Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for pointing it out!
skimmer on a controller
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Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
GMaquarium
New member
I personally do not shut skimmers off. Maybe if I had a controller on each tank preset, it would not be such a chore.
Skimmers seem to pull more stuff out at night. I have always attributed that to break down of foods and waste from day feedings and higher planktonic count at night. I have once sampled water and checked under a scope for a different topic research. But at night the water is more rich in plankton. Corals have expelled extras before it got dark, phytoplankton daily bloom reached its max, sand/rock fauna spawning all this together will make a spike in organic matter in water and a good skimmer will pull it out.
The only question, is it a good thing that its pulled out?
Skimmers seem to pull more stuff out at night. I have always attributed that to break down of foods and waste from day feedings and higher planktonic count at night. I have once sampled water and checked under a scope for a different topic research. But at night the water is more rich in plankton. Corals have expelled extras before it got dark, phytoplankton daily bloom reached its max, sand/rock fauna spawning all this together will make a spike in organic matter in water and a good skimmer will pull it out.
The only question, is it a good thing that its pulled out?
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
if the Ken Feldman paper is to be believed
if the Ken Feldman paper is to be believed
skimmers only remove about 25% of stuff.
Properly set up reef aquariums usually don't have a shortage of stuff to pull out (IME) and improperly set up ones often have much more to remove
if the Ken Feldman paper is to be believed
skimmers only remove about 25% of stuff.
Properly set up reef aquariums usually don't have a shortage of stuff to pull out (IME) and improperly set up ones often have much more to remove
GMaquarium
New member
what stuff?
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
Likely, most of it is organic material that is attracted to the air water interface. Specifically, hydrophobic or amphipathic molecules. These are those that are repelled by water or have bi polarity with one end attracted to water (hydrophyllic) and one repelled by it (hydrophobic) causing them to be attracted to water at one end and repelled at the other. Hydrophobic and amphipathic molecules include: ammino acids, vitamins, proteins, fats, carbons biomolecules(bacteria etc).slimes, toxins, etc. They do not include: inorganic material such as NO3 and PO4 since these are polar and are not attracted to the air water .Of course nitrogen and phosphorous bound to organics( molecules which contain carbon and hydrogen) may be skimmed as may metals( trace elements and toxins) that are bound to organics. It is also likely that larvae and other micro organisms get skimmed out to some degree just by getting caught in the foam.Some precipitants may also get caught in the foam such as precipitated PO4.
Maybe less oxygen at night overall cuts down on oxidation and makes material more skimable via less organic breakdown. . I don't know if they skim more at night or not but do know that there is likely more H+ and carbonic acid around then. Just a guess.:fish1:
Maybe less oxygen at night overall cuts down on oxidation and makes material more skimable via less organic breakdown. . I don't know if they skim more at night or not but do know that there is likely more H+ and carbonic acid around then. Just a guess.:fish1:
skimmers only remove about 25% of stuff.
Properly set up reef aquariums usually don't have a shortage of stuff to pull out (IME) and improperly set up ones often have much more to remove
:wave: I agree that skimmer's seem to be less effective than previously thought in terms of removing organics. This is why I use granulated activated carbon and purigen along wtih agressive skimming. I'm thinking about adding a little ozone too since it breaks up larger organic carbon molecules into those that may be more attracted to carbon or the air water interface.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
thanks for the assist, Tom.
the answer to your question probably varies from aquarium to aquarium and what the aquarist is trying to acheive but.... I have a feeling you already knew that
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GMaquarium
New member
Interesting idea Tom. It would be interesting to see what would happened in a tank with very low O2 level that also had a fair amount of organics. And also test the opposite with high O2. Maybe if I have some free time I can test this out in our skimmer test tank. I am thinking to run a skimmer in a tank and add some amphipathic material, fatty acids to the water, and or non-polar like amino acids. Playing around with O2 and Co2 levels in the water and looking for differences in skimmer production.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
bah- new RC format got the best of me here!
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Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
you can kill fishes. I've done it.
that would work but it would be dangerous and not very fun.
I would lower O2 levels in the tank by closing up the house while having my buddies over with some girls for a wet T-shirt contest. Still dangerous but much more fun
GMaquarium
New member
you can kill fishes. I've done it.
that would work but it would be dangerous and not very fun.
I would lower O2 levels in the tank by closing up the house while having my buddies over with some girls for a wet T-shirt contest. Still dangerous but much more fun
I am not talking about testing this in a tank with fish in it, or any livestock for that matter. Adding a co2 tank would do it, but I think its a bit drastic. We would still want some what realistic levels for both highs and low.
Gary - LOL! BYOB?
This theory still sounds like a difficult one to test (of course on a tank w/o livestock!).
I think two identical tanks pertaining to DOC's, would be needed to eliminate other factors.
Perhaps two tanks filled w/ same water at same time, then add same DOC's at same time, then skim away (one skimmer vented to outside, one w/ CO2 added)?
Hmmmm....
This theory still sounds like a difficult one to test (of course on a tank w/o livestock!).
I think two identical tanks pertaining to DOC's, would be needed to eliminate other factors.
Perhaps two tanks filled w/ same water at same time, then add same DOC's at same time, then skim away (one skimmer vented to outside, one w/ CO2 added)?
Hmmmm....
GMaquarium
New member
two identical tanks with identical skimmers and water could be arranged. Good idea.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
experimentation is not my bag.
I remain convinced that skimming at night is more important than ever- but not more important than sleep (in Dave's case).
I remain convinced that skimming at night is more important than ever- but not more important than sleep (in Dave's case).
"Experimentation is not my bag."
I don't know about that Gary, incorporating the wet tee shirt notion into scientific method shows your potential creative genius even though you probably couldn't get a grant to do it since it's politicaly incorrect..
Just adding CO2 would lower ph and create carbonic acid but would not necessarily lower O2 the lack of photosynthesis does that.
I don't know about that Gary, incorporating the wet tee shirt notion into scientific method shows your potential creative genius even though you probably couldn't get a grant to do it since it's politicaly incorrect..
Just adding CO2 would lower ph and create carbonic acid but would not necessarily lower O2 the lack of photosynthesis does that.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
of course you're right, Tom
of course you're right, Tom
perhaps we should simply turn off the skimmer and let some young ladies overfeed the aquarium
of course you're right, Tom
perhaps we should simply turn off the skimmer and let some young ladies overfeed the aquarium
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