Zeolite against my skimmer????

[cromegu]

Hi guys,

Does any body knows if zeolite can stop the skimming process, what I´m trying to explain is that since I began using ULTRA LITH system my skimmer´s performance began to "fade", I tried to do everything like cleaning all the skimmer´s chamber,pump, venturi, I even tried using another skimmer (external) and the results were the same. I began using ULTRA LITH about a month ago what I´m using now is ultrabak (.5 ml/day) and ultra bio(3 drops/day) to stablish the colony on zeolite in a 55 gal tank, what could be the problem?, Suggestions?, Some advice?, please helppp....

Ps. My skimmer is an ASM with sedra pump.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ReefWreak]

Isn't the idea of zeo to strip your system of nutrients? I've always understood that to be the idea, that you colonize with their bacteria, which then go and eat up all of your nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, etc).

 

[cromegu]

Hi ReefWreak, yes the idea is to take to the lower level the nutrients in the water but Do you think that the skimmer stops making foam when the nutrients are too low???, I forgot to say that I feed with the mixture ultaclam/ultramin on a daily basis and there´s 4 tangs inside, so the skimmer must clean that waste Don´t you think so?, thanks buddy!!!!

 

[bertoni]

The zeolites might be doing enough filtration of some sort to reduce skimming output. People often notice that with a number of filtration methods. I wouldn't worry as long as the tank looks healthy.

 

[cromegu]

Thanks bertoni, I´m worried because although corals and fish looks normal I do feed them daily so there must be organic matter that can be polluting with nutrients the tank and the skimmer seems to be broken what do you think about changing the skimmer pump?

Thanks.

 

[bertoni]

Hmm, if the pump is bad, I'd definitely work on that. It might just need some cleaning. The venturi or other air path often gets clogged with salt. I'd clean the whole setup with some vinegar and fresh water.

 

[cromegu]

Thanks man, so regarding zeo, do you think it´s possible that this mineral could remove all organic matter at the point of leaving water with nothing to skim???

 

[stony_corals]

It's not the mineral or zeolites, it's the bacteria that are doing the heavy lifting. I can say after running several systems with probiotic methods, that the water does become a lot clearer. I don't know what organics are utilized and which are not. The most important thing to be watching for is if your corals become very pale as they are not getting a source of N, at which point I'd recommend dosing aminos and feeding more....

 

[bertoni]

I agree that the bacteria likely are the critical portion. The zeolites should be a good substrate for them.

 

[cromegu]

Thanks stony-corals and bertoni,

So The skimming process isn´t too important? I mean, if corals looks healthy it doesn´t matter if the skimmer takes out foam or not. Wright?

 

[PSam]

Skimmer is very important - these systems rely on skimming as main method of export

 

[uhuru]

the skimmate should be getting darker and more of it as PSam said the bacteria may take up nutrients but it just gets recycles unless the skimmer pulls them out

 

[bertoni]

Many people run nice tanks with no skimmer at all, so I wouldn't worry in this case as long as the animals are doing well.

 

[cromegu]

Thank 2 all of you guys, so today the foam backs a little bit with a dark greenish appearence, I think it`s going to be like this in the future, Do you think so? .....

 

[bertoni]

That's probably typical.