Reef nutrition

Advice on not running skimmer 24/7?

kinetic

Supporting Member
I'm trying to increase my NO3/PO4 by removing things that might be taking them down to zero.

Yes, I will most likely have to start dosing NO3/PO4, but I want to exhaust my options by simplifying first, rather than adding. Dosing will probably involve getting another DOS pump and all that, which I'm hoping to avoid.

My next try is to stop running my skimmer all the time. It's currently 24/7, and I clean it out every 3 - 5 days. I have been trying to skim darker, but I'd also like to try not running it all day.

Anyone run their skimmer on a timer? Does not running it 24/7 negatively affect the overall stability of the tank (like oxygen)? Anything else I should know about?
 
Why don’t you try just taking off the skimmer cup and letting it overflow? You will get all the benefits of gas/liquid exchange and it will not remove any nutrients.

As you know, an easy fix is to feed more/increase bioload with more fish.

I have dosed potassium nitrate in the past, but I think that dosing nutrients is better for correcting imbalances in nitrate and phosphate, rather than increasing nutrients overall (for instance if phosphates are <0.03 and nitrates are lower than desired).


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Why don’t you try just taking off the skimmer cup and letting it overflow? You will get all the benefits of gas/liquid exchange and it will not remove any nutrients.

As you know, an easy fix is to feed more/increase bioload with more fish.

I have dosed potassium nitrate in the past, but I think that dosing nutrients is better for correcting imbalances in nitrate and phosphate, rather than increasing nutrients overall (for instance if phosphates are <0.03 and nitrates are lower than desired).


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If you do want to just dump the nutrients back into the tank, I'd suggest leaving the collection cup on and running the contents through the drain port connected to a tube that runs back into the sump. That's assuming your skimmer has a drain port. If I run my skimmer without a cup, all those popping bubbles create significant saltwater spray and gets everywhere.
 
I'm feeding 3x a day (TDO Chromaboost mixed with ON Reef Flakes), one cube of PE mysis, and dosing AA and Reef Chili every night. My fish literally cannot eat anymore. The third feeding, the fish totally ignore the food. They'll mostly ignore mysis if I feed that in the evening. One of my Orchid Dottybacks looks like she will explode soon. She is SO FAT and I see her pooping all the time.

I guess I could try to cram more fish in to eat the food. But I'm feeding almost as much, if not more, than my old tank that had Ventralis Anthias and Genicanthus.

I can't figure out what the heck is so efficiently exporting stuff.

Skimmer
Filter cup filter pad

The only other thing is my BRS reactor with the ROX carbon. I don't think that would really do anything with nitrates/phosphates. My Chaeto Reactor is just empty now.
 
you could just flat out turn off the skimmer. thats what I did for my softie nano
 

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Yeah softies benefit from dirtier water. I saw more polyp extention from my gorgonians and toadstools after turning off my skimmer
 
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