Should I turn off my skimmer?!

[C-21 USAF]

Has anyone (with a fairly low nutrient tank) ever turned off your skimmer intentionally to build up some nutrients that some softies would benefit from?

I have a low bio-load 150 mixed reef with a great skimmer and I was wondering if I should raise nutrients temporarily to perhaps give a boost to all my softies.

Thoughts?

 

[fishntyme1]

never done it for that reason. but I didn't use a skimmer for years just did weekly water changes and never noticed a difference in health or growth after adding a skimmer.

 

[kyrin01]

i dont think a skimmer is going to be able to pull enough stuff out of the water to where softies cant use it... i wouldnt worry about it. I mean take a look at all the AWESOME SPS dominated tanks that have tons of softies too, they are just fine.

 

[sedor]

Not to mention running a skimmer is a good thing for reasons beyond cleaning the water. It is a huge help in keeping the water aerated and the ph up.

 

[csdavis]

Too low nutrient level... LOL what a problem to have .

 

[beeker]

i run my skimmer from when i wake up until i sleep, so for 8-12 hours it's off everynight, i notice no i'll affects ever and honestly think it's good not to be skimming 24/7

this is on a BC29g with a 10g sump, heavily stocked mixxed reef

 

[C-21 USAF]

What happened to this thread???...was 2 pages now only one :rolleye1:

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

hang tight

hang tight

I would not worry about too little nutrient level......just give it time...that problem will heal itself! haha

Dont turn your skimmer off and do not worry about above.....

Carry on.....

Your softies will be absolutely fine.


Tim

 

[sedor]

i run my skimmer from when i wake up until i sleep, so for 8-12 hours it's off everynight, i notice no i'll affects ever and honestly think it's good not to be skimming 24/7

Leaving the skimmer off for a period of 8-12 hours doesn't really make much of a difference. What it would have caught during the time its off, it will just catch when its on, but it will be working a little harder...make sense? Aside from the decomposed organic matter that has had a chance to go through the nitrogen cycle and because NO3 of course.

If your nutrients are to low, you could always feed a little heavier, get more fish, or if you have coral start using something like phyto or rods food to add some extra nutrients to the tank. If your not noticing any negative effects from lower nutrients I wouldn't even worry about it.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

If your nutrients are to low, you could always feed a little heavier, get more fish, or if you have coral start using something like phyto or rods food to add some extra nutrients to the tank.

Of course, this is a bit like turning up the furnace because all the heat is pouring out the open windows...

 

[chuckreef]

I'm thinking the stuff (A.k.a. "nutrients') the skimmer removes (mainly large hydrphobic macro-moelcules fish and coral wastes) are not beneficial nutrients to softies - or to anything else?).

I do run my skimmer half-time, but opposite what beeker does. I run mine evening to morming to reduce energy/heat input during the lights on period. It alos minimizes my Ph swing a little, but that never was thedriver for this. However, I'm running an (old school?) aquaC ev 240 with a mag 18, so it really makes a difference in temp. This might not matter if you have a more efficient skimmer/pump.

If (I thought) I had this problem, I'd just gradually increase feeding and/or play around with one of the many zeovit/prodibio kinds of feeds out there (not the bacterium drivers, but the coral feed types. Or, more cheaply, I'd try the kent xxxx-max. little bottles.

 

[Big E]

My nutrients were too low(180g with one fish) for my Sps & I turned off my skimmer. It helped, so I see no reason it wouldn't do the same for softies if they are suffering.

In my case I had no desire to add fish or feed more as it was a temporary setup that I had running for about 6 months.

 

[beeker]

i already do vodka and amino dosing but only dose that 2 days a week,

i feed pytho and oyster eggs once a week, some Frozen mysis and brine about 2-3 times a week as well as a special blended frozen food 1-2 times a week(think something called reef 1 for corals and fish) fish get the frozen as well as my sun coral and the fish also get 1 feeding of pellets a day except when i dose the frozen food

my tank is only 30 total gallons though and i'm running a MSX160 skimmer on it so i think i'm good, lol

So my tank isn't low nutrients at all, i just can't sleep with my skimmer running at night, thats the main reason i turn it off