, I've just added some live sand substrate to the tank, other than that - its pretty much empty. I've had my filter and venturi skimmer running a for about 3 days. The skimmer filled up with some milky white liquid a couple of times early on, I assume this was stuff coming out of the sand. After cleaning the skimmer it no longer froths up.

Is this because the tank is new and doesnt have much to filter out? Or is this something I should be concerned about.

The skimmer is getting some bubble action but foam never forms. I've adjusted my water level a bit up and down to see if that would help. Ive adjusted the air inlet to the powerhead up down left and right to no avail.

What do you think?

 

[Guygettnby]

there is just nothing for the skimmer to pull out of the water. just leave it be and be patient. the skimmer will eventually start to pull stuff outa the tank again when there is something for it to pull out.

 

[Geodriller]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14672158#post14672158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Guygettnby
there is just nothing for the skimmer to pull out of the water. just leave it be and be patient. the skimmer will eventually start to pull stuff outa the tank again when there is something for it to pull out.

+1

And if the skimmer is new it will take a while to "break-in" aswell.

 

[faze07hd]

i wouldnt even use the skimmer while its cycling. let the cycle happen and right before you add some livestock, then crank it on.

 

[jterrell]

Do you have live rock in there yet? If not then I would say your skimmer has nothing to do. I've always left the skimmer running during cycle but I don't think it matters much, some do some don't.

 

[birdz]

No rock yet, just sand. It was packaged as live sand. I'll leave the skimmer off for a few days.

thanks everyone

 

[jterrell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14672742#post14672742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by birdz
No rock yet, just sand. It was packaged as live sand. I'll leave the skimmer off for a few days.

thanks everyone

I would get some rock in there to get the cycle going.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Skimmers are fine, especially if you cure LR in your tank. As others have pointed out you have no protein to skim at the moment so you can leave it off if you wish.

 

[Zonal]

protein skimming while cycling

Can cycling the tank be done w/o the protein skimmer? ... mini cycles in your
tank. the lighting isn't really a factor while its cycling, ..

 

[jterrell]

Re: protein skimming while cycling

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14673539#post14673539 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zonal
Can cycling the tank be done w/o the protein skimmer? ... mini cycles in your
tank. the lighting isn't really a factor while its cycling, ..

There are different opinions on cycling, I always let everything run just as it will after I add livestock. I don't know that there is a "better" way to cycle a tank except just be patient.

 

[WaterKeeper]

Hi Zonal
[welcome]

Sure you can cycle a tank without running a skimmer. It is mainly where people add uncured LR directly into the display that I tell them to skim away. All that dead stuff on the rock is a vast supply of protein and you don't need that material in your tank. Here a skimmer helps by removing much of it and large water changes do the rest. If you have light available, then it helps encourage coralline growth but, if not, just room lighting will usually do.

 

[birdz]

my live rock shipment was delayed due to weather in the gulf of mexico

 

[WaterKeeper]

That won't improve its health Bird so I'd kick the skimmer in when you place it in the tank. The longer the shipping time the more dieoff occurs.

 

[birdz]

no no, the weather delayed the guy to go out and pick the rock, he owns a plot of land offshore where he dumps rock and retrieves it after a few years

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/

 

[WaterKeeper]

As long as it hasn't been sitting, wrapped in paper, on an airplane.

 

[bradbmbj]

When I set up my 150g I used 100 pounds of dry sand, 200 pounds off base rock, and only 10 pounds of cured live rock, it smelled fine so I know it wasnt to bad, anyway I used a Euroreef rs 135 on it and it skimmed about a half a cup a week of dark sludge. I could not believe it, I just could not see where all this waste was coming from, my tank was pretty much sterile besides the 10 pounds of rock. I would go ahead and use the skimmer when you add rock.