When do I skim

[Koddie Doo]

At what point and I ready to turn on my protein skimmer?

 

[CStrickland]

have you been waiting to turn it on since you joined in '06? prolly ready by now lol

If its a new tank / new skimmer you can start it whenever you want b/c it can take a while to get a film built up inside for it to work steadily. This tuning time is also when you play around with the water level / air flow etc. You can leave the collection cup off or just let it overflow back into the sump since it isn't really taking much out until you have critters pooping. Once it starts to pull dirty water you can begin emptying the cup to get that out of the tank.
I don't think theres much reason to wait.

 

[SALTYwaterDOG]

Yep plug it in its time :beer:

 

[stingeragent]

LOL. This poster has me so confused. I replied to a thread he started several days ago that was about the most basic of questions. I then looked at his join date, and 2000 post count, and thought, what has he been posting about for the last 1999 posts.

 

[Koddie Doo]

LOL. This poster has me so confused. I replied to a thread he started several days ago that was about the most basic of questions. I then looked at his join date, and 2000 post count, and thought, what has he been posting about for the last 1999 posts.

I have had only a couple tanks in my life all set up for a long time.

I recently moved and this is the first time I have set up a serious tank in 6 years. Although I would say my general knowledge of saltwater tanks is above average, the cycle which only happens once in a tank is not. I posted in the nob site because of the basicness of my questions.

Sorry if I had unconvinced you in any way trying to wrap you head around my posting history. Little silly that you didn't just ask and you tried to showboat to the board. But that's ok.:thumbsup:

And by the way right now it is 2124 and counting..

 

[3dees]

it's really not needed for cycling, but some run it during the cycle to break it in, so there is no best time.

 

[Shaummy]

I have had only a couple tanks in my life all set up for a long time.

I recently moved and this is the first time I have set up a serious tank in 6 years. Although I would say my general knowledge of saltwater tanks is above average, the cycle which only happens once in a tank is not. I posted in the nob site because of the basicness of my questions.

Sorry if I had unconvinced you in any way trying to wrap you head around my posting history. Little silly that you didn't just ask and you tried to showboat to the board. But that's ok.:thumbsup:

And by the way right now it is 2124 and counting..

Funny they mention that..I never pay attention to someone's join date or their post count when I look at their posts.

As for your question, I don't think there is a "set" time to start skimming, if you have the skimmer, there is no harm in having it run while a tank cycles. It very likely won't produce much skimmate at all until you start putting livestock in there, but it will add some oxygenation etc..

I started with cured live rock from a different tank so there was some die off that I skimmed right away.

 

[Monte26]

if its a new tank / new skimmer you can start it whenever you want b/c it can take a while to get a film built up inside for it to work steadily. This tuning time is also when you play around with the water level / air flow etc. You can leave the collection cup off or just let it overflow back into the sump since it isn't really taking much out until you have critters pooping. Once it starts to pull dirty water you can begin emptying the cup to get that out of the tank.
I don't think theres much reason to wait.

+1

 

[nuxx]

Another for starting right away.

 

[Isaacs55]

have you been waiting to turn it on since you joined in '06? prolly ready by now lol

If its a new tank / new skimmer you can start it whenever you want b/c it can take a while to get a film built up inside for it to work steadily. This tuning time is also when you play around with the water level / air flow etc. You can leave the collection cup off or just let it overflow back into the sump since it isn't really taking much out until you have critters pooping. Once it starts to pull dirty water you can begin emptying the cup to get that out of the tank.
I don't think theres much reason to wait.

Yep plug it in its time :beer:

Haha these had me Rollin lol :lolspin:
I agree...it's time bud